-
9 votes
-
In Georgia Runoff Elections, (D) Warnock wins vs (R) Loeffler, (D) Ossof very likely wins vs (R) Purdue
Text post because the big news companies are cowards playing it safe and not calling Ossof yet, though it's basically over Warnock makes history with Senate win as Dems near majority (AP News) My...
Text post because the big news companies are
cowardsplaying it safe and not calling Ossof yet, though it's basically overWarnock makes history with Senate win as Dems near majority (AP News)
My takes below:
What does this mean?
This gives Democrats a thin majority in the senate. Does it mean they have free reign? No, the party is not that unified. In particular, as you probably have heard his name many many times now, Manchin, the "conservative Democrat" from WV is likely to be the kingmaker in votes. So it's not like just anything can get passed, and Manchin will not eliminate the filibuster easily.
So is it pointless?
ABSOLUTELY NOT
It's a huge victory nonetheless for Democrats. Remember, with control of the Senate, Chuck Schumer will be Senate Majority Leader, who controls what legislation the senate votes on. Even bipartisan bills were consistently torpedoed by McConnell who would refuse to even have a vote on it. Now, there is politics that can be done - deals, compromise, whatever. If you can't vote on something, nothing can be done. Things that are overall popular like increased stimulus are also going to pass.
Additionally, perhaps an even bigger deal, Biden can get his nominations through for cabinet and judges. There's an insane amount of unfilled heads of state departments right now, and the rest are filled with people absolutely unfit for the job. Having a real human being be the head of the EPA, or Department of Education, or the Department of Energy, and so forth is a big deal.
It also means that Justice Breyer can safely retire and have another "liberal" Justice take his place.
It's not sweeping control over the government, but it's a immensely superior political situation to McConnell stone walling anything he doesn't want, and Biden having to haggle with McConnell over how incompetent his cabinet needs to be.
48 votes -
Pennsylvania Republicans block seating of Democratic state senator, take control from lieutenant governor
20 votes -
Email accounts belonging to Finnish MPs were compromised during a cyberattack on the country's parliament in the autumn
6 votes -
Andrew Yang files paperwork to run for New York City mayor
26 votes -
An anti-gay Hungarian politician has resigned after being caught by the police fleeing a 25-man orgy through a window
27 votes -
Belgium has expelled five Danish far-right activists and banned them for a year over their plans to burn a Quran in a mainly-Muslim area of Brussels
10 votes -
Estonia's far-right minister resigns over Biden remarks
12 votes -
Danish mayor Frank Jensen quits amid sexual harassment allegations – Social Democrat has apologized for his behaviour, saying he did not want to stand in the way of progress
6 votes -
Violence erupts in Malmö after anti-Muslim activity – right-wing extremists had burned a copy of the Quran and a Danish politician was barred from entering the country
9 votes -
Boris Johnson's new Brexit trade advisor is former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott
10 votes -
Denmark's vegan party says it has enough support to run for parliament – the party, founded in 2018, reached the 20,182 declarations needed on Thursday
13 votes -
US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's response to colleague who called her a misogynistic slur
42 votes -
Sen. Hawley introduces bill to fine American companies relying on Chinese slave labor
17 votes -
Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder arrested in connection with $60 million bribery scheme
19 votes -
Amy McGrath wins close Kentucky Senate primary
11 votes -
Rasmus Paludan, head of Denmark's far-right Stram Kurs party, has been given a month in jail for a string of offences including racism
7 votes -
Australian Senators unite to block Pauline Hanson's 'all lives matter' motion
8 votes -
Katri Kulmuni will step down as Finland's finance minister after admitting on Friday that she had used taxpayers' money to fund training on how to speak in public
12 votes -
New Zealand opposition leader ousted as PM Ardern's popularity soars
12 votes -
Biden asks Amy Klobuchar to undergo vetting as possible running mate
9 votes -
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sues Betsy DeVos over “reprehensible” new sexual assault rules
5 votes -
Republican Mitt Romney sides with Democrats calling for $12 hourly raises for essential workers in the USA
22 votes -
The UK Labour party has a new leader: Keir Starmer
12 votes -
Brazilian superminister Sérgio Moro resigns after Bolsonaro fires federal police chief Maurício Valeixo
6 votes -
New Zealand Health Minister David Clark demoted after driving 20km to beach, breaking lockdown rules
12 votes -
Elizabeth Warren has a plan for this, too
8 votes -
Time’s Up said it could not fund a #metoo allegation against Joe Biden
12 votes -
Tulsi Gabbard suspends US election campaign, endorses Joe Biden
17 votes -
Andrew Yang’s new US non-profit is giving away $500,000 in free cash as a UBI experiment
23 votes -
Winston Peters invokes Christchurch massacre as NZ's deportations row with Australia escalates
5 votes -
Finland's foreign minister faces probe over Syria repatriations – Pekka Haavisto will be investigated over his plan for swiftly bringing children held in Syria to Finland
4 votes -
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov requests a meeting with Norwegian authorities to remove limitations on Russian activity on Svalbard
4 votes -
Mary Louise Kelly interviews Secretary Of State Mike Pompeo
21 votes -
Norway's PM Erna Solberg named one of her top lieutenants to the key position of finance minister as her new minority government prepares to navigate a hostile parliament
5 votes -
Brazilian culture secretary fired after echoing words of Nazi minister of propaganda Joseph Göebbels
7 votes -
Russia's government resigns as Putin offers spot on Security Council to Medvedev
13 votes -
Mike Bloomberg exploited prison labor to make 2020 Presidential campaign phone calls
23 votes -
Estonia's president has apologised after his country's interior minister mocked Finland's new prime minister
8 votes -
Finland's finance minister deleted an Instagram post and issued an apology after criticism by a human rights group
4 votes -
Nancy Pelosi says US House of Representatives will draft impeachment charges against Donald Trump
18 votes -
China tried to plant its candidate in Australian Federal Parliament, authorities believe
17 votes -
Michael Bloomberg joins 2020 Democratic field for US President
13 votes -
Iraq's defence minister Najah al-Shammari accused of benefit fraud in Sweden
3 votes -
'OK boomer': New Zealand MP shuts down climate change heckler with viral quip
21 votes -
What Andrew Yang means
11 votes -
Hillary Clinton accuses Tulsi Gabbard of being Russian asset
12 votes -
'Meltdown': Trump-Pelosi feud intensifies after Dem walkout
7 votes -
Mitch McConnell vows to block former US President Donald Trump impeachment in fundraising pitch
11 votes -
NRA was 'foreign asset' to Russia ahead of 2016, new US senate report reveals
22 votes