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3 votes
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Sixteen searches, four arrests in European Parliament after Qatar corruption investigation
5 votes -
Nancy Pelosi embodied America's gerontocracy problem
4 votes -
Rishi Sunak to become first British Asian PM as Penny Mordaunt bows out
13 votes -
What to watch for at the 20th Party Congress
3 votes -
As part of a new series that looks abroad for inspiration on how to fix flaws in the US political system – we ask whether Norway's young MPs have the answer
5 votes -
Swedish rightwing on verge of narrow election win but waits on final tally – bloc including far-right Sverigedemokraterna on course for one-seat majority
11 votes -
CBS News poll: Of 2,085 adults polled, majority favor maximum age limits for elected US officials
13 votes -
Argentina's VP Cristina Fernández de Kirchner unharmed in point-blank attempted shooting
6 votes -
How do politicians keep getting so rich?
7 votes -
Swedish government narrowly survives no-confidence vote – vote targeted Justice Minister Morgan Johansson over his record on violent crime
4 votes -
German state elections show populism in decline on left and right
9 votes -
Denmark says it is in talks with Rwanda about setting up a reception centre for asylum seekers
3 votes -
Gary Chambers - Scars and Bars - Political ad
11 votes -
"37 Seconds" - Legalize Marijuana - Gary Chambers political ad
16 votes -
What ‘The Squad’ tells us about progressives’ ability to win voters of color
10 votes -
Conservative politician Péter Márki-Zay wins Hungarian opposition race as six parties come together to challenge Orbán
15 votes -
When I ran for US President, it messed with my head
13 votes -
Norway's billionaires spent the election campaign smearing Rødt – but the party kept its focus and secured a historic electoral breakthrough
4 votes -
Iceland elects Europe's first female majority parliament – but Katrín Jakobsdóttir's future as PM looks to be in doubt after her party lost several seats
7 votes -
Hong Kong leader defends election after single non-establishment figure picked for 1,500-strong committee
6 votes -
SPD candidate Olaf Scholz consolidates German election lead with TV debate win
5 votes -
Andrew Yang to launch a third party
15 votes -
Historic impeachment trial gets underway in Denmark against former MP Inger Støjberg who spearheaded dozens of tough immigration measures
7 votes -
Stefan Löfven steps down as Sweden's prime minister after seven years – finance minister Magdalena Andersson widely tipped to be his successor as leader of Socialdemokraterna
8 votes -
Morten Messerschmidt, a leading right-wing Danish politician, has been convicted of fraudulently receiving funds from the European Union
9 votes -
From child refugee to politician – Suldaan Said Ahmed, whose family fled the civil war in Somalia, is intent on driving out racism in Finland
3 votes -
New vote totals show tighter Democratic race for New York City mayor
5 votes -
Sweden's Vänsterpartiet said it would seek to oust PM Stefan Löfven if the government didn't drop or change plans for the abolition of rent controls on new-build properties
7 votes -
I am getting sick of writing these pieces to respond to people like Rick Santorum
13 votes -
Keir Starmer struggles to counter Boris Johnson’s ‘vaccine bounce’ as UK polls loom
5 votes -
Andrew Yang’s Asian American superpower
11 votes -
Finland's women-led government targeted by online harassment – the online attacks have left some female politicians afraid to speak out
14 votes -
Why Vladimir Putin wants Alexei Navalny dead
8 votes -
Inger Støjberg quits the Venstre party ahead of her impeachment trial – she is accused of unlawfully ordering the separation of asylum-seeking couples arriving from Syria
5 votes -
In Tunisia, some wonder if the revolution was worth it: Tunisians are putting their hard-won right to criticize the government to good use. They just wish there was less to protest.
10 votes -
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declares China's treatment of Uighurs 'genocide'
15 votes -
Partner of Norway's former justice minister has been found guilty of threatening democracy – she faked attacks on her family home and the torching of her car
10 votes -
Andrew Yang is running for Mayor of New York City
26 votes -
Denmark will hold its first political trial in three decades after the country's ruling party supported a vote to impeach ex-immigration minister Inger Støjberg
6 votes -
Leading politicians in Finland have expressed outrage after former prime minister Juha Sipilä was assaulted outside the country's Parliament building
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 -
Andrew Yang files paperwork to run for New York City mayor
26 votes -
Dianne Feinstein’s missteps raise a painful age question among US Senate Democrats
15 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 -
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 -
US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's response to colleague who called her a misogynistic slur
42 votes -
KnowYourVote - An aggregated source for info about US candidates
4 votes