Week of Sept 27

[byjove]

A little love fest for the WH press sec

[crimsonandclover]

Jinx

I'll go delete mine



German federal elections were yesterday. There were some mild surprises (the Left party looks to only be making it into the Bundestag by the skinniest skin of their teeth), and it's still not clear who the Chancellor will be - either Armin Laschet of Merkel's Christian Democrat party (CDU) or Olaf Scholz of the Social Democrats (SPD). There is almost certainly going to be a 3-party coalition, though, since the CDU and SPD have been governing in a coalition for the last 8 years and are all sick of it. So either the CDU with the Greens and the Liberals (fiscally liberal as in little market regulation, that is, not liberal in the US sense) or the SPD with the Greens and the Liberals. The Liberals have said they would prefer the CDU/Green combination, but we shall see. I'm just happy the right-wing neo-Nazi party AfD lost a lot of votes compared to the last federal election.

[starbuck]

Alabama lawmakers weigh using virus funds to build prisons

[byjove]

Sept 27, 2021 6:52:26 GMT -6 starbuck said:

Alabama lawmakers weigh using virus funds to build prisons

That sounds like exactly what they need to be investing in /s

[Minerva]

Matt Walsh is the worst. 🙄

[adelbert]

Sept 27, 2021 6:16:06 GMT -6 crimsonandclover said:

Jinx

I'll go delete mine



German federal elections were yesterday. There were some mild surprises (the Left party looks to only be making it into the Bundestag by the skinniest skin of their teeth), and it's still not clear who the Chancellor will be - either Armin Laschet of Merkel's Christian Democrat party (CDU) or Olaf Scholz of the Social Democrats (SPD). There is almost certainly going to be a 3-party coalition, though, since the CDU and SPD have been governing in a coalition for the last 8 years and are all sick of it. So either the CDU with the Greens and the Liberals (fiscally liberal as in little market regulation, that is, not liberal in the US sense) or the SPD with the Greens and the Liberals. The Liberals have said they would prefer the CDU/Green combination, but we shall see. I'm just happy the right-wing neo-Nazi party AfD lost a lot of votes compared to the last federal election.

And the goal is to have the coalition decided by Christmas so... not at all like in the States😂.

[dc2london]

Lol Jen: I understand it's a foreign concept to congressional Republicans but in this administration, the Department of Justice is independent

[dc2london]

[clucky]

Was this already discussed and I missed it? Wondering what the implications of this are, as I’ve never seen this, that I recall.

[jaygee]

Sept 27, 2021 12:20:24 GMT -6 dc2london said:

Oh wow! I’m here for this!

[dc2london]

It feels like the train derailment is being completely ignored. I watched/listened to the Sunday shows and today's briefing and I heard zero mention of it, even amid breathless hot takes about the *infrastructure * bill's peril.

[byjove]

Sept 27, 2021 16:18:19 GMT -6 dc2london said:

It feels like the train derailment is being completely ignored. I watched/listened to the Sunday shows and today's briefing and I heard zero mention of it, even amid breathless hot takes about the *infrastructure * bill's peril.

Yes. There is almost nothing on twitter as well. 

[greykitty]

Well, in Chicago it was on all the local news shows, which are network O&O here, since the accident occurred - probably because the train originated in Chicago so we've got the local interest angle. It was going under the speed limit and another engine had been over that same stretch an hour earlier. They may be looking at heat affecting the tracks, and the lighter cars were more affected than the engine.

Of course infrastructure should be looked at in general - all our bridges, roads, train lines, etc need a lot of work IMO.

[elle]

Wow. All the people (often incorrectly) banging on about HIPAA violations are going to be all over this, right?

[greykitty]

Nothing like a high stakes poker game regarding the debt limit.

www.cnn.com/2021/09/27/politics/senate-debt-limit-shutdown-vote/index.html

Senate Republicans blocked a House-passed bill to suspend the debt limit and avert a government shutdown from advancing in the Senate on Monday........

[origami]

Sept 27, 2021 16:32:29 GMT -6 greykitty said:

Well, in Chicago it was on all the local news shows, which are network O&O here, since the accident occurred - probably because the train originated in Chicago so we've got the local interest angle. It was going under the speed limit and another engine had been over that same stretch an hour earlier. They may be looking at heat affecting the tracks, and the lighter cars were more affected than the engine.

Of course infrastructure should be looked at in general - all our bridges, roads, train lines, etc need a lot of work IMO.

Same out here in the PNW. It is top story and quite covered though could be because we're the destination and had a horrific and deadly derailment a few years ago.

[ldubhawksfan]

This is fine…

[jaygee]

Shocking! Gov Noem commits a corruption.

[dc2london]

This is a good thread

[notblanche]

This is fine.

[jkjacq]

Sec Austin isnt having any shit about Afghanistan.

[jkjacq]

Gen Milley is addressing the china call separate from his opening statement. 

[jkjacq]

Gen Milley is reading Cotton the riot act after being asked why didnt he resign if POTUS didnt follow his advice.

Milley - you are a doodoo head

[willow]

Are we actually going to default on our debt? I have been spiraling on this for days and worrying about what it means for everyone. I'm not even entirely sure how it would affect my own job since it is government, albeit local. I feel as though there are no reassurances anywhere because both sides are being completely intransigent right now.

[jkjacq]

So I know it was reported that some American citizens didnt WANT to leave Afghanistan.   HOW is that a failure of military?

[roloma]

Sept 27, 2021 20:25:54 GMT -6 ldubhawksfan said:

This is fine…

Ankeny is the hottest of messes in a dumpster fire of a state.

ETA: Hi everyone.  I still exist. 

[Wtfshouldmynamebe]

Sept 28, 2021 9:08:05 GMT -6 willow said:

Are we actually going to default on our debt? I have been spiraling on this for days and worrying about what it means for everyone. I'm not even entirely sure how it would affect my own job since it is government, albeit local. I feel as though there are no reassurances anywhere because both sides are being completely intransigent right now.

They do this every time.  There will be a last minute save.

[jkjacq]

Sen Duckworth "my father was in Cambodia until after troops left, the ambassador was there after troops left and had to leave overland"

making the point to Rick Scott that sometimes stay behind

[hawkeye2015]

If this is actually included and the reconciliation passes that would be great.

[willow]

Sept 28, 2021 10:05:45 GMT -6 Wtfshouldmynamebe said:

Sept 28, 2021 9:08:05 GMT -6 willow said:

Are we actually going to default on our debt? I have been spiraling on this for days and worrying about what it means for everyone. I'm not even entirely sure how it would affect my own job since it is government, albeit local. I feel as though there are no reassurances anywhere because both sides are being completely intransigent right now.

They do this every time.  There will be a last minute save.

Oh I know they do, but isn't it usually tied to shutdowns and not debt? Like, they've let the govnt shut down temporarily but we've NEVER defaulted on our debt. So they have to save it, right?