Month: November 2017

Here we are again, watching the Senate Republicans doing their best to press into law, as quick as they can, without proper debate and hearings, an immoral law that will touch every American.   (The Republican House had done their part already). The monstrous tax-cut bill that takes money away from students, teachers, hard-working middle-class people – and healthcare from sick people – is about to get voted into law.  At the 11th hour on Thursday night, a few Republicans balked at the $1 trillion (at least) that it will add to the budget deficit, but it will probably pass on Friday.

As Republican strategist Steve Schmidt says in his tweets (below): if you are a generation X-er, you should be aghast at what the Republican septuagenarians and octogenarians in Congress are doing in the name of politics.  They are beggars for donations from corporations and billionaires, and they are making all of us pay for it.

Never mind the myriad scandals of the Trump Administration. This one is at the top of the list, in my opinion : the mythical tax bill that Republicans are working on. (Boost the economy to 4% growth, raise wages, pay for the deficit .. the delusions are many). The House of Representatives will vote on their proposition of a massive tax-cut bill tomorrow.  The losses in revenue will add some $1.5 trillion to the national debt, and slash taxes for corporations and the rich, with little benefit to middle-class working people. In fact, it will raise taxes for many.  But that’s not all: to pay for part of it, the law will take health-care benefits away from an estimated 13 million Americans. 

In other news today, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin showed off the first dollar bills with his signature on.  Yay.

The results of Australia’s postal survey vote regarding marriage equality are in, and it’s a ‘Yes’ (61.6% yes, 38.4 no%). Yes!  Good news. All states and territories recorded a majority ‘Yes’ response.   (It still has to make it into law by Australia’s parliament.  12/7/2017: It’s official. Australian Parliament Approves Same-Sex Marriage).

As New York Times notes, the record of subjecting same-sex marriage to a public vote remains mixed, though.

‘.. In 2015, Ireland was the first country to legalize same-sex marriage by referendum, but the same year, voters in Slovenia rejected a law legalizing such unions.
In the United States, numerous states outlawed same-sex marriage in referendums; in 2012, Maine, Maryland and Washington became the first states to legalize such unions by referendum. The United States Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage across the nation in 2015.
The survey in Australia was controversial, not only because it placed such a thorny issue at the whims of direct democracy but also because of its cost (about US$ 97 million).
As the deadline approached for citizens to mail in their ballots, passions were inflamed by heartfelt pleas and vitriolic attacks’.