Democrats Release Draft Plan For COVID Stimulus Payments

If getting relief to citizens who are suffering is so darned important, why not simply put forth a stand-alone bill with the stimulus payments?

Stimulus checks would be capped at $100,000 income under Democrat plan. What we know

House Democrats unveiled a proposal Monday that would cap direct payments for individuals making up to $100,000 a year and couples making up to $200,000.

House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal, a Massachusetts Democrat, released legislation that would provide $1,400 checks to individuals earning $75,000 a year and married couples earning $150,000 a year — the same income thresholds in Biden’s $1.9 trillion emergency plan released in January. The plan has a faster phase-out than in previous proposals, capping payments at $100,000 for individuals and $200,000 for couples.

The plan by House Democrats may not be the final version of the income eligibility requirements as lawmakers negotiate a bill they hope to pass before Mar. 14, the day that $300 weekly unemployment benefits approved in December’s coronavirus package expire. That timeline has added to lawmakers’ desire to go with the budget reconciliation route, a process that allows for “expedited consideration” of legislation on spending, taxes and debt and would enable Democrats to pass the bill without any GOP support.

“While it is still our hope that Republicans will join us in doing right by the American people, the urgency of the moment demands that we act without further delay,” Neal said in a statement.

What’s so urgent about March 14? That’s over a month away. Democrats knew they would have majorities months ago, yet seemed to have no actual plan ready to go. Unless the plan is to use the pandemic and economic devastation caused partially by locking down the economy, then continued by mostly Democrat rulers keeping states and cities locked down, to jam through a far left wish list. Because there will be few Republican votes in the House, and Democrats have to play games in the Senate by using reconciliation to get it passed. They’re still planning on jamming through the minimum wage hike to $15, which would kill millions of jobs.

A group of 10 Republican senators, led by Maine’s Susan Collins, released a plan on Feb. 1 that includes $1,000 direct payments to Americans instead of the $1,400 checks proposed by Biden. The plan would provide $1,000 stimulus checks for individuals making up to $40,000 a year and phase them out completely when income reaches $50,000. Joint filers would get $2,000, with the payments phasing out beginning at $80,000 a year with an income cap at $100,000.

That does make more sense, especially in terms of who would get the money. Do we really need it for higher earners? If they were smart they’d be on TV and social media and stuff constantly saying they’d be willing to compromise but that it’s super important to pass a stimulus immediately, and that it should be voted in a standalone bill which is “clean”, meaning it is solely about stimulus checks.

Read: Democrats Release Draft Plan For COVID Stimulus Payments »

Say, What Can Consumers Do To Solve The Climate Apocalypse Or Something

Well, a good first step would be for the EcoWatch website to shut down, due to it’s carbon footprint. Same with the World Economic Forum, which sees lots of Elites taking long, fossil fueled private jets to meetings

How Can Consumers Help Solve the Climate Crisis?

In 2015, Parties to the UNFCCC adopted the Paris Agreement, to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping the global temperature rise this century well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C. It was signed by 175 countries, making it the largest number of countries ever to sign an international agreement on a single day. Since then the number increased to 186 countries.

Almost all the world’s governments are firmly committed to help stop climate change. Within this framework, business has a responsibility to deliver it. The private sector increasingly appreciates its role. A growing number of companies are working to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 through a combination of individual actions and collaborative initiatives like Universal ESG Reporting, Race to Zero or Climate Action.

Yet, most countries aren’t even close to their Paris goals. Surprise? Anyway, what can you do (before government forces you to do)

1) Understand your own direct and indirect emissions. There are several carbon footprint calculators, like footprintcalculator.org, conservation.org or WWF. Each has pros and cons, but they all return consistent results.

People have a tough enough time counting calories. And the liberal education system makes it so that kids have trouble doing basic math.

2) Strive to get access to information. Today, it is often difficult to understand the impact of products you buy. Are you able to say which apple in your usual grocery store is the most environmentally friendly? Or most importantly all your clothes, cars, meat, electronics and cloud services, not to mention your energy use?

That’s dangerous, because people might figure out this is all a scam

3) Start making better consumer choices. It often seems that there is only a binary choice available – to consume or not – with very limited options to consume more responsibly. However, increased access to information often proves that more choices exist.

For example, looking at the Just Salad menu, one of the choices I could make is between Maple Crispy Chicken Salad and Chicken Pitta Salad. They both include chicken, and both contain similar calories. However, the carbon footprint of the latter is 60% greater than the former. Imagine if we could do the same for all our consumer choices.

Piss off. I’m picking the salad (well, not really, I won’t even glance at the salad part of the menu) that tastes the best. I won’t obsess like a doomsday cult member on its carbon footprint.

4) Be prepared to pay for it. Higher quality products or services often will not be cheaper than high polluting ones. Cleaning up the supply chains, doing things right will cost money. Be ready to pay a premium for a low emissions product. Hopefully one day we will reach a scale in which such trade-offs don’t exist anymore.

So, wait, all this “green” stuff is going to be much more expensive? Huh.

5) Help others increase their awareness. Make sure your family understands their impact. Help them make better choices and you will multiply your impact.

Nag the crap out of non-cultists. Strangely, nothing about giving up the use of fossil fueled travel and making their own lives carbon neutral.

Read: Say, What Can Consumers Do To Solve The Climate Apocalypse Or Something »

If All You See…

…is the need to build homes high up for when the seas rise dozens of feet, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is America’s Watchtower, with a post on the draconian gun registration bill introduced by nutty Sheila Jackson-Lee.

Read: If All You See… »

China Joe Expected To Rollback Illegal Alien Deportations

If a foreigner who was going through the naturalization process was convicted of minor crimes they’d be summarily asked to leave, and deported if they don’t. Someone who’s illegally present in the US? Nah, they’re good

Joe Biden Expected to Roll Back Deportations for Illegal Alien Drunk Drivers, Assailants

President Joe Biden’s administration is expected to roll back deportations starting this week for illegal aliens who have been convicted of drunk driving, simple assault, and a number of drug crimes.

Internal communications reviewed by the Washington Post, and nearly confirmed by White House press secretary Jen Psaki, details how the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency under Biden’s direction will not prioritize deportations for illegal aliens convicted of a number of crimes, all of which have American victims.

The Post reports:

Agents will no longer seek to deport immigrants for crimes such as driving under the influence and assault, and will focus instead on national security threats, recent border crossers and people completing prison and jail terms for aggravated felony convictions. [Emphasis added]

“Generally, these convictions would not include drug based crimes (less serious offenses), simple assault, DUI, money laundering, property crimes, fraud, tax crimes, solicitation, or charges without convictions,” acting director Tae Johnson told senior officials in a Thursday email advising them on how to operate while new guidelines are finalized. [Emphasis added]

So, if an illegal alien assaults you after hitting your car while drunk, or robs your house, you shouldn’t expect the China Joe administration to follow federal law and deport the person. Feeling good yet?

The internal emails sent to ICE agents suggests illegal aliens are only considered threats to the public if they are convicted of aggravated felonies, can be proven to be gang members, or have a history of violence.

Even then, if we go by what happened during Obama’s time in office, they might not be deported. An aggravated felony? How about any felony, period?

Also part of the new guidelines expected this week is a provision forcing agents to get approval from acting ICE Director Tae Johnson to make arrests of any illegal aliens who are not in prisons or jails. As part of that approval process, agents would have to justify to Johnson why the illegal alien should get priority for arrest and deportation.

Why? Because they are in violation of U.S. federal law. Why is it that illegals are allowed to get off while regular citizens would be prosecuted?

For context, ICE arrests tens of thousands of illegal aliens every year who are convicted of have pending charges for crimes like drunk driving, assault, drug possession, and fraud. In 2019, for example, illegal aliens arrested by ICE had more than 74,500 convictions or charges involving drunk driving, more than 68,000 charges or convictions of traffic offenses, nearly 46,000 charges or convictions for assault, and more than 12,000 charges or convictions for fraud.

So, basically, almost none will be allowed to be arrested, because no way can Johnson give approval for that many arrests. A goodly chunk of that fraud affects U.S. citizens. They get to have their lives ruined while the illegal gets to wander free, and then will get prioritized for a Democrat amnesty.

Read: China Joe Expected To Rollback Illegal Alien Deportations »

Biden Press Lackey Asked Where All The Green Jobs Are

Biden Press Secretary is never happy when someone dares to ask her a tough question. Don’t certain reporters know that it’s supposed to be softballs?

Psaki spars with Fox News’ Peter Doocy over Keystone pipeline job losses

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki sparred with Fox News White House Correspondent Peter Doocy on Monday after he pressed her to address expected job losses stemming from President Biden’s executive action to cancel the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

President Biden revoked the permit for the 1,700-mile pipeline on his first day in office, ending a project that was expected to employ more than 11,000 Americans this year. Doocy asked Psaki to comment on when the workers who lost job opportunities due to Biden’s executive order could expect to receive a “green job” as a replacement.

“When is it that the Biden administration is going to let the thousands of fossil fuel industry workers, whether its pipeline workers or construction workers who are either out of work or will soon be out of work because of Biden’s EO, when it is and where it is that they can go for their green jobs?” Doocy said.

Doocy referenced Biden’s pledge to create “high-paying union jobs” through investments in green energy infrastructure projects. In response, Psaki called on Doocy to present more evidence to back up his question.

“Well, I’d certainly welcome you to present your data of all the thousands and thousands of people who won’t be getting green jobs,” Psaki said. “Maybe next time you’re here you can present that.”

“But you said that they would be getting green jobs, so I’m just asking when that happens?” Doocy said.

Trump’s various press secretaries used to be able to cite facts, Psaki provides smears, snark, and circle back.

“As the president has indicated when he gave his primetime address to talk about the American Rescue Plan, he talked about his plans to also put forward a jobs plan in the weeks or months following,” Psaki said. “He has every plan to do exactly that.”

So, Biden put a minimum of 11,000 people out of work weeks to months ahead of announcing a plan, and, of course, said plan would take months to years to implement. What happened to all those “good paying green jobs” when Obama was president? There were almost none. The few that were created didn’t last.

What would Biden know about creating jobs? He’s been in political office for the majority of his life. He’s never run a business.

Read: Biden Press Lackey Asked Where All The Green Jobs Are »

Democrats Throw Hissy Fit, Want To Punish Trump For Refusing To Testify At Shampeachment

Constitution? What’s that? Due Process? MIA. Democrats? Still unable to Move On, in complete Trump Derangement Syndrome. The “trial” starts today at 1pm

Democrats Threaten to Punish Trump for Not Testifying at Impeachment Trial

Move OnDemocrats reiterated Monday a threat to punish former President Donald Trump for not testifying at the impeachment trial in the Senate, which begins Tuesday.

In a short filing responding to Trump’s lawyer’s 75-page trial memorandum, submitted Monday, the House impeachment managers — all Democrats hand-picked by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) — wrote:

[T]he House has invited President Trump to voluntarily testify under oath, yet President Trump immediately rejected that opportunity to tell his story. The House will establish at trial that this decision to avoid testifying supports a strong adverse inference regarding President Trump’s actions (and inaction) on January 6.

The Democrats were responding to Trump’s lawyers’ claim that Democrats’ rushed impeachment, which defied all previous procedural conventions governing impeachment in the House, denied the president the constitutional due process of law.

The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides that “No person … shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” The impeachment trial is not a criminal case; however, many constitutional scholars argue that the same principles ought to apply — there, above all.

When Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) wrote to Trump’s lawyers last week, inviting Trump to testify, he made a similar threat: “If you decline this invitation, we reserve any and all rights [sic], including the right [sic] to establish at trial that your refusal to testify supports a strong adverse inference regarding your actions (and inaction) on January 6, 2021.”

Trump was afforded no due process in the House, with a rushed process, then Pelosi sat on impeachment for weeks. Now they’re threatening some sort of punishment for the constitutional guarantee that a person doesn’t have to testify, and finding him guilty till proven innocent. Trump and his people and the Republican Senators should just refuse to show up for this bit of unhinged Democratic Party hissyfit.

Rep. Jim Jordan: Trump impeachment trial – here’s what the Senate must do

It’s been almost a month since he left office, but Democrats still can’t let go of President Donald Trump. That’s why, as our country faces many urgent challenges, the Senate will set aside its real work this week and instead focus on yet another political impeachment charade. (snip through his evidence that there’s evidence that Trump had nothing to do with the violence)

Democrats ignored these facts. They also ignored the Constitution. Democrats afforded President Trump no due process in the House of Representatives. In fact, there was no process whatsoever – no witnesses, no depositions, no hearings, no cross-examinations.

Because Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., withheld sending the article of impeachment to the Senate until after President Trump left office, the Senate is poised to conduct an unprecedented impeachment trial of a president who is no longer in office. The only problem? The plain text of the Constitution makes clear that’s not allowed.

The Constitution states the “President … shall be removed from office on impeachment … and conviction.” The Constitution also specifies that “Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor.” The Senate obviously can’t remove a president who is no longer in office, and so it can’t disqualify a president from future office if it didn’t remove him while he was in office.

The Constitution also requires that the chief justice of the United States preside over a presidential impeachment trial. Chief Justice Roberts has said that he won’t preside over this trial. The substitute presiding officer, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., is also a juror who has already signaled support for President Trump’s conviction. Americans know this arrangement wouldn’t fly in a court of law, and it’s equally concerning in this trial too.

In their desperation to attack President Trump, Democrats are trampling on other important constitutional rights. Last week, Democrats threatened President Trump that if he declined to testify during the Democrats’ impeachment charade, they would use it as proof of his guilt. That may be how trials work in socialist countries. But that’s not how it works in America.

Democrats do not care, and the Credentialed Media will provide cover.

Read: Democrats Throw Hissy Fit, Want To Punish Trump For Refusing To Testify At Shampeachment »

Who’s Up For WWII Style Meat Rationing To Stop Climate Crisis (scam)?

Tell you what, if climate cultists can do this for 5 years in their own lives, I might consider that they believe the Earth is doomed rather than doing this for their authoritarian political beliefs (and not realizing the Bad Stuff will hit their own lives)

Boris Johnson faces calls to bring back WW2 meat rationing to save the planet

Donnachadh McCarthy is an Extinction Rebellion activist and author who proposed the idea after Tony Danker, Director of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), urged the Government to mimic the postwar recovery programme of 1945. Mr McCarthy took it one step further and claimed we should reintroduce rationing, which was implemented to feed the country on limited food supplies. This method, he believes, would be the fairest way to combat climate change when compared to alleged government plans to introduce a carbon tax on the food industry.

Speaking to Cristo Foufas on talkRADIO, the Extinction Rebellion supporter said: “The CBI, not a mad radical organisation, this week said that we should treat the climate crisis and the Covid crisis and the economic crisis as we did the Second World War.

“And how did we do it fairly in the Second World War? We didn’t say we were going to put a tax on meat and the rich can afford loads of meat and the poor get none, what we did was rationing.

“We have to accept that meat has really high carbon emissions, so the fair way of bringing it down and bringing down consumption is for (someone) to say ‘this is as much meat as you’re allowed each year’ and there’s your ration.

It’s weird how this keeps coming down to Government controlling the lives of citizens, eh? It’s almost like this has nothing to do with science.

Read: Who’s Up For WWII Style Meat Rationing To Stop Climate Crisis (scam)? »

Dems $15 Minimum Wage Hike Will Kill 1.4 Million Jobs

They think it will lift 900K out of poverty or something. Of course, how many of those remaining jobs will be given to illegal aliens?

CBO: $15 minimum wage hike would cost 1.4M jobs, lift 900K out of poverty

surprise surprise surpriseA new Congressional Budget Office report says the Raise the Wage Act – the bill to gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025 – would increase the cumulative deficit by $54 billion over 10 years.

Supporters of the minimum wage increase have hoped the report could bolster the case for including the measure in the next COVID-19 relief package.

The report analyzed the impact of the legislation if it were enacted at the end of March. The report found the wage hike would cost 1.4 million jobs by 2025. It would also lift 900,000 people out of poverty and increase wages for 17 million people. The CBO said a wage hike would also benefit many of the 10 million people who currently make slightly more than the minimum wage.

Most likely, it would kill 2-3 million jobs, since the CBO is rather conservative in their estimates. And help half that number, because, in the real world, people’s hours would be limited, OT will be restricted, many full time jobs will become under 30 hours to avoid having to pay health insurance. CBO estimates tend to be on static situations, rather than what actually happens. Like with California companies leaving the state as they raise their minimum wage, even going to Mexico.

The CBO says the wage hike would lead to higher prices for goods and services, which would contribute to an increase in federal spending. While spending on nutrition programs would fall, spending for unemployment benefits, health care programs and Social Security would rise due to increased costs.

The CBO says Medicaid spending would increase, in part, because so many care workers would receive raises.

Wait, I’m shocked that the cost of goods and services would go up to offset the wage increase, which would reduce the power of that wage increase. Welcome to Economics 101, pal!

Read: Dems $15 Minimum Wage Hike Will Kill 1.4 Million Jobs »

If All You See…

…are trees being killed by beetles due to Other People driving fossil fueled vehicles, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Not A Lot Of People Know That, with a post on the real cost of offshore wind power.

BTW, will I certainly appreciate the female form, does it annoy anyone else that people travel to scenic areas not enjoy them, but get selfies?

Read: If All You See… »

COVID Crazy: You Should Wear A Mask While Walking Your Dog

Pretty much every single state and city that has a mask mandate requires you to wear it if you are going to be in proximity with other people. But, you can stay away from people outside, right, so you don’t need to be masked up all the time, right? Au Contraire

It’s great when you’re told to wear a mask by someone who isn’t wearing a mask while inside and in the company of at least several people who are filming this bit of COVID moonbattery.

BTW, a fireplace is Evil for climate change, isn’t it? Not sure if wood or natural gas, but, either are supposed to be Bad.

Biden says women dropping out of workforce, closed schools are “national emergency”

President Biden said the exodus of millions of women from the labor force and the closing of schools —along with the mental health issues for children that could arise — during the COVID-19 pandemic constitute a “national emergency.”

“CBS Evening News” anchor and managing editor Norah O’Donnell spoke to Mr. Biden in the first network news interview he has given since his inauguration.

“It is a national emergency. It genuinely is a national emergency,” Mr. Biden said. Nearly 3 million women have left the workforce over the past year.

The president said he and his staff realized the Trump administration’s handling of the pandemic was “even more dire than we thought” once they entered the White House.

Got that? China Joe is blaming Trump, despite Trump wanting to reopen the economy and schools. Despite the areas with the closed schools and biggest business restrictions being in areas run by Democrats. Despite this happening in areas around the world. Funny that Joe won’t throw any blame towards his pals in China, eh? Nor towards his pals in the teacher’s unions, many of whom won’t come back to class.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, Mr. Biden’s chief medical adviser and the top infectious disease doctor in the country, has said that to get herd immunity, 75% of Americans have to be vaccinated. At the current rate of 1.3 million vaccines a day, CBS News has calculated 75% of Americans won’t be vaccinated until the end of 2021.

“We can’t wait that long,” Mr. Biden said.

We wouldn’t even have vaccines without Trump’s leadership. Joe was out there, along with other Democrats, saying a vaccine would never happen this quick.

Read: COVID Crazy: You Should Wear A Mask While Walking Your Dog »

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