hypolitcrisy


T-Rump is on track to becoming the 47th President.

Stand By

More to come

~~~~~~~~~~~~


V-O-T-E     V-O-T-E    V-O-T-E

November 8, 2022

Mid-Term Elections are Crucial


Su Voto Es Su Voz

Your Vote is Your Voice

- William C. Velasquez (Founder of the 1974 Southwest Voter Registration Education Project)


Midterm elections take place at the halfway mark during the President’s four-year term; that is, two years after the Presidential election.


Normally these elections are held on the first Tuesday in November; however, this time, the first Tuesday

is the first day of the month, so the elections will be held a week later, on November 8th.  This gives

you, the voter more time to make your decisions.


In the past, Mid-term elections do not have huge voter turnouts, but in 2022 this may change. For instance, the state of Georgia started early voting on 17Oct22, and a record number of votes, over one million were cast on the first day of its election.


Voters are ready and this may be the biggest turn out in the history of the midterms.

  


Voters are the most important entities in any political election.  They listen to sincere (and insincere) candidates as the 'want to be' officials vie for government positions. Voters must sift through myriad issues, platforms, proposed policies, bills, legislatures new and old, lies, political scrams, mudslinging and political character assassinations.   They listen to political ads, sensationalized news from media outlets, political debates with candidates hollering, screaming, and interrupting each other.  They see a lot of advertisements, read, and listen to editorials, etc. before making up their minds on which way to vote..



There are a lot of issues on American minds this year. Economy and Budget: Rising cost of Living, Inflation, recession; Abortion: Roe v Wade, State level abortion restrictions; Immigration, the illegal border infiltration of migrants fleeing for their lives. Interference in elections from foreign adversaries, i.e., Russia and China, and even from domestic election workers that are sympathetic to Trump and deniers of the 2020 election result. Higher crime rates everywhere. There is the Environment, Education, Civil Rights, Drugs, especially the illicit sale and distribution of opioids, Gun control, Jobs, and Health Care.  There are also a myriad of local propositions and elections.



Midterm Decisions can make or break who controls the Senate and the House of Representatives. In the past, the party in power tends to lose political prowess during midterm elections. Hence, these races can have a big effect on national and local politics.            


NBC NEWS
     "...and let's hold unto the United States House of Representatives, and let's expand our majority in the United States Senate."
Kamala Harris
Vice-President of the United States
(VPOTUS)


        

While most attention will be focused on the congressional races in the Senate and the House, there are other Legislative, Gubernatorial, and local elections that may be just as powerful in tipping the balance for the Democratic and Republican political parties.


The midterms can be a gauge of how well (or not) the sitting President is keeping promises, handling crisis, making policy, performing presidential duties toward the American people, and what can be expected from the POTUS in the remaining two years.


Not a Presidential race - Presidential candidates are not on the ballots, but there are still plenty of decisions for voters. These decisions are very important.


The House of Representatives has 435 seats, and they are all up for grabs. Representatives are elected for two-year terms and must run for reelection every two years to keep their seats. There will be candidates for the House on voter ballots, except in Washington D.C. and United States territories.


Usually there are 34-35 of the 100 seats in the Senate that will be contested.  This year it is 35 seats. Senators run for a term of six years, so as it turns out, every two years one-third of the Senate is elected or reelected.

 

Gubernatorial elections will be held in 36 states this year. Most governors serve four-year terms; except in Vermont and New Hampshire where governors' terms last only two years. 



Biden’s Bite


President Biden is taking aim at some issues just before the midterms as he tries to help persuade voters over to the Democratic point of view.


      

        
      To reduce Gas prices, he is releasing 15 million gallons of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserves. He will refill the reserve once the price is at $70 a barrel. He also wants
voters to know that the choices of other nations are affecting the USA price of gas and oil. His word to the oil companies is to ramp up production rather than line the pockets of shareholders.


                                                                 33 days before the midterm elections, Biden took another look at the ‘Failed approach to marijuana’. He said, “No one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana.  Sending people to prison for possessing marijuana has upended too many lives and incarcerated people for conduct that many states no longer prohibit.” He signed reform and pardoned 6500 federal marijuana convictions from the years 1992-2021. The federal records will be expunged, and a system is to be developed by the Attorney General office to issue certificates of pardon to prior federal convicted. His administration will take yet another look at how marijuana is classified and scheduled under federal law.


 Just recently, the House once again moved forward with proposed cannabis legislation. The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (“MORE”) Act (H.R. 3617) passed the House on 01Apr22.  This Legislation was introduced a couple of years earlier and Passed in the House of Representatives on 4Dec2020.           
      At that time, The M.O.R.E Act was to:      

                                          *Remove marijuana from the controlled substance list.
                                          *Get rid of criminal penalties for distributing or possessing marijuana.
                                          *Expunge or remove prior federal convictions going back to the 1970s.
                                          *Allow review hearings for those serving time for federal marijuana offenses.

If all of this sounds familiar, it is, and there will probably be more on M.O.R.E in the future.


On the subject of Abortion, President Biden has stated that if Democrats keep Congress, he will move to
pass National Abortion Rights.
 
Getty Images/Kate Bleier



       Strategic Moves - Other tactics in the Biden’s repertoire include student loans forgiveness and revamping the IRS Tax brackets to decrease out of pocket federal taxes paid by American workers.
He is focusing on steps to help bolster the economy.

Student Loan Forgiveness Program - 
 

Even when the program was being contested, Biden still urged all who qualify to continue to apply for the loan refunds.


Six GOP-led States claimed the Biden Administration acted beyond authority in a way that would cost them millions of dollars. Federal Judge said the states lacked the necessary legal standing to pursue the case. Effort to block the Student Debt Relief Program was denied.  The states appealed; however, the appeal was denied by a Federal District Court. Also, a group of Wisconsin taxpayers were seeking to stop the program, but Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett rejected the challenge. The program has been touted as an unfair handout directed at Biden’s base of college educated supporters at the expense of taxpayers.


40 million Americans are eligible for the student debt relief.

It cancels up to $10,000in Federal student debt and $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients.

Only those making under $125,000 a year are eligible.



The Inflation Reduction Act – Lower Health care cost


Biden signed an executive order directing Health and Human Services (HHS) to investigate additional actions to lower Prescription drug costs. 

The department was given a 90-day window to get this completed.


Starting in January 2023, seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries will begin to see the benefits of these cost-saving measures. Because of the Inflation Reduction Act:


  • A month’s supply of insulin will be capped at $35 starting on January 1, 2023.
  • Medicare beneficiaries will pay $0 out of pocket for recommended adult vaccines covered by their Part D plan, including the shingles vaccine – which costs seniors up to $200.
  • Prescription drug companies that try to raise their prices faster than inflation will be required to pay Medicare a rebate. 

During Medicare Open Enrollment – running from October 15 to December 7 – seniors and other beneficiaries will be able to choose drug coverage that reflects these new cost-savings, putting money back into their pockets. - Biden 14Oct22 White House briefing


Arizona (AZ) Bullies - Arizona election workers, pollsters, and voters are being harassed and intimidated by groups of agitators outside of polling locations. The dissenters are taking photographs of people entering voting places, taking pictures of their car licenses, and shouting threats.


"I covered my plates because they're taking pictures," said one voter, identified as Gerald. "This is what we've come to in America. They call themselves patriots. Really? The guy standing over there has his face covered and he's armed. What's that tell you? They don't want you to vote."

- CNN's Donie O'Sullivan talked to Arizona voter

I

In fact, Poll workers and voters are under threat by these Trump vigilantes in crucial states; AZ, GA, and PA.; particularly if they are non-white. They are being targeted by conspiracy theorists. 

I


"95 years ago, our Constitution was amended to require that no American be denied the right to vote because of race or color.  Almost a century later, many Americans are kept from voting simply because they are Negro.  Therefore, this Monday, I will send to the Congress a request for legislation to carry out the amendment of the Constitution.  Wherever there is discrimination, this law will strike down all restrictions used to deny the people the right to vote." 

                                - President Lyndon B. Johnson; Passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965

 

The Voting Rights Bill was passed in the Senate by a 77-19 vote on May 26, 1965. After debating the bill for more than a month, the House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 333-85 on July 9 of that year.

Almost a month later, former POTUS Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law on August 6, 1965




It is a Triple-demic

RSV cases are appearing earlier and more rapidly.

 

CDC has warned that this year there is the triple threat of Covid, Influenza and RSV.


Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) cases are surging. It is a common respiratory illness that is usually like the common cold; however, it is very serious in children under two or older adults with weakened lungs. Hospitals are running out of beds and starting to operate at capacity. Pediatric units are filling up fast; 3 out of 4 beds hospital beds are full. RSV usually peaks in December to mid-February, but this season it is unpredictable. 


Its symptoms in children include breathing fast, nose flaring, using their shoulder or pulling under their ribs to breathe and/or turning blue. Children can get RSV by the age of two, but condition can happen at any age.   It can be prevented by exercising these familiar precautions: Handwashing, stay home when sick, and wear a mask if you or child are having any symptoms.

 

According to Dr. James Schneider of Cohen Children’s Medical Center, New York’s largest medical center, “…if they’re having what looks like a difficult time breathing, if they’re so tired or appearing lethargic, they should be seen sooner rather than later.”

 

“… every winter we deal with respiratory pathogens. Last couple of years, of course, very different, it’s been primarily just Covid.  This year we do expect all three of them. The good news is we got vaccines against two of them. Both Covid and Influenza have vaccines. Vaccinated people just do not end up in the hospital at anywhere the same rates…” On RSV options “I think it’s avoiding other sick children. Don’t go on play dates if you’re feeling sick, that I think is important.  The elderly can get in trouble with RSV just the way elderly can get in trouble with Influenza and Covid.” 

         – Dr. Ashish Jha, Covid Response White House Coordinator.

 

Parents are warned to take their child to the nearest hospital Emergency Room (ER) or clinic if they think the child is in danger.

 

Some children are being moved to other hospitals due to limited space capacity, and some hospitals are thinking about using medical tents in parking lots.

 

According to the CDC, Influenza is rising in the Nation’s southeast and southwest, e.g., in states: Texas, Kentucky, Georgia, etc.

 

New CDC eases guidelines for Covid and school children. They no longer have to practice social distancing, and since Covid is here to stay, quarantine is no longer recommended, even if tests are positive. Taking away guidelines may lead to an increase in Covid transmission.

 

Monkey Pox first in Denmark

 

Monkey Pox was originally discovered in 1958 in a colony of monkeys in Copenhagen. This infectious virus causes fever, chills, and rashes. It is a Public Health emergency.


Now it is considered endemic (i.e., overall rates of infections are considered static, not rising or falling) in about ten African countries, and the outbreak of human Monkeypox is being contributed to West Africa.

It primarily affects the LGBTQ community, and it is transmitted by skin-to-skin contact. The vaccine was once so scarce that hospitals and clinics had resorted to only giving 1/5 of the vaccine just under the skin.

 

While this disease was found elsewhere, in the USA it is disproportionately affecting non-whites. The outbreak made its debut in the USA in May and as of 7Oct22 there have been 26,577 confirmed cases and 6

deaths.



Saving Daylight Savings Time (DST) – As an economical move to save on candles and to make the most of daylight hours, 200 years ago, DST was introduced. 


There is a growing movement to make daylight saving time permanent, and to do this, Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Fla. initiated the Sunshine Protection Act. This bill, if passed will make DST permanent and Americans will no longer have to change their clocks twice a year.


No more Springing forward and Falling back.

 

The Sunshine Protection Act passed unanimously in the Senate in March and is waiting passage in the House of Representatives.


If President Joe Biden signs the bill into law, permanent DST would probably be effective starting next year.


The Department of Transportation (DOT), acting under an amended Uniform Time Act, will allow states to be exempted from following DST if they so choose.

 



~~~~~~~~~~




























Text Box: “…and let’s hold unto the United States House of Representatives, and let’s expand our majority in the United States Senate.” Kamala Harris Vice-President of the United States (VPOTUS).
Text Box: “…and let’s hold unto the United States House of Representatives, and let’s expand our majority in the United States Senate.” Kamala Harris Vice-President of the United States (VPOTUS).