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Friday, July 29, 2022

Republicans Celebrate Obstructionism!

Jon Stewart angry with Republicans stalling veterans bill. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) is vowing to get it passed.

We're fucked..... says famed comedian.

Comedian Jon Stewart is fuming over the Senate failing to pass legislation that funds veterans who suffered toxic illnesses from burn pits. The Senate also is stalling the computer chips bill and defense of marriage legislation.

Republicans have once again put their opposition of President Joe Biden to the test.

The Senate failed to pass a procedural vote Wednesday that would've cleared the way for a vote on legislation to expand benefits for the estimated 3.5 million veterans exposed to toxic burn pits during America's wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. 

The bill, known as the Honoring Our PACT Act, passed both the House and the Senate with bipartisan support in June, but due to a snag in the bill's language, it needed to go back and pass the House and Senate again. On Wednesday evening, 25 Republican senators reversed their support from June and voted no on a procedural vote to advance the legislation. 

Veterans have come home with a number of illnesses, including terminal cancers, but have been forced to argue to the Department of Veterans Affairs their illnesses were related to burn pit exposure. The legislation would have removed the burden of proof from veterans and their families by presuming a number of conditions could be related to exposure to toxic fumes from burn pits. 

They are also fuming over conservative Democrat, Sen. Karen Manchin (D-WV) working out a deal with Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to pass a slimmer budget deal which includes a climate change plan. The plan was worked behind the scenes and is hopeful that him and Sen. Karen Sinema (D-AZ) will finally get on board with the Democrats to pass President Joe Biden's agenda.

Biden praised the deal as a “godsend” for American families.

“This bill is far from perfect,” Biden said from the White House. “It’s a compromise. But that’s often how progress is made.”

He thanked Schumer and Manchin for the “extraordinary effort that it took to reach this result.”

The 725-page “Inflation Reduction Act of 2022” would cap out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for seniors to $2,000 a year, and help some 13 million families with subsidies to purchase their own health insurance policies. It invests $369 billion over the decade on tax incentives to fight climate change, including $4,000 for used electric vehicles and $7,500 for new ones.

The package is paid for largely by imposing a 15% minimum tax on corporations earning more than $1 billion a year and by allowing the federal government to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies for lower costs. Leftover savings, some $300 billion, will go to pay down deficits.

With Republicans solidly opposed, Democrats will need every senator in their 50-50 majority to ensure passage, which is what gives Manchin — and every other senator, in fact — such a strong hand in negotiations.

Sen. Karen Collins (R-ME) suggested the surprise climate deal struck by Schumer and Manchin this week on a skinnier version of the president's economic agenda could tank bipartisan efforts to pass a bill protecting same-sex marriage.

"I just think the timing could not have been worse and it came totally out of the blue," Collins told HuffPost.

Democrats announced the deal on Thursday just hours after 17 Senate Republicans joined all 50 Democrats to approve a $52 billion bill to strengthen the U.S. industry responsible for computer chips that power smartphones, medical devices, and other high-tech items. Obstructionist Leader Sen. Karen McConnell (R-KY) had previously threatened to hold up the semiconductor legislation if Democrats tried advancing their health, climate, and tax bill.

Ignore the noise.

Vote.

Republicans continue to push culture wars and conspiracy theories to gin up their base to vote in the Midterms. They are devoted to keeping Americans angry with government gridlock.

They have no plans to fix the economy, stop two pandemics and protect democracy.

All they have is the Softball Hannity and Washed Up 45 playbook of starting fires with bullshit.

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