Solid analysis, well worth the read--thanks for putting all this into context. A couple of things occur to me--Trump tends to overestimate the power of his threats to Congress--with such a small majority, the GOP doesn't have the votes, even in the reconciliation process, to give him what he says he wants. As with any other second term president, his power over legislation lessens every day he is in office simply because he can't (one assumes) run again. But refusing to sign a bill makes him sound powerful to his base, few of whom have studied the Constitution in much depth.
I noticed that the bill awarding the Medal of Honor to Kareem Dockery is named the "Nicholas Dockery Act," using his middle name. Rep Jim Baird, from Indiana, the sponsor of the bill, refers to him as Kareem in his press releases. But the final bill uses that middle name alone. I noticed that all the folks receiving Medals of Honor--and all extraordinarily deserving--are white men. My 27 years in the Army helped me understand that there's almost always some political dimension to the award system, especially with the highest award. I imagine that this current review of awards is not dissimilar to what happened under earlier administrations, where records were reviewed for overlooked folks, like African-American and women soldiers.
I think “Trump tends to overestimate the power of his threats to Congress” is such a good point and one often overlooked. My go-to examples are the fact that Trump has been calling on Senate Republican for years to both eliminate the filibuster and stop respecting blue slips, and they pretty much just ignore him on both. And, of course, appropriations are another example too: https://www.wakeuptopolitics.com/p/congress-is-finally-doing-its-job
Yep, this is what I was referring to with the “unless both chambers of Congress are adjourned” part of a bill becoming law after 10 days. One interesting thing I wanted to note, but took out for space, was that there isn’t really an agreed upon definition of what it means for Congress to be adjourned in this context. Whether pocket vetoes can only happen between one Congress and another (e.g. after an election, before new Congress is sworn in), or can also happen between one *session* of Congress and another (at the halfway point of a two-year Congress), or even within a session of Congress (if both chambers go on recess in the middle of the year) has never been fully clarified by the courts and remains a legal gray area (though one basically made moot by the fact that Congress almost never formally goes on recess now at any of these three points, which is why no president since Clinton has pulled off a pocket veto).
NC passed a voter ID requirement in 2018. The referendum passed by 55% of the vote. It did not go into effect until 2024 (state court challenges) Pro ID forces spent $655,189, Anti ID spent $9,171, 863. (the Democrat aligned groups?) The top donor was the Sixteen Thirty Fund Source: Ballotpedia
Great work, Gabe. If Congress was actually doing its job, they'd have passed the Warpowers Resolution Act to rein in this lawless president. He's bombed 9 countries so far, has failed to deliver on any campaign promise (other than the horrific actions by DHS), and has no plan for anything. Not even a concept of plan.
Thanks for some positive political news. It is great that you are praising Congress. (and questioning the sanity of the president) With on-line connectedness and all of our computing technology it would be great if there were some way to have we the people register support for all of the proposed legislation as it is being 'crafted'. Along those lines I'd also like to send a pie chart with my tax payment showing where I'd like my dollars to go!
Damn good reporting and analysis, as always. This is more insightful than like 90% of the stuff I read in Politico, Roll Call, or The Hill
Thank you!
Solid analysis, well worth the read--thanks for putting all this into context. A couple of things occur to me--Trump tends to overestimate the power of his threats to Congress--with such a small majority, the GOP doesn't have the votes, even in the reconciliation process, to give him what he says he wants. As with any other second term president, his power over legislation lessens every day he is in office simply because he can't (one assumes) run again. But refusing to sign a bill makes him sound powerful to his base, few of whom have studied the Constitution in much depth.
I noticed that the bill awarding the Medal of Honor to Kareem Dockery is named the "Nicholas Dockery Act," using his middle name. Rep Jim Baird, from Indiana, the sponsor of the bill, refers to him as Kareem in his press releases. But the final bill uses that middle name alone. I noticed that all the folks receiving Medals of Honor--and all extraordinarily deserving--are white men. My 27 years in the Army helped me understand that there's almost always some political dimension to the award system, especially with the highest award. I imagine that this current review of awards is not dissimilar to what happened under earlier administrations, where records were reviewed for overlooked folks, like African-American and women soldiers.
I think “Trump tends to overestimate the power of his threats to Congress” is such a good point and one often overlooked. My go-to examples are the fact that Trump has been calling on Senate Republican for years to both eliminate the filibuster and stop respecting blue slips, and they pretty much just ignore him on both. And, of course, appropriations are another example too: https://www.wakeuptopolitics.com/p/congress-is-finally-doing-its-job
In case you're curious, like I was: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocket_veto#United_States
Yep, this is what I was referring to with the “unless both chambers of Congress are adjourned” part of a bill becoming law after 10 days. One interesting thing I wanted to note, but took out for space, was that there isn’t really an agreed upon definition of what it means for Congress to be adjourned in this context. Whether pocket vetoes can only happen between one Congress and another (e.g. after an election, before new Congress is sworn in), or can also happen between one *session* of Congress and another (at the halfway point of a two-year Congress), or even within a session of Congress (if both chambers go on recess in the middle of the year) has never been fully clarified by the courts and remains a legal gray area (though one basically made moot by the fact that Congress almost never formally goes on recess now at any of these three points, which is why no president since Clinton has pulled off a pocket veto).
NC passed a voter ID requirement in 2018. The referendum passed by 55% of the vote. It did not go into effect until 2024 (state court challenges) Pro ID forces spent $655,189, Anti ID spent $9,171, 863. (the Democrat aligned groups?) The top donor was the Sixteen Thirty Fund Source: Ballotpedia
Great work, Gabe. If Congress was actually doing its job, they'd have passed the Warpowers Resolution Act to rein in this lawless president. He's bombed 9 countries so far, has failed to deliver on any campaign promise (other than the horrific actions by DHS), and has no plan for anything. Not even a concept of plan.
really helpful - you're amazing as always
Thanks for some positive political news. It is great that you are praising Congress. (and questioning the sanity of the president) With on-line connectedness and all of our computing technology it would be great if there were some way to have we the people register support for all of the proposed legislation as it is being 'crafted'. Along those lines I'd also like to send a pie chart with my tax payment showing where I'd like my dollars to go!
Auto Pen.