The Portman-Sinema infrastructure bill passed the Senate, 67-32. The bill will not deal with the necessary investments for the challenges of climate change, but we’re going to see some decent investment. However, given Senator Krysten Sinema’s statement that she is not ready to support the reconciliation bill that is “part two” of Biden’s infrastructure plan, there is no guarantee that it will be supported in the House.
Now the fight will be inside the Democratic Party - and it will be a battle over the future, the climate crisis, massive inequality, and perhaps a critical test as to whether our government is capable of doing anything for the vast majority of Americans.
The House Select Committee investigating the January 6 insurrection held their first hearings this week. Capitol police officers retold their horrifying experiences of that day and urged lawmakers to leave no stone unturned when it comes to investigating who was behind the attacks. That includes investigating what happened in the White House and if any representatives were in on the planning.
According to new reporting in The Washington Post, the Delta variant of the coronavirus “appears to cause more severe illness than earlier variants and spreads as easily as chickenpox, according to an internal federal health document.”
As we’re seeing outbreaks of the Delta variant of COVID, we’re seeing a rekindling of the anti-masking protests as the right-wing looks to capitalize on whatever that can weaponize for their culture war.
As the Delta variant burns through the unvaccinated and numbers of breakthrough cases are on the rise, Americans are also facing eviction. The national moratorium on evictions expires on Saturday - tomorrow - which will allow landlords to begin eviction proceedings against people who have fallen behind on rent during the pandemic. It is estimated that more than six million families have fallen behind on their rent and could face eviction.
A new poll from George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs found that 47% of Republican voters say that “a time will come when patriotic Americans have to take the law into their own hands.” The same poll also found that 55% of Republicans said that “the traditional American way of life is disappearing so fast we may have to use force to save it.”
And Nancy Pelosi turns to libertarian talking points in arguing against wiping out student debt.
In a meeting with President Biden during his recent trip to Pennsylvania, the director of Make the Road Pennsylvania, Maegan Llerena, delivered a letter signed by 52 elected leaders from the Commonwealth to shut down the Berks County Detention Center once and for all.
Get ready Pennsylvania! Fraudit-Polooza is getting ready to swing through the state next week as Doug Mastriano’s July 31st deadline approaches. Mastriano has threatened to issue subpoenas to Tioga, York and Philadelphia Counties if they do not comply with his scam.
If you’re not familiar with Republican candidate for Senate Kathy Barnette, now might be a good time to check out the recent article on her in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Barnette is a right-wing, African-American woman who is making a name for herself in the MAGA media world. And the kicker is that she has raised more money than any of the other GOP hopefuls. She just pulled in an endorsement from Michael Flynn.
York County officials have called in police after numerous reports of people claiming to be members of an “election integrity committee” going home to home asking residents about their voting in the 2020 election.
Bucks County school board meetings are becoming hotspots of QAnon conspiracies, anti-masking protests, and educational white-washing as we have been following on this show and on The Wednesday Show with Cyril Mychalejko. On Tuesday, tensions came to a head outside a Central Bucks School Board meeting during a press conference held by parents and medical professionals urging the Board continue to make masks mandatory for the upcoming school year. During the press conference hecklers yelled “lies,” “child abuse,” “my kids can’t breathe,” and “murderer” as parents and medical professionals tried to express their concerns for their children and the community. The Board voted later that evening to make masks optional, despite new CDC guidance and a letter signed by over 100 medical professionals urging the Board to keep the mask mandate in place.
