I have not heard that a deal has been reached yet. Maybe they are ashamed to announce it. Very interesting, Yvonne. Would you mind sharing your source? I ask, not because I doubt your report, because I don't doubt it. I would just like to keep up on this information. Absolutely nothing would surprise me at this point.
I searched on it, and stories confirmed that 20 Senators were given satellite phones in anticipation of a "disruptive event."
I remember seeing something like that this week somewhere. I haven't really looked for it because it sounds like Yvonne's source has a lot of information. I've tried to think of a logical reason for it but haven't come up with a good one. For instance, if a senator was going way out in the boonies for the weekend he might need one but so many senators? Anyone have a logical reason?
Sure. They may need to keep in touch because of the budget talks issue. With the talks coming down to the last minute wire. Think about this logically. Congress has "safety places" in case of some dangerous national emergency. If there was any real danger, surely Congress would use those places.
The reason in the news is concern over a disruptive event in DC. This isn't for them to casually stay in touch while at the cabin in the woods. I did not read further to see what that "disruptive event" might be.
Yesterday a judge sentenced the top leaders of that Jan 6th attack on the Congressional Bldg to 18 years in prison. I think they are called "oath keepers". In any event some folks in D.C. might be concerned that a similar event might occur . Nothing to be really worried about.
What they are saying now is that they have come to terms on the “broad parameters” of a deal, but the final terms still have to be worked out; so the earlier report that it had been settled was only partially correct. It sounds like what they want to do is raise the debt ceiling for another two years, which would put it past the next election, and the next president would be stuck dealing with the whole thing. I guess we just wait and see; but in the meantime, we are sending another $300 million to Ukraine.
I hope McCarthy holds out, but my expectations aren't high, except that the deal he struck with the "Freedom Caucus" said he could be brought up for a vote of No Confidence at any time. That might put some starch in his backbone. He has dreamed of being Speaker for a long time. As far as the phones go, I have no reliable info on that. Reports from Ukraine indicate that the Russians have missiles that can reach 400 feet underground. I doubt their so-called Safe Places are deeper than that. It is possible they are being dispersed in pairs around the country. As long as the Russians and Chinese leave the satellites from which the phones operate, it should be fine.
If they were really concerned about an event that would disrupt the government they wouldn't give phones to senators. They would give one to Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House. I assume Word Salad already has hers. After thinking about it more it sounds like they are just stirring the pot to push their anti-MAGA theories with their compliant media. When nothing happens no one will remember anything about this. Phones? What phones?
Now, back to the subject of "Talks on the budget". There are two types of federal spending... MANDATORY, like for example, social security, and Discretionary , like military research , money for the Ukraine, and money for illegal aliens. Mandatory is untouchable. They often say that Social Security is the "Third rail". Touch it and you're dead. Discretionary is just that... spend at our discretion. The single biggest issue in the debit limit is whether to cut back on spending as a first step toward balancing the budget. That is the MAIN issue for Republicans. For them, it is a "red line". Ok, fine I see no real problem with that. BUT, what to cut back ? Now, it seems to me that since the USA , the only remaining super power, has the power equal to the next 5 nations COMBINED, there is a great deal of wiggle room. Yes, a strong U.S. military is needed. BUT exactly how much military power do we really need.? Obviously, money for illegal aliens can be , and should be cut way, way back. Perhaps eliminated entirely. Do we really need more illegal aliens ? Are they, in any way, necessary for our economy ? I can understand why the Democrats want to assist illegal aliens. Traditionally, Hispanics vote heavily democratic. The more Hispanics, the greater the democrat political power.
Te Federal government has limited and enumerated powers. -List those -See what their budgets are -Then we can talk I'll get the ball rolling... To borrow money on the credit of the United States; To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes; To establish a uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States; To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures; To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States; To establish post offices and post roads; To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries; To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court; To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses against the law of nations; To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water; To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years; To provide and maintain a navy; To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces; To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions; To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress; To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States, and to exercise like authority over all places purchased by the consent of the legislature of the state in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and other needful buildings;--And To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.