Shhhhhhhh... it's just Social Security. Oh, and Medicare.
Born at night, not last night.
Joe Biden took the podium for his expected, annual State of the Union (SOTU) speech yesterday evening February 7, 2023. Generally the speech is expected to be boring. Nothing in politics is boring anymore.
“The balloon”, a Chinese balloon with an information gathering device attached that floated over US air space from Alaska to the Carolina’s before being shot down into the Atlantic, was a divisive issue between the two parties. It was a blame game and innuendo game that lingered. Prior to the SOTU speech, Marjory Taylor Green carried a white balloon, on a string that bumbling behind her at work. Happy to be asked about it, she said simply “It’s just an innocent white balloon”. Provocative perhaps that neither balloon was “just” a thing.
In moments well played (included below) and played well by Biden, he was able to pants the entire right fringe in one swift move. In a nutshell, Biden made it public the GOP is working to eliminate Social Security and Medicare, two of the most popular and relied upon programs in the United States. It’s a boogyman fear for many that losing these programs would ruin them, ruin their loved ones, communities and the nation. Despite protests in the moment, the GOP is in earnest. Just as we couldn’t imagine a rollback of women rights or fear for books in children’s schools, or anything with the word Nazi in it, we have been rightfully concerned despite their nay saying.
They made frowny faces, bellowed and hollered “LIAR!”. The attempt at face acting also known as mugging, by many of the Republicans was beyond sad. Caught in between their official lie - that there is no move to take these programs away - and the other lie they tell their donors, which is - they are indeed making moves to eliminate it. It, the removal of the programs set in stone by Roosevelt in 1935. Imagine all the little donor dollar bills flying away in all the little “white balloons” above their heads. The embarrassment of being found out, on display. Green wore what may have been an attempt to be the balloon, as she cupped her hands to megaphone her voice above the crowd, “LIAR”, she jeered the President.
James Carville an American political consultant and salty truth talker called the whole scene entertaining and the far right fringes behavior that of white trash. He thought that George Santos might be able to give Green some wardrobe tips. He may have been on the Paris runway or at least Bay Terrace.
In the end, Biden got a standing ovation from the members of Congress that support him in taking both Social Security and Medicare off the table in discussions. The debt ceiling discussions promise to be brutal. This is a major negotiations win for Biden before the official talks begin.
In rebuttal to the speech, the opposing minority party get to have a say. Sarah Elizabeth Huckabee Sanders, the 47th Governor of Arkansas got her chance. Former official liar for Donald Trump when he was in office and spoiler, she's still lying.
I urge you to listen to her. After her fantastical opening attack on Biden she softens to tell you of her personal medical struggles which draw you in and pad for time. Then back to saying in-between the lines and more lying, loosely the Republican plan for the future. That part is true. The diminishing of the federal government and the redistribution of power to the states. It’s economic suicide for most states and its an open invitation for corruption in this oligarchic style of non government but privatization of programs otherwise governmentally funded and run as well as increased opportunities for criminality. It is the GOP plan. It’s the only one they have. It comes with a big side of distractions they offer daily. It’s what they tell big donors to get their money. It’s what they tell each other.
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