The Biden Era

[Nostra]

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[Sandy Shanks]

President Biden is scheduled to sign into law two major pieces of legislation on boosting US semiconductor production and expanding health care benefits for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits next week at the White House.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) said they had agreed to a deal to support a legislative package that would spend hundreds of billions of dollars and affect a swath of climate, healthcare, prescription-drug and tax policies, providing the Senator from Arizona doesn't mess it up.

She didn't mess it up.

USA Today reports, "Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., said Thursday that she would "move forward" on a sweeping package of initiatives to combat climate change, lower drug prices and pare back the deficit, giving Senate Democrats the votes they need to pass the Inflation Reduction Act.

"Sinema, the last Democratic holdout on the bill, said she negotiated the removal of a provision to increase taxes on carried interests targeting wealthy investors, resolving a key difference that had held back her support."

"Subject to the parliamentarian's review, I'll move forward," Sinema said in a statement.

"Her backing sets up a final version of the bill to be introduced Saturday and the likelihood of another major legislative win for President Joe Biden."

ABC reports, "The U.S. hiring saw a dramatic increase in July, as the economy added 528,000 jobs and the unemployment rate fell to a historic 3.5%, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday.

"The 528,000 jobs added in July marks a significant uptick from 372,000 jobs added in June. Moreover, the figures signals an improvement from the already-robust hiring sustained over the first half of 2022, during which the economy added an average of 461,000 jobs each month.

"The overall robust hiring in recent months defies typical conditions for a recession, Daniel Zhao, a senior economist at the career site Glassdoor, told ABC News prior to the data release."

In addition, President Biden authorized a U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan that took out al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri. “This terrorist leader is no more,” Biden said

In a note of pure irony, despite his accomplishments, Biden's approval rating sits at 38%.

At this stage in his Presidency, that is actually lower than Trump at a similar time.

It is self-evident that Democrats are having a major role in that abysmal approval rating.

Put a different way, because of the relationship between a President's approval rating and mid-term elections, Democrats are essentially assuring that Democrats will lose control of Congress in November.

Go figure!

 

[Sandy Shanks]

CNN reports, "Liz Cheney has posed the question with which America may have to wrestle for months to come: if there is evidence that ex-President Donald Trump committed crimes in seeking to overturn the 2020 election, what message will it send if he’s not charged?

"The Wyoming representative, who serves as the vice chair of the House select committee investigating January 6, 2021, issued what was effectively a challenge to the Justice Department as CNN exclusively reported on Thursday that Trump’s lawyers are in talks with its prosecutors – in the most concrete step yet toward the former commander-in-chief.

"The news was the latest sign that the department, criticized for months for moving too slowly to investigate Trump’s election stealing effort and his incitement of the mob that invaded the US Capitol, is moving with speed and broadening its scope – though there remains no indication when or even if the former President will be charged in the Justice Department’s probe."

The problem, of course, is obvious. If the Justice Department is going to indict a former President for a crime, they better have all the ducks lined up or it could be a disaster for years to come.

On the other hand, "Cheney argued that if the Justice Department failed to act in the face of evidence of criminal wrongdoing, it would be disastrous to the idea of America itself," CNN.

Putin knew what he was doing when he chose Trump to be our President in 2016.

The Republican Senate Intelligence Committee reaffirmed its support for the U.S. intelligence community’s conclusion that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election with the goal of putting Donald Trump in the Oval Office. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/...rms-russia-aimed-to-help-trump-in-2016-198171

What I am wondering is this. Because of his grassroots support, Trump is the leader of the Republican Party, and Republicans running for office seek his endorsement. Why are so many Americans willing to agree with Vladimir Putin's choice?

One possible answer, ignorance. They don't know, and they don't want to know. That would explain their near-total silence on this thread, and total silence on current issues.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Things are looking good for the Democratic Party. That is if Democrats quit tripping all over themselves and start acting like a unified party. Quit blaming the Democratic President for inflation would be a start. Biden is fighting inflation, not causing it.

President Biden is scheduled to sign into law two major pieces of legislation on boosting US semiconductor production and expanding health care benefits for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits next week at the White House.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., said Thursday that she would "move forward" on a sweeping package of initiatives to combat climate change, lower drug prices and pare back the deficit, giving Senate Democrats the votes they need to pass the Inflation Reduction Act. Her backing sets up a final version of the bill to be introduced Saturday and the likelihood of another major legislative win for President Joe Biden.

President Biden authorized a U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan that took out al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri.

In conservative Kansas, there was a startling victory for Democrats and women's rights, and a stunning loss by Republicans who miscalculated the abortion issue big time.

Republicans are in reverse.

The Republican Party believes that the state should control a woman's health in the case of a pregnancy. It is readily apparent that the Religious Right has superseded conservative principles within the Republican Party.

Republicans embraced the Hungarian dictator, Viktor Orbán, and allowed him to be a guest speaker at the Conservative Political Action Conference.

Donald Trump, who led an effort to overthrow the elected government, will give the keynote address at CPAC on Saturday.

A responsible Republican Party would come down hard on any President who gave approval to upend a Presidential election without offering proof the election was fraudulent. The Republican Party embraces Trump's baseless claim. He is the leader of the party, and most Republican candidates state without proof that the election was stolen from Trump.

In the face of shooting massacres every week, the NRA-sponsored Republican Party opposes meaningful gun control. They argue Democrats want to abolish the Second Amendment. They are lying. There is no movement in the Democratic Party -- or anywhere else -- to abolish the Second.

The Democrats just may have a chance in November providing they don't blow it.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

The Republican Party has captured the minds of those who live in the rural counties of America. The voters are mostly farmers and rural shopkeepers. They lack education and they are not well informed. Most of what they know about politics is by word of mouth.

Grassroots Republicans have no idea what is going on. They avoid responsible news, labeling it "fake news," and they are not fans of reality. All that can be seen on this thread. The few who do respond change the subject or label the writer a liar although sources are used to justify the position taken.

True American conservatives would come down hard on any President who gave approval to upend a Presidential election without offering proof the election was fraudulent. Instead, the Republican Party embraces Trump's baseless claim. He is the leader of the party, and most Republican candidates state without proof that the election was stolen from Trump.

CNN reports, "At the Conservative Political Action Conference Texas on Saturday, former President Donald Trump overwhelmingly won an unofficial straw poll of attendees who were asked who they preferred as the Republican nominee for president in 2024."

“He’s more popular than ever,” said Jim McLaughlin, a pollster for Trump who conducted the poll.

"McLaughlin announced the results from the CPAC Texas main stage about two hours before Trump’s scheduled appearance. Among the attendees who voted, 69% said they preferred Trump, with 24% saying they would prefer Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis."

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Things are looking good for the Democratic Party. That is if Democrats quit tripping all over themselves and start acting like a unified party. Quit blaming the Democratic President for inflation would be a start. Biden is fighting inflation, not causing it.

CBS reports, "The Senate on Sunday passed Democrats' sweeping economic package designed to combat climate change, address health care costs and raise taxes on large corporations, marking a crucial achievement for President Biden and his party as they look to maintain their hold on Congress in the November midterm elections.

"The plan, called the Inflation Reduction Act, cleared the upper chamber by a vote of 51 to 50 along party lines, with Vice President Kamala Harris providing the tie-breaking vote in the evenly divided Senate. Democrats used a fast-track legislative process known as reconciliation to pass the measure in the face of unanimous opposition from Republicans."

"It's been a long, tough and winding road but at last, at last, we have arrived," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in remarks on the Senate floor as members prepared to vote for final passage. "Today, after more than a year of hard work, the Senate is making history. I am confident the Inflation Reduction Act will endure as one of the defining legislative feats of the 21st century."

 

[Sandy Shanks]

President Biden is scheduled to sign into law two major pieces of legislation on boosting US semiconductor production and expanding health care benefits for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits next week at the White House.

President Biden authorized a U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan that took out al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri.

In conservative Kansas, there was a startling victory for Democrats and women's rights.

ABC reports, "The U.S. hiring saw a dramatic increase in July, as the economy added 528,000 jobs and the unemployment rate fell to a historic 3.5%. The 528,000 jobs added in July marks a significant uptick from 372,000 jobs added in June. Moreover, the figures signals an improvement from the already-robust hiring sustained over the first half of 2022, during which the economy added an average of 461,000 jobs each month.

CBS reports, "The Senate on Sunday passed Democrats' sweeping economic package designed to combat climate change, address health care costs and raise taxes on large corporations, marking a crucial achievement for President Biden and his party as they look to maintain their hold on Congress in the November midterm elections.

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ABC reports, "Americans maintain a sour view on the state of the economy and are pessimistic about its future course, with President Joe Biden’s approval rating across a range of issue areas continuing to suffer, according to a new ABC News/Ipsos poll.

"More than two-thirds (69%) of Americans think the nation’s economy is getting worse -- the highest that measure has reached since 2008, when it was 82% in an ABC News/Washington Post poll. Currently, only 12% think the economy is getting better and 18% think it is essentially staying the same.

"Americans' views of Biden's handling of the economic recovery remain overwhelmingly negative -- and are virtually unchanged from the same poll in early June, with only 37% of Americans approving of the job the president is doing and 62% disapproving in the latest ABC News/Ipsos poll."

 

[Sandy Shanks]

ABC reports, "The U.S. hiring saw a dramatic increase in July, as the economy added 528,000 jobs and the unemployment rate fell to a historic 3.5%. The 528,000 jobs added in July marks a significant uptick from 372,000 jobs added in June. Moreover, the figures signals an improvement from the already-robust hiring sustained over the first half of 2022, during which the economy added an average of 461,000 jobs each month.

ABC reports, "Americans maintain a sour view on the state of the economy and are pessimistic about its future course, with President Joe Biden’s approval rating across a range of issue areas continuing to suffer, according to a new ABC News/Ipsos poll. More than two-thirds (69%) of Americans think the nation’s economy is getting worse.

Grassroots Democrats play a major role in these polls, and they are working hard to ensure that Republicans win control of Congress in November. It seems readily apparent that they think Republicans can do a better job with the economy.

So, is it true that Republicans do a better job with the economy?

10 of the last 11 recessions started under Republican presidents. Every Republican president since Benjamin Harrison, who served from 1889 to 1893, had a recession in their first term in office. Below is the start date of recessions; the following list includes the president in office at that time and their party:

1.) February 2008 (Bush 43 / R) House - D / Senate - D

2.) December 2007 (Bush 43 / R) House - D / Senate - D

3.) March 2001 (Bush 43 / R) House - R / Senate - R

4.) July 1990 (Bush 41 / R) House - D / Senate - D

5.) July 1981 (Reagan / R) House - D / Senate - D

6.) January 1980 (Carter / D) House - D / Senate - D

7.) November 1973 (Nixon / R) House - D / Senate - D

8.) December 1969 (Nixon / R) House - D / Senate - D

9.) April 1960 (Eisenhower / R) House - D / Senate - D

10.) August 1957 (Eisenhower / R) House - D / Senate - D

11.) July 1953 (Eisenhower / R) House - R / Senate - R

12.) November 1948 (Truman / D) House - R / Senate - R

The economy was in recession for 49 quarters from 1949-2013; 8 of these quarters were under Democrats, with 41 under Republicans.

The economic history was provided here, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._...mocratic_and_Republican_presidents#Recessions

Our latest recession took place under the Republican administration of Donald Trump in 2020. Recovery took place under the Democratic Biden administration. We currently have full employment and robust spending by American consumers, which is the main driver of our economy.

Americans' main gripe is the economy. Why in the world are Republicans expected to win control of Congress in November? Sheer ignorance?

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Still another part of Donald Trump's legacy.

In May 2018, the Times reported, "President Trump declared on Tuesday that he was withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, unraveling the signature foreign policy achievement of his predecessor Barack Obama, isolating the United States from its Western allies and sowing uncertainty before a risky nuclear negotiation with North Korea.

"The decision, while long anticipated and widely telegraphed, leaves the 2015 agreement reached by seven countries after more than two years of grueling negotiations in tatters. The United States will now reimpose the stringent sanctions it imposed on Iran before the deal and is considering new penalties."

Foreign Policy reported in May 2020, "Two years after President Donald Trump announced the U.S withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, Tehran has resumed its enrichment of uranium, restarted research and development on advanced centrifuges, and expanded its stockpile of nuclear fuel, cutting in half the time it would need to produce enough weapons-grade fuel to build a nuclear bomb.

"While there is no evidence Tehran is preparing a dash for a nuclear weapon, the Iranian advances raise questions about the success of the White House’s so-called “maximum pressure” campaign, which is aimed at forcing Iran through the imposition of ever more stringent sanctions to accept greater constraints on its political and military support for regional militias and the development of its ballistic missile program.

"The effort has yet to temper Iran’s nuclear ambitions, instead prompting Tehran to resume nuclear activities prohibited by the nuclear pact, which is formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. It has also eroded Washington’s credibility even among many of its traditional allies and placed increasing strains on America’s diplomatic partnerships."

Without going into more detail about this debilitating stupidity, that brings us to today.

ABC reported today, "Talks to revive Tehran's tattered nuclear accord with world powers in Vienna ended Monday as the parties closed the final text and key negotiators prepared to consult with their capitals, diplomats said.

"After 16 months of torturous on-and-off indirect negotiations to restore the deal, the European Union's foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell suggested there was no more room for negotiation on the draft now on the table.

"A final decision on whether the most significant nonproliferation pact in the last quarter century can be restored rests with the Iranian and American governments, he signaled. The 2015 nuclear deal granted Iran sanctions relief in exchange for tight curbs on its atomic program."

“What can be negotiated has been negotiated, and it’s now in a final text,” Borrell wrote on Twitter. “However, behind every technical issue and every paragraph lies a political decision that needs to be taken in the capitals.”

Thank you, Mr. Trump.

Russia and Iran are allies. So, Vladimir Putin, who wanted you as our President in 2016, undoubtedly is thanking you as well, because -- in his eyes -- you did a great job as President.

Trump is still working to tear our country apart.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Trump is still working to tear our country apart.

Wow! Double wow! This is quite remarkable. The home of a former President raided by the FBI.

The Hill reports, "The FBI executed a search warrant on former President Trump’s home in Florida on Monday, the ex-president said in a statement lashing out at law enforcement for “political persecution.”

“My beautiful home Mar A Lago in Palm Beach, Florida is currently under siege, raided and occupied by a large group of FBI agents,” Trump said.

"The remarkable execution of a search warrant at a former president’s home comes as the Justice Department has accelerated its investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and further examined the actions Trump took to overturn the 2020 election results to remain in power.

"In recent weeks, the Justice Department has been focusing on Trump’s efforts to remain in power through a false elector scheme, transmitting what campaign officials referred to as “fake” election certificates in order to reverse the 2020 election in key states won by President Biden. The department has reportedly convened a federal grand jury to investigate the scheme, in addition to the grand jury investigation into the Jan. 6 attack.

"It also previously executed search warrants on two lawyers who worked with the former president.

"The Justice Department seized the phone of John Eastman, who crafted memos for the campaign detailing the false elector strategy as well as a plan for then-Vice President Mike Pence to buck his ceremonial duty to certify the election results. And it also searched the home of Jeffrey Clark, an assistant attorney general Trump weighed installing as attorney general so he could forward an investigation into his baseless claims of election fraud."

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Wow! Double wow! This is quite remarkable. The home of a former President raided by the FBI.

CNN writes, "The search warrant executed on former President Donald Trump’s premises at Mar-a-Lago represents a seismic shift in the overall landscape of the investigations against him. We have long forecast his deepening legal peril, but this puts an exclamation point on his exposure. As a nation, we are now rapidly headed into barely charted waters.

"While the facts are just beginning to emerge, we know that on Monday morning a group of FBI agents executed a search warrant and conducted an exacting examination of the property, including accessing a safe, according to Trump, and leaving with a quantity of documents, according to a CNN source. Trump reacted with predictable outrage, claiming that his home was “under siege, raided, and occupied” and that “Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before.”

"He’s correct on that last point. But we have never seen evidence of this kind of behavior by a president before either. CNN is reporting that the focus of the search warrant is on documents that Trump removed from the White House, including some 15 boxes of materials that have now been recovered. These materials reportedly included classified documents."

And no President before Trump is alleged to have committed sedition and is under investigation by both Congress and the DOJ.

Which brings me to Republicans who are desperately sputtering and stammering about the "politicized" FBI search, and threatening Merrick Garland, the head of the DOJ. Some are even foolish enough to suggest they will investigate the DOJ and FBI. Many would love to see that investigation, during which the Jan. 6 committee -- not under the restraints that tie DOJ's hands -- unleashes the mountain of evidence they have against Trump.

There will be no Republican investigation of the DOJ.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

No President before Trump is alleged to have committed sedition and is under investigation by both Congress and the DOJ.

Trump said Mar-a-Lago was "under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents. After working and cooperating with the relevant government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate."

Anyone need a handkerchief to staunch the tears? Can you believe it, this guy is playing the victim again. Trump encouraged a savage attack on our capitol, people were killed, our vice-president was threatened, Congressional proceedings were halted, and he wants people to feel sorry for him.

And, yes, as is his custom, every bit of that statement is a lie.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

The Times reports, "Former President Donald J. Trump said on Monday that the F.B.I. had searched his Palm Beach, Fla., home and had broken open a safe — an account signaling a major escalation in the various investigations into the final stages of his presidency.

"The search, according to multiple people familiar with the investigation, appeared to be focused on material that Mr. Trump had brought with him to Mar-a-Lago, his private club and residence, when he left the White House. Those boxes contained many pages of classified documents, according to a person familiar with their contents.

"Mr. Trump delayed returning 15 boxes of material requested by officials with the National Archives for many months, only doing so when there became a threat of action to retrieve them. The case was referred to the Justice Department by the archives early this year.

"The search marked the latest remarkable turn in the long-running investigations into Mr. Trump’s actions before, during and after his presidency.

"It came as the Justice Department has stepped up its separate inquiry into Mr. Trump’s efforts to remain in office after his defeat at the polls in the 2020 election and as the former president also faces an accelerating criminal inquiry in Georgia and civil actions in New York."

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Our President is on a roll!

The Times reports, "Suddenly, the administration that could not get anything right, that could not catch a break, was on a roll that any president would relish: Major legislation cruising to passage, at least some economic indicators heading in the right direction, and the world’s most wanted terrorist killed after a two-decade manhunt.

"White House aides argue that the string of congressional victories — capped by the package of climate, health and tax provisions that finally cleared the Senate over the weekend — compares favorably to the two-year legislative record of most any other modern president, even perhaps F.D.R. and L.B.J.

"Mr. Biden is still one of the most unpopular presidents in modern history at this point in his term, according to polls, and even some House Democrats quietly worry that none of the achievements will save them from an electoral rout in November."

Thirty-seven percent approve of the job our President is doing, according to the new ABC News/Ipsos poll. Americans can't understand that the President did not cause inflation, and there is very little he can do about it because of the sheer volume of economic factors involved, none of which are of his making.

Grassroots Democrats play a major role in these polls, and it is readily apparent that a significant number of Democrats want to ensure that Republicans win control of Congress in November.

Contrary to that, many are cheering on Joe Biden. The last Republican President experienced a recession during his term, led a sedition attempt when he lost, and Republicans have a lousy record when it comes to the economy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._...mocratic_and_Republican_presidents#Recessions

Democrats should think twice before encouraging a Republican win in November.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

No President before Trump is alleged to have committed sedition and is under investigation by both Congress and the DOJ.

In a strange conundrum never seen before in American politics, as grassroots Republicans cheer Trump on, top Republicans who have spent months trying to dissuade Donald Trump from announcing another Presidential campaign before the midterms have changed their minds.

They think this is a great time for Donald Trump to announce his candidacy for President -- over two years ahead of time.

CNN explains, "Trump has received a fresh wave of encouragement to jump start his next presidential campaign in the 24 hours since his primary residence became the target of an FBI search warrant."

That is just plain nuts, but it is obvious what the Republican Party is trying to do. They want to change a highly provocative negative into a positive. That is silly. It is like a bank robber's lawyer arguing the guy was just making a harmless withdrawal of funds that he needed.

It gets worse for Republicans.

This morning, Donald Trump pleaded the Fifth.

ABC reports, "Donald Trump on Wednesday invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against testifying against himself during an hours-long deposition as part of the New York attorney general's civil investigation into his family real estate business.

"The former president was seen arriving at the attorney general's office in New York City around 9 a.m. local time and left about six hours later.

"A source with knowledge of the matter confirmed to ABC News that Trump declined to answer questions from investigators in the deposition.

"Under the advice of my counsel ... I decline to answer the questions under the rights and privileges afforded to every citizen under the United States Constitution," Trump said.

The real conundrum is this.

Why is it that Congressional Republicans and grassroots Republicans want a crook and a traitor for President?

Yes, true, a person is innocent until proven guilty, but that is only true in a court of law. It is not true in the court of public opinion or the voters' booth.

The Jan. 6 committee has disclosed an enormous amount of evidence of Trump's guilt, and an innocent man does not plead the Fifth.

Who said that about the Fifth? Donald Trump, during the 2016 Presidential campaign.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Our President is on a roll!

It's a start.

President Biden’s approval rating rose to its highest level in two months in a Reuters-Ipsos poll released on Tuesday.

Biden’s approval rating rose to 40 percent, up 2 percentage points, while his disapproval rating fell to 55 percent.

The Hill reports, "The increase is partially fueled by more Democrats approving of Biden’s job performance. The poll showed Biden’s approval among Democrats rose 9 points from last month to 78 percent."

Of course, that means 22% of Democrats either gave Biden a thumbs down or they didn't say. It means 22% of Democrats want Republicans to win control of Congress, thinking they can do a better job with the economy, which is obviously false. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._...mocratic_and_Republican_presidents#Recessions

But things are looking up.

If one is a Democrat, that is. CNN reports, "While recent polls suggest President Joe Biden’s approval ratings are still abysmal, he has finally started to string together some legislative victories. This week, he signed bills into law aimed at boosting American chip manufacturing and expanding health care benefits to military veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits. The Senate also passed a major climate, tax and health care bill over the weekend, which will likely head to Biden’s desk after the House takes it up in the coming days.

"The economy – voters’ top issue – remains in rough shape, but there have been signs in recent days that conditions could be improving. Inflation slowed in July, the latest monthly jobs report showed a higher-than-expected gain, as gas prices are continuing to drop. And a resounding victory for abortion rights advocates on a Kansas constitutional amendment last week has Democrats feeling confident that they can use the issue to their advantage.

And let us not forget the Jan. 6 committee hearings will resume in September and their final report to voters will be just in time for the November mid-terms.

In the meantime, in addition to the Jan. 6 coup attempt, the Republican Party leader is in trouble with the law.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

"Under the advice of my counsel ... I decline to answer the questions under the rights and privileges afforded to every citizen under the United States Constitution."

Just how dumb are Republican leaders today locked in by educationally challenged grassroots Republicans to support a complete fool, the former President?

Or, still another lesson in the axiom, "be careful what you wish for."

Following the FBI search of Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home, leading Republicans rose up in support of the party's leader and demanded the DOJ explain its reasons for the warrant. In view of the disclosures by the Jan. 6 committee before a nationally televised audience, that in itself was not a wise move.

Even Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, normally an extremely savvy politician, fell victim to the foolish Republican hoopla.

"The country deserves a thorough and immediate explanation of what led to the events of Monday," McConnell said in a statement. "Attorney General Garland and the Department of Justice should already have provided answers to the American people and must do so immediately."

Well, Garland called their bluff. He is going to do exactly what McConnell asked, much to the chagrin of leading Republicans like McConnell.

Trump declared his home was, “under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents. After working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate,”

Trump can't help himself. That entire statement is a lie meant for his uninformed followers who believe everything he says while paying him to say it.

In any case, Garland called Trump's bluff, too.

Keep something in mind. The FBI search of Trump's home was four days ago. Trump has a copy of the warrant and a receipt for all the items removed from his home. Trump could have made all that public, just what Republicans and McConnell wanted.

Trump did not want the warrant and the receipt made public!

Politico reports, "The Justice Department moved on Thursday to unseal portions of the search warrant executed at the Mar-a-Lago estate of former President Donald Trump earlier this week."

“The public’s clear and powerful interest in understanding what occurred under these circumstances weighs heavily in favor of unsealing,” prosecutors revealed in a court filing connected to the search warrant.

Just how dumb are today's Republicans?

 

[Sandy Shanks]

CNN reports, "The FBI search at Mar-a-Lago this week came months after federal investigators served an earlier grand jury subpoena and took away sensitive national security documents from former President Donald Trump’s property during a June meeting.

"Investigators executed Monday’s search in part because they had developed evidence, including from at least one witness, that there were potentially classified documents still remaining at the Palm Beach, Florida, property months after the National Archives arranged for the retrieval of 15 boxes of documents that included classified information in January of this year."

The most immediate question is this. Why are we learning this now?

It is standard procedure for the DOJ to remain silent about an ongoing investigation to protect the parties being investigated.

Within hours of his home being searched Monday -- Trump was in New York busily involved in an investigation there -- Trump yelled foul and claimed his home was being occupied by the FBI.

What about the FBI search in June? Why wasn't he yelling Gestapo then?

The answer is quite simple. He didn't want the public to know anything about the FBI search in June.

If hadn't opened his big mouth Monday and the days following, we wouldn't know about Monday's search. The DOJ would have kept quiet about it, just as they did in June as per procedure. Trump blabbed Monday evening. The cat was out of the bag, and all hell broke loose.

Which is why the DOJ keeps investigations under wraps until some decision about the case is made.

As can be seen above, Republicans now regret Trump's enormous stupidity.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

In the meantime, the man in the White House quietly goes about doing his job.

That said, CNN reports, "The White House has been reluctant to weigh in on the FBI search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, stressing the independence of the Justice Department. But the high-profile search has left the White House fighting for space in the news as Biden tried to celebrate legislative wins earlier this week amid the fall out from the search.

"President Joe Biden doesn’t plan to allow the investigations into his predecessor to muddy his efforts to tout a recent string of legislative achievements ahead of the midterm elections.

"Even as federal and state investigations into former President Donald Trump heat up and dominate headlines, senior administration officials said Biden and his surrogates will be “laser focused” in talking about policies that his administration and Democrats in Congress are delivering. The White House is launching a messaging push in the coming weeks that seeks to tout those accomplishments and paint congressional Republicans as siding with" a beleaguered party leader.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

"The country deserves a thorough and immediate explanation of what led to the events of Monday," McConnell said in a statement. "Attorney General Garland and the Department of Justice should already have provided answers to the American people and must do so immediately."

Be careful what you wish for!

With respect to what was bound to happen, particularly after Garland's statement on Thursday, many Republicans are acting like fools.

ABC reports, "Congressional Republicans were quick to pan Merrick Garland's Thursday remarks on the FBI search of Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago -- calling the attorney general's comments insufficient and insisting the Justice Department release more information behind the unprecedented raid even as Garland said he wants the search warrant unsealed.

"But GOP lawmakers said the Justice Department's motion to unseal parts of the warrant would not cut it, demanding that more information behind the search's genesis was needed given the gravity of the operation at a former president's home."

The GOP lawmakers got their wish. Today, their comments are laughable.