We’re starting the final week of January and it’s been another active one. The Senate voted to approve Joe Biden’s choice for Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen. The former chair of the Federal Reserve, Yellen will be the first female Treasury Secretary. Matter of fact, she was the first female chair for the Fed.
For the most part, the double domes are cool with this, noting Yellen was mostly a success as Fed chair. The Right’s pitching a fit because of course, they are, but the Left – as in, further left than most folks in Congress – aren’t hot for her, either. She’s not at all inclined to buck the “neoliberal” stance on the economy, for lack of a better phrase, and some people are raising hell because she’s made a nice pile of cash on speaking tours. I’ve never understood people getting bent out of shape over that. Respect the hustle, man.
In any advent, it’s another example of Biden’s rolling his sleeves up and getting shit done since taking over the Presidency last Wednesday. Overturning another Trump executive order with one of his own, Biden signed into law stopping the discrimination of trans folks who wish to serve in the military. This is one of those things Obama EO’d into existence that Trump made a point of overturning. According to retired Lt. General Lloyd Austin, the newly appointed Secretary of Defense, anyone who meets the physical, mental, and legal requirements “should be allowed to serve.”
This is, of course, pissing conservatives off royally. One of the two dirtbags Texas has representing it in the Senate, John Cornyn, got all snitty with the “oh, is this the ‘unity’ you want” thing, not realizing he’s telling on himself there. For the most part, though, folks seem to take the “whatever” view of this sort of thing. Biden also reinstated the travel ban to Europe in the wake of that new strain of COVID coming from England. He also added South Africa to the list as it’s been a hotspot for mutating strains. Apparently, they’re seeing yet another mutation of COVID-19 and it looks to be a bit nastier than the one coming out of Europe.
Speaking of COVID-19, we’ve rocketed through 400,000 deaths here in the U.S. out of over two million worldwide. For the record, South Africa’s had 40,000 deaths out of a population of 58 million. Here in Mississippi, we dropped below 1,000 cases a day – if just – for the first time in quite a while and five new deaths bring us up to 5,700. Vaccination continues to roll out in fits and starts. We’ve managed to vaccinate a little over 180,000 but demand far outstrips supply. A new vaccine from U.S. drug giant Merck was put aside after trials showed it wasn’t really all that effecting, putting them out of the race.
Finally, the House of Representatives delivered articles of impeachment to the Senate today, starting the second phase of that whole deal. There’s still some question as to whether Trump will be indicted with anything this time, but there has been an interesting twist. Usually, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the trial. This time, however, Chief Justice John Roberts has chosen to recuse himself and put the matter in the hands of Patrick Leahy of Vermont.
He was recently sworn in as President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the second time he’s held that post. Basically, he’s the head of the Senate and presides over debates and votes. He’s also third in line of Presidential succession after the Vice-President and Speaker of the House. It’s usually held by the longest-serving member from the majority party, and Leahy has been in there as long as I’ve been alive. That’s 45 years for the record, and put something about “term limits” here.
Unlike Trump’s last impeachment trial – remember, he’s been impeached twice, the only president to do so – they’re planning on taking some time with this. Since the GOP doesn’t have the power anymore, they can’t force it through like the last time. On top of that, the Senate has plenty on its plate – particularly the status of the filibuster and Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID package – and folks are thinking it’ll last through February.
In all probability, there won’t be enough votes to actually convict Trump as he still has plenty of swing with the GOP. Interestingly, a recent Monmouth poll showed most of the country is down with this impeachment, 56% to 42%. A slight majority in favor of convicting the son of a bitch. With a 3.5 margin of error, conviction wins out 52% to 44%. Again, people who don’t accept Biden got 80 million votes continue to underestimate just how much the rest of the country loathe that guy.
Dear Y'all 