#congress
An interesting take on Mike Johnson
Just A Hunch. Look For An “April Surprise” When The House Reconvenes In April
https://politizoom.com/just-a-hunch-look-for-an-april-surprise-when-the-house-reconvenes-in-april/
Fed Up FOX Host TEARS Republicans APART After TRAINWRECK Hearing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS7VG_ZH8V0
#Congress #GQP #GOP #MAGA #JamesComer #JimJordan #GymJordan #Impeachment #Sham #AOC #Swallwell
How much did you like yesterday's Comer Fudd's clownshow?
Oh, you didn't see it? Or didn't see it enough?
Here's Jeff Tiedric's hilarious take on it. Enjoy.
Comer Fudd’s latest hearing was such a shit-show that even Newsmax cut away from it
https://substack.com/inbox/post/142795751
#TrumpisaLoser #MAGA #GOP #GQP #Republicans #Congress #Impeachment #Trump #LevParnas #RudyGiuliani #JamesComer #JaredMoskowitz
Robert Hur is a fucking liar and Jim Jordan’s latest hearing blew up in his big dumb face
It reads like a rejected script for the Keystone Cops. Rejected because it was deemed too dub even for them
https://www.jefftiedrich.com/p/robert-hur-is-a-fucking-liar-and
#TrumpisaLoser #MAGA #GOP #GQP #Republicans #Elections #Congress #Lies #ComerFudd #GymJordan
5 Ways Republicans’ Hearing Failed
The Good in Us by Mary L. Trump
https://marytrump.substack.com/p/5-ways-republicans-hearing-failed
#TrumpisaLoser #MAGA #GOP #GQP #Republicans #Elections #Congress
Democrat Goes VIRAL In Epic Takedown of Entire Republican Party
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UCRm8acePs
#TrumpStinks #TrumpSmells #TrumpisaLoser #MAGA #GOP #GQP #Republicans #Congress #Biden #HunterBiden
US supreme #court ‘erred badly’ with #Trump ruling, leading US historian says
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/05/us-supreme-court-trump-ruling
“For historians,” the brief said, “contemporary evidence from the decision-makers who sponsored, backed and voted for the 14th amendment … demonstrates that decision-makers crafted section three to cover the president and to create an enduring check on insurrection, requiring no additional action from #Congress.”
On Monday the supreme court disagreed, saying in an unsigned opinion: “We conclude that states may disqualify persons holding or attempting to hold state office. But states have no power under the #constitution to enforce section three with respect to federal offices, especially the presidency.”
This makes it one of those democracies where there are draconian punishments for minor crimes that overcrowd the prisons, but those who attempt a #coup have nothing to fear.
#usa #America #politics #democracy #election #vote #news #law #crime #fail #problem
Looming crisis: Millions at risk as #WIC funding hangs in balance
By Alexandra Jacobo -January 18, 2024
..."The clock is ticking for #Congress to address this looming crisis. Without immediate action, the ramifications could be dire. A failure to meet President Joe Biden’s emergency funding request for WIC by the impending deadline would lead to a substantial budget shortfall. This financial gap threatens to force states to reduce WIC participation, potentially leaving up to 2 million eligible young #children and #pregnant and #postpartum adults without crucial support.
The situation is exacerbated by the current legislative gridlock. The possibility of a government shutdown looms large, adding further uncertainty to the already precarious funding state of WIC and other essential programs.
Behind the statistics are real families whose lives are intertwined with WIC’s support. A survey by ParentsTogether Action highlights the program’s impact: 64% of WIC recipients reported they would struggle to afford necessary infant formula without the program, and over half would face challenges in meeting their own nutritional needs.
The personal accounts are poignant. Families express how WIC has enabled them to access nutritious foods, critical for their children’s development, which they otherwise couldn’t afford. The threat of reduced funding isn’t just a policy debate; it’s a potential blow to the well-being of millions of vulnerable Americans.
The debate over WIC funding has taken a distinctly partisan tone. Progressive advocates, including Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal and Rep. Cori Bush, have been vocal in their criticism of the opposition to fully funding WIC. They argue that such resistance, primarily from Republican lawmakers, prioritizes tax breaks for the wealthy over essential support for low-income families."...
https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/barbara-lee-9-11-gaza
Now, Like in 2001, 'Let Us Not Become the Evil We Deplore'
#BARBARALEE
Jan 11, 2024
..."I cast the lone vote against the Authorization to Use Military Force that launched the global #war on terror and gave# President Bush – and all future presidents – the authority to go to war without approval from #Congress. Every one of my colleagues lined up to vote for the overly broad, blank check that set the framework for forever wars.
I take no pleasure in pointing out that I was right.
The global war on terror was a strategic, economic, and humanitarian disaster for our country and the world. $2.3 trillion dollars spent – money that could have been dedicated to rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, investing in our public schools, reducing the cost of healthcare, and protecting our environment. Nearly half a million civilians were killed. More than 7,000 American troops lost their lives. Tens of thousands – Muslim, Christian, Jew, and non-believer – came home wounded in body and spirit.
...
This is a moment that demands moral and strategic clarity. We cannot allow billions of American tax dollars to unconditionally fund the indiscriminate bombing of civilians. We cannot allow the dilution of our own fragile democracy.
That is precisely why I was among the first members of Congress to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Let me be extremely clear: the horrific terror attacks carried out by Hamas against Israeli civilians were barbaric. An estimated 1,200 people were killed; women were brutalized with unspeakable acts of sexual violence; countless people around the globe are suffering and mourning from the terrible loss of loved ones and neighbors.
Military action will not bring lasting peace and security to Israel and the Palestinian people, nor should U.S. taxpayer dollars be unconditionally funding unfettered military action.
...
It is our responsibility as the United States to wield our power and vast wealth to support our common humanity. In this case, that means upholding international law, providing critical aid to Palestinians, supporting negotiations for the freedom of hostages, and helping to advance a political and diplomatic solution that allows Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side with security and peace."...
#Catholic Relief Services, the leading U.S. Catholic relief organization, has persuaded the U.S. #Congress to officially submit the GPS coordinates of four Catholic sites (churches and monasteries) in #Gaza that should not be attacked.
Israel confirmed receipt of the list, but two of the sites were still attacked by the #IDF, a church and a monastery that were shelled by IDF tanks and shelled by IDF snipers who killed a mother and her daughter who were in the #Church in hiding (an act the #Pope later described as "terrorism").
#SaveGaza #StopIsrael #SaveTheChildren
#palestine #Israel #Occupation #Apartheid #Politics #PeaceNow #StopTheWar #CeasefireNow
Protesters condemn Argentina’s new presidential austerity decree | Al Jazeera Newsfeed
Thousands protested against Argentina’s new president, Javier Milei, and his government’s deregulation of the economy. Demonstrators banged pots and pans out...#AlJazeera #AlJazeeraEnglish #Argentina #Congress #Economy #JavierMilei #President #Protest #alJazeera #aljazeeraEnglish #aljazeeralive #aljazeeravideo #aljazeeraEnglish #aljazeeralatest #aljazeeralive #aljazeeralivenews #austerity #latestnews #newsheadlines
Protesters condemn Argentina’s new presidential austerity decree | Al Jazeera Newsfeed
Republican Strategist Predicts DOOM For House Republicans In 2024 Election
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b3sf-x1OpY
#Politics #GQP #GOP #MAGA #Republicans #Elections #Trump #Circus #Incompetence #Congress
Alternative 37C3 Schedule
Unlock the treasures of #37C3 #Fahrplan: there is again an alternative web-based version on Calendify: https://calendify.com/schedule/E304GkX4xA9
As usual, here you can create your own schedule on the fly within your browser. No need for user registration and without crumbly cookies.
The schedule will be synchronized every 10 minutes during the event with the official source. The days before once an hour.
#ccc #unlocked #congress #events #schedule @chaosupdates@diasp.org
#Colorado Supreme #Court kicks #Trump off #ballot, citing 'insurrection'
source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67768873
That same lower court judge also found that Mr Trump had participated in an insurrection in the 2021 US #Capitol riot. His supporters stormed #Congress on that day while lawmakers were certifying #President Joe #Biden's election victory.
International security experts appeal to US Congress to approve Ukraine aid bill
Over 40 members of the Alphen Group, an international association of security experts, appealed to U.S. Congress to approve the funding request that includes aid for Ukraine in a letter published on the organization's website on Dec. 18.
A $111-billion bill proposed by U.S. President Joe Biden's Administration that contains over $60 billion for Ukraine has so far failed to pass Congress due to opposition by the Republican Party.
Republican Senators blocked the bill during the Dec. 6 vote concerning the unrelated issue of tougher immigration measures on the U.S.-Mexico border.
"Ukraine's fight is not only in defense of its own sovereignty and territory but also on behalf of the West, its values and way of life, which Russia seeks to replace with an international system more welcoming for dictatorships," the experts wrote in the letter address to both Republican and Democratic lawmakers.
https://kyivindependent.com/over-40-us-security-experts-appeal-to-congress-to-approve-ukraine-aid/
#RussiaInvadedUkraine #RussinaWarCrimes #InternationalLaw #AlphenGroup #Congress #America #dictatorships #Ukraine #StandWithUkraine #MilitaryAid
Eric Schmidt has a 6-point plan for fighting election #misinformation
The former Google CEO hopes that companies, #Congress, and #regulators will take his advice on board—before it’s too late.
By Eric Schmidt
December 15, 2023
..."Here I propose six technical approaches that platforms should double down on to protect their users. Regulations and laws will play a crucial role in incentivizing or mandating many of these actions. And while these reforms won’t solve all the problems of mis- and disinformation, they can help stem the tide ahead of elections next year.
Verify human users. We need to distinguish humans using social media from bots, holding both accountable if laws or policies are violated. This doesn’t mean divulging identities. Think of how we feel safe enough to hop into a stranger’s car because we see user reviews and know that Uber has verified the driver’s identity. Similarly, social media companies need to authenticate the human behind each account and introduce reputation-based functionality to encourage accounts to earn trust from the community.Know every source. Knowing the provenance of the content and the time it entered the network can improve trust and safety. As a first step, using a time stamp and an encrypted (and not removable) IP address would guarantee an identifiable point of origin. Bad actors and their feeds—discoverable through the chain of custody—could be deprioritized or banned instead of being algorithmically amplified. While VPN traffic may deter detection, platforms can step up efforts to improve identification of VPNs.
Related Story
hands pull propaganda from a machine
How generative AI is boosting the spread of disinformation and propaganda
In a new report, Freedom House documents the ways governments are now using the tech to amplify censorship.
Identify deepfakes. In line with President Biden’s sweeping executive order on AI, which requires the Department of Commerce to develop guidance for watermarking AI-generated content, platforms should further develop detection and labeling tools. One way for platforms to start is to scan an existing database of images and tell the user if an image has no history (Google Images, for example, has begun to do this). AI systems can also be trained to detect the signatures of deepfakes, using large sets of truthful images contrasted with images labeled as fake. Such software can tell you when an image has a high likelihood of being a deepfake, similar to the “spam risk” notice you get on your phone when calls come in from certain numbers.Filter advertisers. Companies can share a “safe list” of advertisers across platforms, approving those who comply with applicable advertising laws and conform professionally to the platforms’ advertising standards. Platforms also need to ramp up their scrutiny of political ads, adding prominent disclaimers if synthetic content is used. Meta, for example, announced this month that it would require political ads to disclose whether they used AI.Use real humans to help. There will, of course, be mistakes, and some untrustworthy content will slip through the protections. But the case of Wikipedia shows that misinformation can be policed by humans who follow clear and highly detailed content rules. Social media companies, too, should publish quality rules for content and enforce them by further equipping their trust and safety teams, and potentially augmenting those teams by providing tools to volunteers. How humans fend off an avalanche of AI-generated material from chatbots remains to be seen, but the task will be less daunting if trained AI systems are deployed to detect and filter out such content.Invest in research. For all these approaches to work at scale, we’ll require long-term engagement, starting now. My philanthropic group is working to help create free, open-source testing frameworks for many AI trust and safety groups. Researchers, the government, and civil society will also need increased access to critical platform data. One promising bill is the Platform Accountability and Transparency Act, which would, for example, require platforms to comply with data requests from projects approved by the National Science Foundation."...
