Week 83: "Wacky" (October 22, 2017)

Dear Readers,

It has been an eventful week. For all past newsletters (and more), make sure to go to the blog at http://www.electreport.blogspot.com

Budget

This week, the Senate passed the 2018 budget. It passed 51-49, with every Republican save Rand Paul voting in favor. The budget is supposedly a prerequisite to the tax cuts Republicans are currently trying to pass, and McConnell and Trump say they are pleased with this news. I’ve gone over the budget in the past, but it cuts a lot of government programs to allow for tax cuts on the rich, all the while being presented as a “Taxpayers First” budget. The obvious hypocrisy should be evident.

Prior to this, the Senate passed an amendment referring to the voting process on the budget as “utter nonsense.” Minority Leader Chuck Schumer referred to it as “one of the worst budgets Congress has ever passed.” And they still got 51 votes.

Frederica Wilson

The argument began when Rep. Frederica Wilson from Florida told reporters she overheard a conversation between President Trump and the widow of an officer who died in Niger. In this conversation, she said, Trump told the widow that the officer “knew what he was getting in to.” Rather than apologizing, the president denied it and called Wilson “wacky.” The insults kept growing, and John Kelly joined in too, insulting her for listening to the conversation: "I would have thought that was sacred." She responded to this by calling Kelly a “puppet.”

A Wonderful Week in Professional Tweets from Our President

“Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad!”

“Republicans are going for the big Budget approval today, first step toward massive tax cuts. I think we have the votes, but who knows?”

@foxandfriends "Russia sent millions to Clinton Foundation"

“The Fake News is going crazy with wacky Congresswoman Wilson(D), who was SECRETLY on a very personal call, and gave a total lie on content!”

Trump’s Bartiromo Interview

Trump recently had an interview with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo. Calling it “barely coherent” is probably too generous. Here’s an example:

BARTIROMO:  Yes.  You soured on the health care bipartisan plan a bit -- right -- from Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray?

TRUMP:  Well I’ve -- I have looked at it very, very strongly.  And pretty much, we can do almost what they’re getting.  I -- I think he is a tremendous person.  I don’t know Senator Murray.  I hear very, very good things.

I know that Lamar Alexander’s a fine man and he is really in there to do good for the people.  We can do pretty much what we have to do without, you know, the Secretary has tremendous leeway in the -- under the Obama plans.  One of the things that they did, because they were so messed up, they had no choice but to give the Secretary leeway because they knew he’d have to be -- he or she would have to be changing all the time.

The full transcript is here.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to reply or comment to let me know what you think.