Trump’s Defense Dept Accused of Stalling Biden’s Transition Team

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

January 20th 2021 can’t come soon enough…

President Trump refuses to publicly acknowledge that Joe Biden is the President-elect, and the Trump Administration continues to find ways to make the transition process as difficult as possible.

The latest drama involves the transition of the Defense Department. As reported by Reuters, Biden’s transition team led by Yohannes Abraham told reporters on a conference call,

“We were concerned to learn this week about an abrupt halt in the already limited cooperation there,” Abraham said.

Reuters

Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Mill responded that meetings have re-scheduled, not “canceled or refused” meetings. Adding that the Dept of Defense and the transition team agreed on a “two-week pause” for the holidays. According to Abraham, there was no such agreement in place.

If this was a normal transition, taking some time for the holidays wouldn’t be an unrealistic request, except this transition has been anything but normal. The transition process didn’t start until November 23rd, so everyone needs to get to work!

In light of the Russian Cyber-Attacks news, the Biden Administration really has to hit the ground running and can’t afford delays in transition.

As always…

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

According to History Incumbents Tend to do Poorly in Their 1st Debate…

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

While history will show that incumbents (presidents) usually don’t perform well in the 1st debate. I don’t know if we can apply those same rules to someone like Donald J Trump.

In 2012 then President Barack Obama went into his 1st debate against Mitt Romney, with a little cockiness and did not emphasis debate prep work. A hour later Obama walked off the stage rocked by a well prepared Romney.

Obama would regain his debate form and arguably won the next 2 debates (or tied) and went on to a 2nd term as president of the United States.

So what is it about the first debate for incumbents? It’s actually pretty simple. A president tends to be busy with domestic/foreign affairs, you know being presidential. And after 4-years of being president there is not much debating you are doing. The closest thing to it would be holding a press conference and taking questions from the media.

But those same rules don’t really apply to President Trump and Joe Biden will have to be on his game. So what makes Trump different?

He doesn’t care about facts or being correct. Trump cares about embarrassing and making sure he’s not embarrassed. So he will do what he has done best for his entire career… Attacking people and telling lies, and Biden has too be careful not fall into the trap of trying to counter Trump’s BS and stick to his script. Every once in awhile throw in a zinger and Fact-Check Trump but do go down a rabbit hole.

For Trump, he just has to be Trump, and that means we have no idea what he will be!

Republicans Hated Executive Orders When They Were Used by President Obama…

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

Republicans hated Executive Orders (EO) when they were used by President Obama. During the Obama presidency, EOs were used 276 times, in response to Republicans in Congress trying to obstruct his every move.

With every EO signed by Obama, Republicans would accuse Obama of overreach.

“He’s not a king, he’s not a dictator, he’s not allowed to do it himself.” – The-New Jersey Governor Chris Christie

“Barack Obama is a king, not a president.” – Fox News

“He may think he’s king, he may declare he’s a king, but that’s not what he is under the Constitution… He has rewritten the Constitution for himself as a part of his effort to fundamentally transform the United States of America.” – Then-Representative Michele Bachmann

And last but not least…

And now we have Pres Trump signing EOs like there is no tomorrow. His latest EOs to address much needed Coronavirus relief, may prove to be the biggest power grab of authority. Democrats in Congress and some Republicans have expressed their concern over this latest move by Trump. It remains to be seen if Dems will take Trump to court to prove the validity of his EOs.

Dems should take Trump to court and continue to work to get a deal done to extend Coronavirus relief. With every day that passes by Trump figures out a new way to ignore the Constitution.

As always…

there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

Congress and White House Fail to Extend Enhanced Unemployment Benefits

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer today and left the meeting with no deal in sight. According to both sides, there is bipartisan agreement on many issues but still disagreements on key parts of extending the much needed Coronavirus Relief package.

“I think there’s a lot of areas of compromise. I think if we can reach an agreement on state and local and unemployment, we will reach an overall deal. And if we can’t, we can’t…” – Steve Mnuchin

After meeting with the Dems, Mnuchin and Meadows met with the press and announced they will recommend President Trump use executive orders to help address assistance for renters, student loans and unemployment insurance. 

“We’re going to take executive orders, to try to alleviate some of the pain that people are experiencing,” – Mark Meadows

Now, what kind of executive orders can Trump enact? I have no idea, so it will be interesting to see what he comes up with.

The problem with ALL of this, is that it should have never reached this point where enhanced UI ($600) and now PPP have expired.

Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi passed the Heroes ACT ($3 Trillion dollars) back in May, and includes the following:

  • Stimulus Check – Individuals earning up to $75,000 would get a one-time $1,200 check. Couples earning up to $150,000 would be eligible for $2,400
  • Hazard Pay – $200 billion for hazard pay
    • Given to a wide variety of “essential” workers, including doctors, nurses and other frontline medical personnel, police officers, firefighters, social workers, grocery clerks, postal workers, and childcare and cafeteria workers
    • A $13-an-hour raise paid until workers receive a total of $10,000 if their regular pay is less than $200,000 per year. Or up to $5,000 total if they make more than $200,000 a year
    • Paid for 60 days after the pandemic ends if the $10,000 or $5,000 totals aren’t reached first
    • Distributed by employers, who will apply to the government for hazard pay, add it to their workers’ paychecks, deduct payroll taxes from all hazard payments
  • Unemployment Benefits – The HEROES Act would extend the benefits from the CARES Act, including the extra $600 weekly federal unemployment benefit, through January 31, 2021. If you’re already receiving Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), your payments could be extended to March 31, 2021
  • Student Loan Forgiveness – The CARES Act suspended interest and payments for most people with federal student loans through September 30, 2020. Interest will not accrue during that period. The HEROES Act extends that break for another, year through September 30, 2021, and expands it to all federal student loans, including Federal Perkins Loans and some other loans
  • Rental Aid – provides approximately $100 billion for rental assistance. An existing nationwide grant rental assistance program would verify a tenant’s inability to pay rent and give vouchers to cover the cost of rent and utilities. It would also extend the ban on evictions for nonpayment for a year following its enactment date
  • Mortgage Relief – The bill also provides $75 billion for a homeowner assistance fund intended to prevent mortgage defaults and property foreclosures

Realistically speaking there is no way Republicans will agree with all of the above (Republicans want to reduce the UI from $600 to $200 (may go as high as $400)), but there is plenty of room for compromise. Unfortunately Senate Republicans and the White House waited until the Monday before the Employment Benefits expired to start negotiations. And now there is the pressure to get something done to help struggling families.

One compromise that could work was floated by a bipartisan group of economist who worked with the Obama and Bush Administrations. They proposed that Congress extend the enhanced unemployment insurance at $400 a week, and then tie the bonus payment to the unemployment rate in each state. As the unemployment rate falls, the bonus would decline.

As of right now, there are no new negotiations scheduled for this weekend. Hopefully both sides will come back Monday ready to make some kind of deal.

As always…

there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

I’m a Liberal, Don’t Take My Word On It When it Comes to Pres Trump…

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

When it comes to President Trump, any criticism of him is usually brushed to side as just hate from the Liberal media and Liberals in general. That’s cool, because no one can argue that, as we are more partisan now than at any other time in our history.

And that’s fine, you can call my thoughts and opinions as biased, but can you dismiss a conservative who criticizes Trump?

SE Cupp of CNN is far from a Liberal and she is no “Rino” (Republican In Name Only). Cupp has been very critical of Trump and his administration, going as far to say that “the president is not well…”

Don’t take my word for it, checkout Cupp’s latest episode of ‘SE Cupp’s Unfiltered’

As always…

there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

Senate Fails to Pass $2T Stimulus Package

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

This really shouldn’t be difficult, but unfortunately this is the reality we live in. Senate Democrats argue that the current $2T Stimulus Bill contains a $500B lending program aka “slush fund” the Treasury Dept controls and will allow them to select who will receive the the funds. Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats maintain that the package should be more heavily favored for the people, and restrictions for how companies will use the money.

Republicans on the other have accused the Democrats of playing politics, and not having the urgency needed to help Americans out of work due to COVID-19 pushing Mayors/Governors to lock down cities and states.

So who is right?

I don’t know, but lets re-visit the not too distant past for some insight. Look back to late 2008 during the financial crisis, the last stimulus package that bailed out the automobile industry and big banks (TARP). While the bailout was praised for saving the auto industry and stabilizing the banks, the major criticism of the bailouts was that it was not felt by the people. President Obama himself admitted that not enough was done to help Americans directly who were had underwater mortgages.

With that said, is there some kind of rule against splitting this stimulus up into 2 parts? One for the people and one for the large and small businesses. I think everyone can agree on sending Americans money, either $1200 or $2000. That can be ironed out, so why not come to an agreement on a stimulus for the people first instead of trying to package a huge bill that includes a stimulus for business?

If you quickly get something out for the people and then separately tackle a stimulus for the businesses. You can provide the people will relief while taking the time necessary to put together a business stimulus package that restricts how the money is used (buybacks or paying bonuses to execs).

As always…

there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

Senate Republican's Stimulus Bill Not Doing Enough for the Poor

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

When everyone can agree, with COVID-19 shutting down cities in the United States and countries in Europe. A stimulus to get the people thru these tough times is necessary, unfortunately Republican Senator Mitch McConnell sent a stimulus package that doesn’t really help the most needy.

The legislation would provide checks of $1,200 per adult for many families, as well as $500 for every child in those families. Families filing jointly would receive up to $2,400 for the adults. The size of the checks would diminish for those earning more than $75,000 and phase out completely for those earning more than $99,000. The poorest families, those with no federal income tax liability, would see smaller benefits, though the minimum would be set at $600.

Washington Post

Limiting the payment amount for those without federal tax liability was a change from the original White House proposal, and caught some Republicans off-guard, provoking criticism. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) tweeted: “Relief to families in this emergency shouldn’t be regressive. Lower income families shouldn’t be penalized.”

Washington Post

An early analysis showed the vast majority of middle class people would receive the cash payment, but the percentage doing so falls dramatically toward the bottom of the income distribution. About 22 million people earning under $40,000 a year would see no benefit under the GOP plan, according to an initial analysis by Ernie Tedeschi, a former Obama administration economist.

Washington Post

It’s not that McConnell’s payouts are less than what others like Senator Cory Booker and Maxine Waters have suggested ($2K). The issue is with the provision that would limit the amount for those without federal tax liability. A provision that even caught the White House by surprise. As noted in the Washington Post McConnell’s proposal would prevent approximately 22 million people earning under $40K a year. THe people who need the stimulus the most!!!!

Meanwhile McConnell’s proposal would take care of the wealthy. How many times do the people have to be slapped in the face in favor of big corporations receiving tax breaks?

Action is needed, but we need the right action to happen!

As always…

there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

Derek Jeter Does Not Deserve a Unanimous Vote into the Baseball Hall of Fame

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

Full disclosure, I hate the Yankees!

This week Derek Jeter was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame along with Larry Walker. Jeter fell 1 vote short of receiving a unanimous vote into the hall, and this had Yankee fans run to social media talking about how “we” need to find this writer who dared to vote against Jeter.

Larry Walker and Derek Jeter

And to be fair it wasn’t only Yankee fans, but it’s always more fun to point them out HAHAHA!

Now, if you are honest and you put your Yankee/NY bias aside for a moment. You will realize that Jeter receiving 99.7% of the vote is a great accomplishment, and all of this complaining about 1 vote is really stupid.

Let’s start with some facts:

  1. In his 20-year career, Derek Jeter was never the best player in baseball. Without a doubt a top 5 and top 10 player in baseball but never dominated the sport like say Mike Trout
  2. Derek Jeter was never a MVP, he finished top 3 in voting 3x

So when you look at the only player to be voted in to the Baseball Hall of Fame unanimously, Mariano Rivera stands out from Derek Jeter. Rivera without a doubt is the greatest reliever/closer of all-time; he’s the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time). Mariano dominated baseball, and there was no question he was the best closer in the game. Derek Jeter never reached that level, and that’s ok, it doesn’t take away from what he accomplished.

Here’s something for Yankee fans to think about, Joe DiMaggio, ‘The Yankee Clipper’; was voted the sports greatest living player in 1969. Joltin’ Joe was not a 1st ballot Hall of Famer, in fact it took 3 years for him to be voted into the hall and he only received 88% of the vote.

As always…

there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

Rand Paul Working to Expose Whistleblower…

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is on that bullsh*t, lets be honest.

Today Rand Paul blocked a senate resolution that would have restated the Senate’s support for whistleblower protections, because he supports the notion that President Trump should be able to face his accuser, as allowed by The Bills Rights. Paul went on to introduce his own legislation that included the president’s right to face his accuser along with the following,

“The bill I will introduce today will expand the whistleblower act [and] would be made retroactive so Edward Snowden can come home to live in his own country. All he did was expose that his government was not obeying the Constitution,”

The Hill

Paul is picking and choosing what should apply to the president. If Paul feels so strongly that the president should be afforded the rights of every other American, shouldn’t that also include that the president can be indicted if he commits a crime?

What is it about Trump that Republicans trip over themselves to protect him and ignore the facts that are in plain sight?

Now Rand Paul is threatening to expose the identity of the whistleblower… What about the Whistleblower Protection Act??

As always…

there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

The Prince Estate Reminds the Trump Campaign to Stop Using the Singer’s Music

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

In October of 2018, the estate of Prince sent a letter to the Trump campaign requesting that they no longer use any of the deceased singer’s songs at any Trump campaign events and activities. The Trump campaign responded that they acknowledged the request and will no longer use Prince’s music to avoid any “future disputes”.

This request was not unusual as other artist expressed similar displeasure in Trump’s campaign using their music.

Of course this didn’t stop Trump from using Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ at his recent 2020 campaign event in Minneapolis.

Why ‘Purple Rain’? Well, it’s the campaigns hope that they can change the state from ‘Blue’ (Democrat) to ‘Red’ (Republican) for his re-election bid. It’s their hope that Minnesota is up for grabs which would make it a ‘Purple’ state.

This didn’t go over well with The Prince Estate, and they let it be known

Prince believed in owning his music, and fought hard to make that happen, just for situations like this. So far there has been no response from the Trump campaign, but they better not play with the estate. The last thing want is to have Prince’s ghost haunting them.

As always…

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!