petebuttigieg

Ten Percent of Ten Percent

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

The House took three weeks off to make up their minds about a new Speaker.  BBR took three weeks off to give the staff some much-needed rest as well.

Wednesday the new Speaker Mike Johnson and at least 25 of his House Republican Representatives sat down for a town hall with Republican blowhard cheerleader Sean Hannity.

Sean asked them in a show of hands who would vote for, based on their knowledge to date on the influence peddling of Hunter and the Biden family, impeaching President Biden.  The show of hands looked unanimous in favor of doing so.

Yesterday a copy of a 40k check made out to Joe Biden was shown again and again on fair and balanced Fox.  The 2017 transfer from first brother James Biden and his wife Sara to the future president allegedly involves the same business deal in which Joe Biden was called the “big guy” and penciled in for a 10% cut.  It could be and maybe will be the first proven instance of the commander-in-chief getting a piece of his family’s foreign income.

All of that while more than just Rome is burning around the globe and here at home.  Would impeaching old Joe be a good idea in the political theatre while men and women are dying in theatres of war?

Maybe it would assuage those from the right still seething from one or more of the Trump “witch hunt impeachments.”  But does it move the needle in 2024?

Well, it would if the House actually voted to impeach then sent it to the Senate and the Senate held an Impeachment Trial and found Prez Biden guilty of hiding some fraudulently acquired funds.

The Senate has a slim Democratic majority.  In today’s polarized political climate, there is no way any Dems would break ranks and vote to abandon Joe is there?

That’s likely very accurate.  An in-the-know Republican friend of BBR doubts that any Dems would break.

It’s very accurate unless you are one of those who believe that the Dems don’t really want an 81-year-old Biden to run again.  After all, he seems challenged to walk much less run.

It’s actually the trap door they may be looking for if only one or two decided to make it so.

“Farfetched that is,” you naysayers say.

Pay off Kamala with a 15 million dollar book deal.  She could write about Venn Diagrams.  And voila!

Before your eyes appears a Newsom/Buttigieg ticket.

What are the odds in Vegas right now that we could have a second Second Gentleman in a row?

If you were Biden would you take 10% of the “10% for the big guy” and get some action now?

Or, is this another all-talk and no-action Republican-led House with a new leader making all of the above a nonstarter?

 

 

Choo Choo, Pu

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Way back when if you wanted to get the job done it was all about appearance.  Only a suit and tie would do.

But, eventually, casual Fridays gave way to casual every day which gave way to work-at-home Zoom calls.  With those calls, it is imperative that you at least appear interested in your job.

But until 18 days passed the Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, appeared uninterested in the East Palestine train wreck.  That is, he was uninterested until the national press and the Ohio citizens were about to go off the rails themselves. Trump’s visit might have increased the “need” to go as well.

Buttigieg flew in yesterday, then put on his costume for the big stage.  He was nattily attired in jeans, dress boots, a yellow safety vest, safety glasses, a safety hat, and dress boots.

Safety first.  Who knows when or if a rouge derailed car might, well, roll over again?

Does it really matter that a figurehead gets on the ground with the folks charged with figuring out what went wrong and cleaning up the mess?  George Bush got pummelled in the press for not going to NOLA just five days after Katrina.  It must.

Perhaps it matters for the populace to feel like their government leaders care.  But make no mistake about it, Pete’s appearance was nothing more than for Pete’s sake.  He’s done nothing in two years in the position except partially filling up a leather chair when he’s not on paternity leave.

Appearances matter.  That’s why Karin Jean Claude Pepe Le Pierre took great pride in telling the WH press yesterday that Biden’s Administration is the most diverse group ever assembled.

The next closest administration is further away than Sham, the 1973 Belmont last-place finisher to Secretariat.  It’s a sham alright.  Biden’s group wins the Triple Crown- Diversity, Inclusion, and Equality.

But old Joe from Scranton gets it.  He wore a suit and tie when he took a surprise business trip to see his boss Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the company headquarters in Kyiv.  Zelenskyy presented Joe with a gold wristwatch for finishing highest over quota in fundraising.

Per Joe his resume includes growing up in a “Puerto Rican-like” neighborhood, attending black churches, lifeguarding, and even conducting an Amtrak train when commuting.

How that train didn’t end up like the one in Ohio is nothing short of a miracle.  Remember, Biden’s former boss, Barack Obama once said, “Don’t underestimate Joe’s ability to f… things up.”

The air around DC seems as toxic as it actually is in East Palestine.

But, until yesterday Pete didn’t smell it.

It all seems off the rails.

At least we are diverse now.

 

 

Ten Piece Nuggets

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

There is never a supply chain shortage of news that gives us pause.  Nuggets follow.

  1. In the “City That Care Forgot” the advice and the adult beverages were flowing yesterday.  As Lent begins, some Mardi Gras partygoers in the Big Easy shared ideas for what President Biden could sacrifice for the 40-day observance.  “His presidency,” one woman visiting from Virginia said.
  2. Can’t almost all of us agree that the optic of Biden following Zelenskyy around like a puppy yesterday contrasted with the black toxic cloud above East Palestine, OH will be used repeatedly by his Republican opposition in 2024?  You can hear Trump. Make America Great Again.
  3. That assumes of course that Biden will run.  He says he is and he says he’ll announce it soon.  Father Time is aggressive and progressive.  Most polls show nearly 3/4ths of all Americans think he should not run.  That’s a significant hurdle.
  4. Of course, if Trump gains the Republican nomination many of those three-fourths will recalibrate how they feel about old Joe.  We’ve said before, Trump running is Biden’s ticket to another four.
  5. Smart folks in the DNC should plan an exit strategy for Biden.  Smart folks in the RNC should plan a do not enter strategy for Trump.
  6. Why is Ukraine’s war our war and our money used to fight it?  If you say it’s for freedom, democracy, or it’s the right thing to do it’s not.  Ukraine is not a democracy.  And, it’s as crooked as it gets.
  7. Twitter types are typing “every day we are getting closer to WW3.”  Elon Musk tweeted back, “For sure.”  Maybe.  There is a long way to go to get there.  There was until yesterday.  The saber-rattling continues to escalate.  Putin suspended his country’s nuclear treaty with us in a speech yesterday.
  8. Back to the train derailment, Pete Buttigieg told a local tv station yesterday that he is “still planning to come to Ohio at some point, but he cannot say when.”  It’s only 18 days and counting.  Ohio is a major piece of the electoral college national puzzle.  Trump visits today.  Pete’s tenure as Secretary of Transportation is captured perfectly by this train wreck, unfortunately.  Hey, but at least we have diversity.
  9. There is no truth to the rumor that Ilhan Omar withdrew support for East Palestine after learning that it’s actually in America.
  10. In the last 10 months, the median price for a home in San Franciso plunged by nearly 33%.  Why?  Interest rates maybe.  Bad publicity probably.  When homelessness goes up, nearby home prices go down.  It’s an ugly fact and an ugly problem.

There’s a remodeling/hammer joke somewhere in nugget #10.  But, for Lent, we’ve given up senseless satirical attacks on the unsuspecting.

No, we haven’t.

A Whole Lotta Love

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Love was in the air yesterday on St. Valentine’s Day.  With so much domestic political rancor and global strife it was quite pleasant to see all of the public displays of affection move to the fore even if it was only one day.  It felt like a Hallmark Movie collided with a Harlequin Romance Novel.

If you missed some, or want to relive them, we recap below.

Mitch McConnell told his wife  “I only have four eyes for you!”

President Biden at first misread the teleprompt card that he wrote for Dr. Jill uttering “IfebbohgeottenJillianstasahar.”  He rebounded nicely though throughout and closed strongly with “Happy Cinco de Mayo my love!”

Dr. Jill swooned and asked if next year Joe’s Valentine’s Day present to her could be inviting Fabio to sit in the balcony at the State of the Union address replacing the first second gentleman Doug Emhoff.

Octogenarian Paul Pelosi reaffirmed his love for Nancy.  He penned to her that “he would suit up in a hammerhead shark costume and swim across shark-infested waters just to be with her on the island of their dreams.”

Nancy thanked him via FaceTime from Dr. Terry Dubrow’s office on the set of Botched.

That island of dreams was not Epstein’s.  Though Bill Gates took to Facebook to openly yearn for one more dinner with Jeffery.

Dr. Fauci’s wife weighed in.  She publically boosted her affection for him shouting “after all these years you still make my heart stop.”

Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control, tweeted her hubby ” Will you be my o cardi I tis?”   His heart fluttered at the thought.

China continues to court the US sending, in their words, “waun valrentin barroon erry day.”

Karine Jean Claude Van Damn Pierre abruptly ended her presser and jetted off to France to propose to the Eiffel Tower.  Weird?  Yes.  Pronouns to follow.

Alec Baldwin tried to knock the Rust off of his stale relationship with his wife of ten years Hilaria, and took his best shot proclaiming “I’d marry you all over again!”

He’s denying that he’s been cast in the lead role of Married Behind Bars next season.  Guns and Roses is under contract to do the theme song.

Unfortunately, not everything was roses and candy yesterday.  Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg revealed that his relationship with a derailed train in Ohio turned toxic.  He felt the need to clear the air, so he blew it up.

Love and Spring are indeed in the air!

 

 

 

 

 

It Says Here

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Someone never once said, “Opinions are like fingers.  Most everyone has ten.”

  1.  It says here that the nontransitory inflation that was called transitory led to the recession that is no longer called a recession.  Biden told us so yesterday and then refused to take any questions on the word salad game his administration is playing.
  2. It says here that these word games serve no positive purpose other than leading the less informed down the wrong rabbit hole.  Remember in 20 years or less we got from “abortion” all of the ways to “woman’s reproductive rights,” a misnomer if ever there was one.  A few stops along the way included pro-choice, woman’s health, and women’s wellness.
  3. It says here that Joe Manchin is the savviest politician in Washington DC.  And, that is saying something.  West Virginia, are you watching?
  4. It says here that the Dems and a dozen and a half Republicans gave away 52 billion yesterday to the American chip manufacturers.  Fifty-two billion hardly is a blip on the screen when 800 billion went to green deals, West Virginia, subsidized health care, and more.
  5. It says here that calling the bill the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 takes conviction.  You have to be a skilled and indifferent liar to stand at a podium and tell America that the handouts will reduce inflation.
  6. It says here that Hunter Biden’s laptop content is going to get much more attention from the mainstream press after the November midterms.  If a red wave comes ashore, the “Big Guy,” aka Joe Biden is neutered.  Dems will officially begin the campaign to replace him before the campaign.
  7. It says here that the Democrats have to have two things happen to keep the White House in 2024.  One, Joe can’t get the nomination.  And, two, Trump must get the nomination.
  8. It says here that with 75% of polled Democrats saying that Biden should not run for reelection that behind the curtains a think tank is playing out and polling out alternatives.  Think Buttigieg, Newsom, etc.  Thankfully, don’t think Beto again.  Abbott will use him to mop the floor this fall.
  9. It says here that Kamala Harris’ obedience will need to be in hand to have this occur.  She was a lapdog in Cali before, so she does understand the commands.  Speaking of word salad, no one can match her jibberish.
  10.  It says here that the weekend is upon us.  It might be a good idea for one of our staffers (and maybe you) to turn off Fox, CNN, and MSNBC and enjoy the heat wave.

An SPF of 50 or more is recommended.

Help Is On the Way

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Yesterday’s consumer price index(CPI) bolted across 4%. The stock market didn’t like that one little bit.   It’s due in part to surging gasoline prices.  The national average for a gallon crossed $3.00 this week.

Of course, this isn’t the real news on either coast.

On the east coast, there is a shortage. Colonial Pipeline was the target of a ransomware attack that forced it to shut down operations.  Long lines are the norm and will be for a few more days.

On the west coast, the average price already surpassed $4.00/gallon.  Fuel transportation costs, taxes, and more taxes always hit Cali and other left-leaning left coast states.

On the first day of Biden’s presidency, he issued an executive order canceling the Keystone XL pipeline making good on his promise to the climate activists who helped get him elected.

So, seemingly on our way to energy independence a few months back, America now waits in line (assuming the station has it) and pays the highest prices at the pump since 2014.

So what to do, what to do?  Let’s ask our government leaders for help.

At a Tuesday press conference, Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm was asked by a reporter about the “feasibility of using rail cars” to transport fuel across the country as the nation faces a gas shortage from a Russian cyber attack.  Her response was that they were looking into it, “but it’s – the pipe is the best way to go.”

Hmmm.  So why cancel the Keystone XL?  As stated above-politics.

Speaking of politics, remember when ole Mayor Pete Buttigieg suddenly folded in his quest to be the next President of the United States?  His newfound support of Joe Biden, and by extension the support of his supporters helped usher in the Biden presidency.

So what did the Mayor Of South Bend get out of it?  Voila, he’s your Transportation Secretary folks.

And he’s making a difference.  Just a few months back Pete was captured on camera hopping out of a government SUV caravan, putting on a bike helmet, and riding the last mile or so to the White House for a photo-op, oops, we meant an important meeting.  How environmentally friendly of him.

What’s he peddling now?  He’s speaking to the press about the $3 gas.

When asked directly by a reporter about his message to Americans who were facing the high cost of gasoline yesterday, Buttigieg replied, “My message is that we understand these concerns that we’ve seen in a lot of the impacted geographies, that this is a real issue.”

Anyone can tell you that step one of any good 12 step program is recognizing that you have a problem.

He also urged Americans not to hoard gasoline and to wait for future announcements from the federal government.  “I will say that this is a time to be sensible and to be safe,” Buttigieg said.

There you have it,  Be sensible, be safe, and wait for future announcements from your government.

The opposite of independence is, of course, dependence.

This situation is enough to make your hair stand up.

“Only in America,” Don King was known to say.