10/20/23

Good morning! It’s Friday, October 20th.

International Chef’s Day.

Not a day for international chefs. Like – internationally, today we’re excited about chefs. Home chefs. Professional chefs. All of ‘em.

And now, the news.

Biden’s Presidential Address

-via AP News

In a primetime presidential address, President Biden declared it’s “vital for America’s national security” for both Israel and Ukraine to succeed in their wars, as he made the case, from the Oval Office, for asking for billions of dollars in military aid, should Congress ever decide to get their lives together.

His proposal will drop today and is expected to include $60 billion for Ukraine, the majority of which is actually just a replenishment of weapon stockpiles that we’ve already sent over, $14 billion for Israel, $10 billion for humanitarian efforts, $14 billion for the U.S.-Mexico border as well as fentanyl trafficking (fighting it. Not, ya know, supporting it) and $7 billion for the Indo-Pacific region, including Taiwan.

Search for U.S. Speaker

-via CBS News, Reuters, and NBC News

But, of course, that money can’t get spent if Congress, which holds the Cash App account password (that’s an updated version of saying they hold the purse strings. Do you like it? I like it. I’m gonna keep using it.). Anyway, that money can’t get spent if the House doesn’t find themselves a Speaker.

Let’s see how that hot mess is going.

And I’m wearing (incoming news sounds) – it’s not going well.

There was a brief moment on Thursday where it appeared that Jimmy Jords would attempt to get the House to say Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry an expansion of his power and basically act as Speaker until January, when they’d try and elect a Speaker again.

But apparently people remembered that Pro Tempore was Latin for “for the time being” and also that this was absolutely ridiculous and seriously no what are we doing here?

And so Jim Jordan, he’s so brave, is going to press on and continue his losing battle for the gavel.

There was no floor vote on Thursday. Sounds like you can expect one today at 10a eastern but also, on the other hand, what can any of us really expect here? A working House of Representatives? Lol yeah right.

So while all of this is going on, let’s see how McHenry is doing, in his position as “for the time being” Speaker. Well, on Thursday he told colleagues that he might resign is Republicans try and legislation on the floor without a vote to expand his powers, fearing this would set a precedent to give future temporary speakers the full power of the Speaker. Hey you know what? Maybe in the future, let’s not have temporary speakers. This is rapidly becoming dangerous.

How so? Well, first of all, we don’t have a Congress. Seems important.

Also, Republican House member Mariannette Miller-Meeks, from Iowa, has received credible death threats for her votes against Jordan.

This is abhorrent.

Sen. Butler Will Not Run for Seat Again

-via NY Times

Senator Laphonza Butler, who was appointed by California’s Governor Newsom, has announced that she will not run for office next year.

This pleases me greatly.

I mean, nothing against her. Not at all. But you know… there’s already an election happening. People have already spent time and money on their campaign. And an incumbent is always going to have an easier time getting elected, so you know… I don’t know. This pleases me, is all. Can’t that be enough for you?

Trump Crime Update Time

-via NY Times

And of course…

Trump Crime Update Time

(Talk Rico to me, edition)

Sidney Powell – the former Trump lawyer who, next to America’s Mayor Rudy Giuliani, was one of the loudest voices in the 100% fake, 0% true, big lie that the 2020 election was stolen and the guy who couldn’t even sell steak or water, and lost the 2016 popular vote, suddenly wasn’t a loser and, impossibly, won the 2020 election…

Her greatest hits include – telling the world that Dominion voting machines not only flipped Trump votes to Biden, but they did it because Venezuela told them to.

So obviously, and for good reason, she was charged in Georgia’s election stealing Rico crimes case.

Well on Thursday she shocked the world by… taking a plea deal and pleading guilty.

She is the 2nd person to plead guilty in exchange for agreeing to testify against others charged in the case including… yeppers! Trump himself.

Powell is the first of Trump’s close allies to take a deal with the authorities. Which means… yep! She is, in fact, that first to get this sound affect:

(I was really busy yesterday, and this was pretty unexpected. I didn’t get time to find a better sound effect. This show is free.)

And that’s it. That’s the news.

What a day!

I’m proud of chefs. So much so, that I’m gonna make myself a nice dinner.

But more than that… because you also look great in a silly puffy old school chef’s hat… I’m proud of you.