03/02/23

Good morning! It’s Thursday March 2nd.

National Banana Cream Pie Day.

Now listen, it is also International Rescue Cat Day, and obviously I rescued my cat from a bunker, and also a hoarders home. So of course I want to celebrate that. But Councilwoman Ruth Meowser Stanton is doing just fine, as far as attention and celebration goes.

You know what’s not getting enough attention? Banana Cream Pies. They are SO good!

I love them.

And now, the news.

Eli Lilly Caps Insulin Costs

-via NBC News

Let’s start with some great news! Which is my way of saying… nothing everything in this episode is going to be great. Sorry. But this story is good.

Drugmaker Eli Lilly announced on Wednesday that they will cap the out-of-pocket monthly cost of insulin at $35, effective immediately.

In 2018, it was estimated that the average cost of just a single vial of insulin was $98.70.

This automatically applies to everyone with private insurance. Those without will be eligible through their copay assistance program. That program actually began providing insulin at this price in 2020, regardless of insurance status, because of the pandemic.

Listen, were they overcharging for insulin before this? Yes. But they’re doing the right thing now, so we’re going to appreciate this change. This will literally save lives.

Havana Syndrome Not Caused by Enemy Weapon

-via Washington Post

After years of assessment, five U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that it is “very unlikely” that the so-called Havana Syndrome was caused by an energy weapon or foreign agency.

The Havana Syndrome is a mysterious ailment that’s been seen in hundreds of career diplomats, intelligence officers, and others serving in U.S. missions. The effects were described by those suffering as strange, and painful, acoustic sensations.

They were first reported at the U.S. Embassy in Havana in 2016.

While they still don’t know the exact cause of the mysterious ailments, agencies like the CIA want to be very clear that it has not been caused by an outside enemy attacking US personnel.

Retirement Too Woke for Republicans

-via CNN

Deeming by Republicans as a “woke” policy being forced onto the American public, the Senate passed a resolution on Wednesday to overturn the Biden administration retirement investment rule, which would allow managers of retirement funds to consider the impact of climate change and other environmental, social and governance factors when picking investments.

It doesn’t demand them to do it, just allows them.

But sure.

This will now head to President Biden’s desk for… veto! That’s right, it’s expected he will use his first Presidential Veto on this bill.

In order to override a Presidential veto, Republicans would need a 2/3 majority in each chamber – House and Senate. Which obviously they will not get.

It’s like Republicans just heard the word Woke one day and decided it applies to all. Again, I cannot stress this enough – this rule would not FORCE managers to consider the future of the world when picking investments. It just allows them to do it.

Greece Train Crash

-via AP News

Rescuers on still on the scene in Greece, searching through the wreckage of the deadliest trash crash in the country’s history. The death toll is currently at 43.

The train was traveling with around 350 passengers, many of whom were students.

At this time all we know is that the Prime Minister of Greece says it was caused by “tragic human error.” He has pledged a full, and independent, investigation.

Florida Republicans Move to Ban Democrats

-via NBC News

You ever hear a story and think – that’s a pretty wild reading of what’s actually happening. Let me really look into this.

That’s what happened here. I read something that said Florida Republicans want to ban Democrats. And I thought – well that seems wild. What’s this actually about?

Turns out… yeah, no, that’s what’s happening here.

Officially known as SB-1248, the bill, nicknamed the Ultimate Cancel Act would require the Division of Elections to immediately cancel any political party whose platform “previously advocated for, or been in support of, slavery or involuntary servitude.”

Now, the sad fact is – the Democrats did, in fact, start out as a pro-slavery party. Which… sucks.

It wasn’t until Truman came around that things started to shift. Truman was pro-civil rights and this caused a bunch of Democrats to leave the party and form the Dixiecrats. Then, in the 60s, LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act, which kind of realigned the parties and white conservative southerners who previously voted Democrat switched to the Republican party.

That’s an oversimplification but it’s important to remember… yes, the original Democratic party did form as a pro-slavery party. But the Republican party became what it is today, because pro-slavery Democrats didn’t feel welcome with the Dems, and the Republicans welcomed them with open arms.

All of that to say… this little “oh well we couldn’t possibly stand by and allow a party that ever supported slavery to have a voice here” is just an excuse to ban the Democratic party in the state.

And we know that because, as a reminder, Florida’s out here with their Stop Woke Act, book banning, AP African American Studies classes that stringently limit actually teach African American Studies. And who can forget the way they’ve decided that anything that mentions Black history or current events in school must be CRT and must, therefore, be banned.

So then let’s revisit this bill… because of their history with slavery, Florida is able to manipulate a situation where they are going to ban the whole Democratic party.

Now, what about voters who are registered as a Democrat? Their voter registration would be changed to “no party affiliation” and they would “provide procedures” for those voters to update their affiliation to “an active political party.”

Basically forcing them to be Republicans, until Democrats can find a work around, which would be a new name that, per this bill, is “substantially different from the name of any other party previously registered.”

So as a summary – we’ve got Kevin McCarthy handing the insurrection footage over exclusively to an anchor that riled up their viewers over the lie that the election was stolen.

Marjorie Taylor Greene wants to impose a five year wait period on voting for any Democrat who moves to a Republican state.

And now Florida wants to ban the entire Democratic party.

These things are threats to our democracy and we cannot take our eyes off of them.

And that’s it. That’s the news.

I’m proud of… Ruth. She sits, plays fetch… we’re working on saying hi and rolling over. She’s great.

Also banana cream pies. Classic and delicious. A perfect dessert.

But more than that… more than Ruth baking a cute little banana cream pie because she’s very talented and has a very sophisticated palette… I’m proud of you.