On Wednesday, Joe Biden attacked Bernie for supporting Medicare for All. That same day, we learned that the super PAC bankrolling Biden’s campaign is led by health care industry lobbyists.

Coincidence? You be the judge.

The Intercept and Sludge report that the super PAC’s treasurer is a former Biden aide who is now the CEO of a lobbying firm that has represented health care systems, medical device companies and the pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly. The lobbying firm notes on its website that “our past and current clients include hospital systems, insurers, medical device companies and advocacy organizations.” The super PAC’s board also includes a lobbyist for the hospital industry.

On the same day that the super PAC launched pro-Biden ads, Biden’s campaign lashed out at Bernie for supporting a Medicare for All system that would reduce the profits of the super PAC leaders’ health care industry clients. Amid weak grassroots fundraising, Biden’s campaign abruptly reversed its opposition to super PACs, effectively green lighting the new super PAC, which can rake in unlimited corporate and billionaire donations.

In response to the attacks, Bernie 2020 campaign manager Faiz Shakir said this:



At this point, Biden’s allegiance to health insurers and drug companies is not exactly a surprise.

Biden launched his presidential campaign with a fundraiser hosted by the CEO of a private health insurance company. The American Prospect has also noted that “Steve Ricchetti, referred to as Biden's campaign chairman in a published report last month, was a longtime lobbyist for health care and other corporate clients.”

As Vox put it: “The health care industry is betting on Joe Biden in its war against Medicare-for-all.”

Bern after reading,

https://bernie.substack.com/p/bern-notice-bidens-super-pac-is-led

Source: New York Times

Paula White, a televangelist based in Florida and personal pastor to President Trump whom he has known since 2002, has joined the Trump administration in an official capacity, according to a White House official.

Ms. White will work in the Office of Public Liaison, the official said, which is the division of the White House overseeing outreach to groups and coalitions organizing key parts of the president’s base. Her role will be to advise the administration’s Faith and Opportunity Initiative, which Mr. Trump established last year by executive order and which aims to give religious groups more of a voice in government programs devoted to issues like defending religious liberty and fighting poverty.

As Mr. Trump campaigns for a second term, he cannot afford to lose support from the religious conservatives who voted for him in 2016 in significant numbers. Without their backing, his path to re-election would be significantly narrower.

He has taken repeated steps to ensure they turn out for him again — by issuing executive orders, making cabinet appointments and nominating federal judges that pass muster with the religious right. On a range of issues from abortion rights to tax exemptions for churches, Mr. Trump has tried to grant Christian conservatives their policy wish lists whenever legally and politically feasible.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/31/us/politics/paula-white-trump.html

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A prosperity gospel huckster who cons people out of their money? Seems like a good fit.

Source: Duluth News Tribune

Minnesota Democrats Angie Craig, Dean Phillips, Betty McCollum and Ilhan Omar supported the resolution while Republican Reps. Jim Hagedorn, Tom Emmer and Pete Stauber voted against it. Reps. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D., and Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., also voted against the rules for impeachment proceedings.

Peterson in a statement said the vote was "unnecessary" and he raised concerns about the way the impeachment process had been conducted. Peterson also said he wouldn't decide whether he supported impeachment until all the facts had been presented.

“This impeachment process continues to be hopelessly partisan. I have been hearing from my constituents on both sides of this matter for months, and the escalation of calls this past week just shows me how divided our country really is right now," Peterson said. "I have some serious concerns with the way the closed-door depositions were run and am skeptical that we will have a process that is open, transparent and fair. Without support from Senate Republicans, going down this path is a mistake."

Read more: https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/government-and-politics/4748347-Collin-Peterson-breaks-with-Democrats-on-impeachment-inquiry.-Heres-how-your-representative-voted

https://www.donblankenship.com/

Running on the CONSTITUTION PARTY line

https://twitter.com/anncoulter/status/1189953841707573248

Source: CNN

Reps. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey and Collin Peterson of Minnesota were the only two Democrats to vote against the impeachment resolution today.

In a statement, Van Drew said he voted against the resolution because he believes "this inquiry will further divide the country tearing it apart at the seams and will ultimately fail in the Senate."

Van Drew added that now that the impeachment inquiry is "moving forward" he will be "making a judgment call based on all the evidence presented by these investigations."




Read more: https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/impeachment-inquiry-10-31-2019/index.html

--"Hacks on Tap" podcast (10/22)

Reparations is NOT an issue to campaign on....

Source: Buying Business Travel

Qantas has temporarily pulled one of its 737NG aircraft from service after discovering “cracking” near a wing.

Boeing issued a warning about the potential issue back in June, advising its customers to inspect the entire family of 737s, including the NG and Max versions, after discovering an “improper manufacturing process” on a part on the wings carried out by a supplier.

The potential fault affects an area near the “pickle fork”, which helps attach the wing to the plane, according to the manufacturer.

Regulators required airlines to inspect aircraft that had completed more than 30,000 take-offs and landings (or cycles) and those with more than 22,600 cycles to be checked within the next 1,000. Qantas said none of its 737s have reached that number.

Read more: https://buyingbusinesstravel.com/news/qantas-grounds-737ng-due-to-cracking/