Polybius
Polybius's JournalManchin pumps brakes on Biden infrastructure plans
Source: The Hill
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) is emerging as the chief obstacle to quick passage of President Biden’s $2.25 trillion infrastructure package that Democrats want to move through Congress sooner rather than later.
Manchin is ramping up discussions with Republicans about what a scaled-down infrastructure package should look like, and some GOP senators are even optimistic that the moderate Democrat can be persuaded to block efforts to raise the corporate tax rate.
That means Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) will likely have to wait for the negotiations to reach some kind of conclusion before moving ahead with the budget reconciliation process, as Manchin is expected to be the critical 50th Democratic vote needed to avoid a GOP filibuster.
“For the sake of our country, we have to show we can work in a bipartisan way,” he said Monday evening. “I don’t know what the rush is.”
Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/550382-manchin-pumps-brakes-on-biden-infrastructure-plans
Supreme Court ruling will make it easier to sentence juveniles to life sentence without parole
Source: CNN
(CNN)The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the sentence of life without parole for a juvenile offender in a 6-3 decision, rejecting arguments that such sentences should have additional limits.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh penned the decision for his conservative colleagues, holding that a sentencer will not have to make a separate finding that the juvenile offender was incapable of being rehabilitated.
The ruling will make it easier for those who committed their crime under the age of 18 to be sentenced to prison for life without parole.
It also highlights the impact of the court's new conservative majority. Starting in 2005 when then-swing Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote an opinion barring the death penalty for juvenile offenders, the court had been putting limits on sentences for juvenile offenders. Thursday's decision, with three of former President Donald Trump's nominees in the majority, reverses that trend.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/22/politics/supreme-court-jones-mississippi-kavanaugh-sotomayor/index.html
Black Rob, East Harlem rapper whose punishing 'Life Story' went platinum, dies at age 51, was battli
Source: Daily News
Black Rob, the East Harlem rapper whose “Life Story” stirred and inspired listeners, died Saturday. He was 51.
The artist, whose legal name was Robert Ross, was battling kidney failure, according to accounts from longtime friends DJ Self and Mark Curry. He died in an Atlanta hospital.
“A story teller. An MC. A gentleman every time I saw him,” LL Cool J wrote in a tribute. “Rest in power my brother.”
Black Rob’s debut album, 2000?s “Life Story,” went platinum that year on the strength of its hard-charging lead single, “Whoa!” The album was praised for its storytelling, which drew heavily on its artist’s own life.
Read more: https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-black-rob-dies-20210418-u42i53tkerfrvooifgoaehhgwq-story.html
RIP.
Defense Department confirms leaked video of unidentified aerial phenomena is real
Source: CNN
(CNN)The Defense Department has confirmed that leaked photos and video of "unidentified aerial phenomena" taken in 2019 are indeed legitimate images of unexplained objects.
Photos and videos of triangle-shaped objects blinking and moving through the clouds were taken by Navy personnel, Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough said in a statement to CNN. She also confirmed that photos of three unidentified flying objects -- one "sphere" shaped, another "acorn" shaped and one characterized as a "metallic blimp" -- were also taken by Navy personnel.
"As we have said before, to maintain operations security and to avoid disclosing information that may be useful to potential adversaries, DOD does not discuss publicly the details of either the observations or the examinations of reported incursions into our training ranges or designated airspace, including those incursions initially designated as UAP," Gough said.
She also said that the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, created in August to investigate UFO sightings observed by the military, has "included these incidents in their ongoing examinations."
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/15/politics/unidentified-aerial-phenomena-defense-department/index.html
Video in link. Really odd. What can these be?
Democrats to introduce bill to expand Supreme Court from 9 to 13 justices
Source: NBC News
WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats will introduce legislation Thursday to expand the Supreme Court from nine to 13 justices, joining progressive activists pushing to transform the court.
The move intensifies a high-stakes ideological fight over the future of the court after President Donald Trump and Republicans appointed three conservative justices in four years, including one who was confirmed days before the 2020 election.
The Democratic bill is led by Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee. It is co-sponsored by Reps. Hank Johnson of Georgia and Mondaire Jones of New York.
The Supreme Court can be expanded by an act of Congress, but the legislation is highly unlikely to become law in the near future given Democrats' slim majorities, which include scores of lawmakers who are not on board with the idea. President Joe Biden has said he is "not a fan" of packing the court.
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/democrats-introduce-bill-expand-supreme-court-9-13-justices-n1264132
This is huge, but it’s gonna take 60 votes to pass, so I wouldn’t get my hopes up much...
How do I find out if NY state got my tax payment?
Long story short, I've done my taxes myself for the past decade or so, and this is the first time I ever owed (not much, just a few hundred). I didn't owe the feds anything (I got back $600), but NY state I had to pay. So I got a money order from the post office and sent it out, which was about two weeks ago.
So far, I haven't gotten anything in the mail. Is this typical? Or do they only send you mail if the money order is wrong? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. 
Manchin says 'January 6 changed me' as he calls for bipartisan cooperation
Source: CNN
(CNN)Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia cited the deadly attack on January 6 at the US Capitol as an event that changed his perspective on a divided Washington, saying, "You can't have this many people split to where they want to go to war with each other," as he calls for Democrats and Republicans to work together on top legislative priorities.
In a wide-ranging interview with CNN, Manchin underscored his commitment to bipartisanship, warning that he won't be willing to go it alone with Democrats until more serious negotiations get underway with Republicans. Manchin's comments once again highlight why the moderate Democrat is the central political figure in Washington as President Joe Biden's agenda depends on his vote in the evenly divided Senate.
"January 6 changed me. I never thought in my life, I never read in history books to where our form of government had been attacked, at our seat of government, which is Washington, DC, at our Capitol, by our own people," Manchin said, adding, "So, something told me, 'Wait a minute. Pause. Hit the pause button.' Something's wrong. You can't have this many people split to where they want to go to war with each other."
He said that "reconciliation was never intended to be our main focus or our main vehicle for legislation" but that there is "a time and a place" for its use and emphasized, "I'm not killing the filibuster."
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/08/politics/joe-manchin-bipartisanship-januar-6-cnntv/index.html
'Strange and inappropriate': Flood victim says Cuomo came onto her in her home
Source: NBC News
A married New York woman said Monday that Gov. Andrew Cuomo grabbed her by her face, gave her unwanted kisses and appeared to come on to her in front of her son while touring flood damage on her property in 2017.
Sherry Vill said she was introduced to Cuomo, in her Greece, New York, home where he leaned over and kissed her cheeks in a "highly sexual manner."
"He said, 'That’s what Italians do — kiss both cheeks,'" Vill told reporters in an online news conference with her attorney, Gloria Allred.
Vill said she was shocked by Cuomo's actions. “I am Italian. In my family, family members kiss. Strangers do not kiss,” Vill said.
As Cuomo, a Democrat, left to tour her property, Vill said he stopped, turned to her and said, "You're beautiful."
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/strange-inappropriate-flood-victim-says-cuomo-came-her-her-home-n1262368
Cuomo Tells Supporter He's Not Resigning: 'I'm Not Going Anywhere, Darling'
Source: MediaIte
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) responded to a supporter on Monday, referring to her as “darling” and telling her he would not step down from his position.
“I love you and you better stay where you are, we’ve got your back,” a woman yelled to the embattled governor as he was entering a car. “We love you, we need you at the finish line, you better stay.”
With his mask down, Cuomo yelled back, “I’m staying!”
Before getting in the car Cuomo said, “Alright, I’m not going anywhere, darling.”
Read more: https://www.mediaite.com/news/cuomo-tells-supporter-hes-not-resigning-im-not-going-anywhere-darling/
Video in link.
Cuomo Heard Making 'Child Rapist' Threat to Working Families Party Leader in 2018 Call
Source: NBC NY
Near the end of February, The New York Times reported on a phone conversation where Cuomo used stark language in response to the progressive group's decision to back him in the then upcoming general election as a better alternative to Republican Marc Molinaro.
"If you ever say, 'Well he's better than a Republican' again, then I'm gonna say, 'You're better than a child rapist.' How about that?" Cuomo is heard saying on the call, obtained late Friday by NBC New York.
“Governor, I apologize, but I gotta clarify one thing,” the leader of the Working Families Party is heard responding to the governor on the call. “You’re free to say whatever you want, governor, but I just want to be clear. Our line is going to be that we have differences with you, but our differences with Republicans are far greater.”
The snippet of the 2018 call was first made public on Friday, almost a month after the Times reported the outburst and the governor's spokespeople denied the reporting. The Times first shared the audio in an episode of The Daily podcast that aired Friday morning.
Read more: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/cuomo-heard-making-child-rapist-threat-to-working-families-party-leader-in-2018-call/2954321/
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