June 6, 2024

Study about Presidential news conferences

Here is a scientific analysis of Biden's solo news conferences over the first three years of his presidency, conducted by John Woolley and Gerhard Peters, of UC Santa Barbara's American Presidency Project I encourage you to look at the whole piece, but the table shown below highlights why I consider to be a particularly significant metric.

Also, here is the conclusions section:

"Conclusions

Ultimately the issues raised by complaints about Biden’s news conferences require that we define standards of performance that would apply to any president. Do reporters have access? Do they have sufficient opportunity to ask questions? Is the Administration sufficiently forthcoming with information about policy and strategy? And, not least, is the President using his time and resources in a way that best advances his goals and objectives?

In the first three years in office, all of the following are true concerning Biden's performance in solo news conferences starting with George H. W. Bush:

- Presidents Trump and George W. Bush had fewer solo news conferences than Biden.
- Biden answered more questions on average than either Clinton or Obama.
- Media questions and Biden’s answers were shorter than for other Presidents except Trump.
- Presidents Clinton and Obama exceeded Biden’s linguistic sophistication
- Presidents Trump and Clinton exceeded Biden’s number of exchanges with reporters.
- The Biden Administration had more press briefings than any other.

An additional factoid, not mentioned above, is that we believe that Biden's January 2022 solo news conference is the longest for any president.

Undoubtedly Biden has not measured up to media demands in various ways. In that respect, certainly, he is not unique among recent Presidents. But it is always important not to confuse the theatrics of the Presidency with the substance of policy and the realities of citizens’ lives. The ability to sway the public with graceful rhetoric is a great advantage for Presidents. In some circumstances, such rhetorical ability may be essential for effective leadership. Presidents with those abilities have been rare in American life."

https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/analyses/bidens-solo-news-conferences-perspective

April 30, 2024

Biden Administration Plans to Recommend Easing Marijuana Restrictions - NYT

Source: New York Times

The move would kick off a lengthy rule-making process and would amount to a major change in federal policy.

The Justice Department plans to forward a recommendation for easing restrictions on marijuana to the White House in what could amount to a major change in federal policy, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Even though the move, which if approved would kick off a lengthy rule-making process, does not end the criminalization of the drug, it would be a significant shift in how the government views the safety and use of marijuana for medical purposes.
It could also lead to the softening of other laws and regulations that account for the use or possession of cannabis, including sentencing guidelines, banking and access to public housing.

Last year, the Health and Human Services Department recommended to the D.E.A. that marijuana should be a Schedule III drug, which would put it alongside less addictive substances like Tylenol with codeine, ketamine and testosterone, meaning that it would be subject to fewer restrictions on production and research, and that it could be taken with a prescription.
The Associated Press earlier reported the decision.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/30/us/politics/justice-department-reclassify-marijuana.html

---

Schumer has spoken on a banking act to get the regulated cannabis market into the financial system on the normal tax code. Currently the IRS treats cannabusinesses like how drunk right wing politicians describe drugs. The IRS rule for cannabis is insane in that it excludes many normally deductible expenses.

Research is better, type 3 may include some medium risk drugs plus support research into psychedelic therapy.

We are going to be busy this year doing good things while clearly pointing out the Former Guy did not.

April 16, 2024

Who doesn't have to be at their trial this week?

Raise your hand if your schedule is clear of any court appearances and especially any criminal trials.

January 16, 2024

I encountered what I suspect was a dark money operative

I was out shopping on 6th Ave in Chelsea and some guy was asking if people were NYC Democrats with a signature board. I asked him what issue was his candidate for. He said it was to get a set of 'delegates' to the convention. I asked 'delegates for whom?". And he said 'Marianne Williamson'. I was pissed off, that smells like some kind of dark money highjinx to me.