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Good News Roundup for Friday, December 15, 2023: Democrats Deliver [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2023-12-15
Welcome 🌻 to Friday’s Roundup of Good News!
As the year ends, some people are exhausted. We have been fighting for years and it’s not over.
If you need to take time off, do so. Spend time with family. Sleep. Next week is the solstice, and then the days will be getting longer.
Remember, this is not just a marathon, it’s a marathon relay. We’re not alone.
Come on in and see what the good guys are doing.
Postscript: as most know, I am an ex pat in Europe. I went to a holiday lunch the other day and many people expressed hope that we would defeat tRump. I promised I was doing what I could, and that many others were too.
Also, I may not be around as much as usual today, thanks to family obligations.
Regular Scheduled Programming
No one here is naïve; we are aware of the many who are fighting to destroy our country. Some of us expected it: the cheating, the lying, the chaos, and yes, even the attempts to cling to power despite the clear will of the people. But we are here to read the efforts and the positive results of those (including us and our fellow gnus) who are working so hard to save our country from those very bad people. We are furious with them for what they are doing and we are letting them know. Remember:
💙 There are more of us than there are of them.
💛 They are terrified when we organize. THERE IS LOTS OF EVIDENCE THAT THEY ARE TERRIFIED!
💔 They want us to be demoralized. The best way to keep up your spirits is to fight. So, take the time to recharge your batteries, but find ways to contribute to the well-being of our country and our world.
🗽 Biden as President ! 🗽
Biden, Harris and their administration have been hard at work. Here are the last week’s posts at the White House briefing room.
👎 Out with the Bad, In with the Good 👍
👍 Dow goes over 37,000 on Wednesday! Even higher on Thursday!
x Dear Democrats across the US - we should be drowning the Internet and social media with the news that the Dow hit an all time high. Show time peeps. Get to work, please and thank you!
https://t.co/WVrZwumSqP — Simon Rosenberg (@SimonWDC) December 13, 2023
It’s because the reduced threat of inflation made the Fed hint that it will lower interest rates. Speaking of reduced inflation:
👎 Rents post biggest decline in 3 years Business Wire
EATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: RDFN) — The median U.S. asking rent declined 2.1% year over year in November to $1,967—the biggest annual drop since February 2020—according to a report from Redfin (redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage. This is a 0.6% decline in asking rents since October. The rental market has lost momentum over the last year and a half in large part because there are more apartments on the market—the result of a building boom in recent years. This jump in supply has left many landlords struggling to fill vacancies, motivating them to drop asking rents in some cases. “Renters are finally catching a break. Better deals are easier to come by because landlords are doling out concessions and rents have started falling in a meaningful way. Rising supply also means renters have more good options to choose from,” said Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather. “With homeownership so expensive, renting has started to lose its stigma. Still, we may see more renters jump into the homebuying market next year as home-sale prices and mortgage rates tick down.”
Assault weapons ban to remain in effect in Illinois:
x The effect of Thursday’s order from the Supreme Court on Illinois’s assault-weapons ban is that the law likely will remain in effect at least for the next year and a half.
I explain why at Law Dork:
https://t.co/386DoVd7MP — Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) December 14, 2023
💣 Republicans: Party of Crimes and Chaos 💣
Kevin McCarthy is out! Nicole LaFond Talking Points Memo. Blames Ds on his way out.
Ousted-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) exited Congress today, opting to retire early rather than finish his term after an utterly humiliating and unsuccessful eight months as speaker. In a “no regrets!!”-vibed farewell floor speech, McCarthy acknowledged that “a few” of his colleagues punished him for doing what he thought was right but also still blamed Democrats for his ouster, saying he “disagreed with the votes on this one too” when thanking his colleagues “on the other side of the aisle” for their service. In the immediate aftermath of McCarthy’s ousting, the California Republican alluded to the fact that “the crazy eight led by Matt Gaetz” were instigators, but also mostly blamed Democrats for voting for his removal and grinding legislative work to a halt. That aura of bitterness hung over his speech, while he claimed he would “do it all again.” “I knew the day we decided to make sure to choose to pay our troops while war was breaking out instead of shutting down was the right decision,” he said, referencing his decision to work with Democrats to pass a stopgap funding bill this fall. “I also knew a few would make a motion because they somehow disagreed with that decision. Do it anyways, I would do it all again.”
James Comer sick of being outsmarted by archnemesis (checks notes) Steve Doocy Evan Hurst Wonkette
This week on “Fox & Friends,” Steve Doocy once again humiliated House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, who was not present, by correctly explaining that despite how Republicans have been out of breath investigating Joe Biden for one million years now, they haven’t found shit. They have found Joe Biden buying a truck and letting Hunter Biden use it and fronting a few payments. They have found Biden loaning family members money and getting paid back. And that dipshit Comer has tried to “Hee Haw” dance around and convince people he’s discovered scandals, but he has nothing. And everybody knows it. It is desperately embarassing, and James Comer is desperately embarrassing. If James Comer was your son, you’d lock him in the outhouse permanently, and if people asked where your son was, you’d say, “He lives in the backyard, with the squirrels and the poop.” Doocy does this to Comer pretty regularly. For some reason, on this one issue, Doocy has integrity.
Also, Congressional Rs planning to give money to big pharma. White House Briefing Room
Congressional Republicans’ agenda for Big Pharma giveaways includes:
Repealing prescription drug inflation rebates. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) cuts costs for Medicare and seniors by requiring pharmaceutical companies to pay a rebate to Medicare if they increase prices faster than inflation. Dozens of Republicans have signed onto legislation that would revoke the rebate requirement.
By 2031, repealing this provision would: Cost seniors $5 billion per year. Increase federal deficits by $7 billion per year.
Give away over $10 billion per year to pharmaceutical companies. Taking away Medicare’s ability to negotiate prescription drug prices. The IRA finally gave Medicare the authority to directly negotiate with drug companies on the high prices they charge for prescription drugs. Republican Chairs and Ranking Members of the committees with jurisdiction over Medicare have publicly committed to repealing this authority, which would allow Big Pharma to go back to charging seniors exorbitant prices for life-saving drugs.
🚚 💙 Democrats Deliver 💙 🚚
In the meantime, President Biden is clawing back money from pharma White House Briefing Room
Today, President Biden will visit the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland to announce that dozens of pharmaceutical companies will be required to pay rebates to Medicare for outrageous price hikes on prescription drugs that over 750,000 seniors take per year. For the last quarter of 2023, 48 Medicare Part B drugs raised their prices faster than inflation, and some drug companies raised prices of certain medications faster than inflation for every quarter over the last year. President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act cracks down on this exorbitant price gouging, requiring these companies to pay rebates back to Medicare, saving seniors who take these drugs between $1 and $2,786 per dose on their medication. President Biden vowed to lower prescription drug costs for seniors and families – and he is delivering on that promise. His Inflation Reduction Act finally allows Medicare to directly negotiate lower prescription drug prices, capped the cost of insulin for Medicare beneficiaries at $35, made recommended adult vaccines free, requires drug companies to pay rebates if they raise prices faster than the rate of inflation, and locked in savings of $800 per year on health insurance for nearly 15 million Americans. While Republicans in Congress fight tooth and nail to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act and put money back in the pockets of Big Pharma, President Biden won’t back down from the fight to lower costs for hardworking Americans and make sure every family has access to affordable health care. Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing the following: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a new list of 48 Medicare Part B drugs that raised their prices faster than inflation, and may be subject to inflation rebates in the first quarter of 2024 as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act. ✂️
✂️ Over the last four quarters, 64 drugs in total had prices that increased faster than inflation and may be subject to inflation rebates because of the Inflation Reduction Act. Some drugs, such as Signifor, used to treat an endocrine disorder, raised prices faster than inflation every quarter since the Inflation Reduction Act’s inflation rebate provision went into effect. Some Medicare beneficiaries who take Signifor could save $311 per monthly dose starting January because of the law.
Some drugs, such as Signifor, used to treat an endocrine disorder, raised prices faster than inflation every quarter since the Inflation Reduction Act’s inflation rebate provision went into effect. Some Medicare beneficiaries who take Signifor could save $311 per monthly dose starting January because of the law. The Administration is focused on making sure medications developed with taxpayer funds are available to Americans at reasonable prices. On average, Americans pay 2 to 3 times more than consumers in other developed countries for prescription drugs. Last week, the Administration announced a proposal to put drug companies on notice if products developed using federal funds are not made available to the public on reasonable terms, including based on price. The proposal would promote the federal government’s ability to license a patent — such as those used to create life-saving drugs — to a competitor with the goal of increasing competition and bringing costs down for families. ✂️
On average, Americans pay 2 to 3 times more than consumers in other developed countries for prescription drugs. Last week, the Administration announced a proposal to put drug companies on notice if products developed using federal funds are not made available to the public on reasonable terms, including based on price. The proposal would promote the federal government’s ability to license a patent — such as those used to create life-saving drugs — to a competitor with the goal of increasing competition and bringing costs down for families. ✂️ HHS is releasing new data on the ten drugs selected for Medicare Drug Price Negotiation. For Medicare enrollees who take these drugs, their out-of-pocket spending on the 10 drugs selected for negotiation represents, on average, over half of their total Part D out-of-pocket spending. ✂️ Today’s announcements build off the actions the Administration has already taken to lower prescription drug costs for millions of seniors and families because of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. In 2023 alone: The Inflation Reduction Act saved nearly 15 million Americans an average of $800 in 2023 because of health insurance savings the law locked in. The Inflation Reduction Act capped the cost of insulin at $35 per covered insulin product for Medicare beneficiaries, savingan estimated 1.5 million seniors on Medicare $500 on average in 2023 on insulin costs. The Inflation Reduction Actmade recommended vaccines – like the shingles vaccine – free for the 50.5 million seniors with Medicare Part D, and made recommended, approved adult vaccines free for all adults in the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and nearly all full-benefit adults enrolled in traditional Medicaid. Seniors on Medicare who received a Part D vaccine saved an average of $70 on vaccines in 2023. The Inflation Reduction Act saved many seniors on Medicare as much as $618 per average dose on 47 prescription drugs in 2023 because of the law’s provision requiring drug companies to pay rebates on certain drugs if they raise prices for those drugs faster than the rate of inflation. Starting in 2024, some seniors who take 48 prescription drugs could see savings of as much as $2,786 per average dose because those 48 drugs raised their prices faster than inflation in the last quarter of 2023.
When Biden and Harris can’t do it one way, they work on another. Here they are discussing with state legislators model acts to reduce gun violence. White House Briefing Room
Today, Vice President Harris, the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs convened 100 state legislators to announce the Biden-Harris Administration’s Safer States Initiative to reduce gun violence and save lives.
This was the largest White House convening of state legislators to discuss gun violence prevention, and falls right before state legislative sessions kick off in 2024. During the convening, White House officials and state legislators discussed the Safer States Agenda, which highlights key actions states can take to end the epidemic of gun violence, including the establishment of state offices focused on gun violence prevention, strengthening support for survivors and victims, and establishing industry accountability and standards.
At today’s convening, the Justice Department announced the publication of two pieces of model legislation drawn from common-sense gun-safety statutes already on the books in a broad cross-section of states. These model bills will assist additional states in crafting appropriate requirements for safe gun storage and the prompt reporting of lost and stolen firearms—both of which are proven, evidence-informed solutions that will save lives.
💜 Unity? 💜
Great news!
x Congress approves bill barring any president from unilaterally withdrawing from NATO
https://t.co/tbmHL9uV76 — The Hill (@thehill) December 14, 2023
And:
x The European Union has decided to open membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova
https://t.co/7bl13u6DOh — CNN (@CNN) December 14, 2023
🎩 PW Two words that could change the world David Gelles New York Times
They are just two little words. They appear on just one page of an 11,000 word document. But the inclusion of the phrase “fossil fuels” in the final agreement from COP28marks a potentially trajectory-altering moment in the fight against climate change. The global pact calls for “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner.” For almost 30 years, negotiators representing nations from around the world had struggled and failed to reach an obvious consensus: that the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas should be wound down to avoid further catastrophic global warming. But overnight, representatives from more than 170 countries arrived at a surprising deal, in Dubai of all places. The text is not as clear as many leaders, activists and scientists had hoped. It includes caveats and wiggle room, and is nonbinding. Nevertheless, the inclusion of explicit language calling for a move away from coal, oil and gas is being hailed as a major breakthrough.
College networks distributing emergency contraceptive on campus Michelle Andrews Reasons to Be Cheerful
Limya Harvey and Cydney Mumford set up a folding table a few times a month on the University of Texas-San Antonio (UTSA) campus to give away kits containing emergency contraceptives, condoms and lube, or menstrual products like tampons and pads. They typically bring 50 of each type of kit, and after just an hour or two everything is gone. The 19-year-old sophomores — Harvey is enrolled at UTSA and Mumford at Northeast Lakeview College — founded the organization Black Book Sex Ed last spring. Their mission is to educate students and others in need about sexual health and connect them with free services and products packaged into kits they distribute on campus, in the community and through their website. “Both of us grew up rather lower-income,” Mumford said, “so there’s a soft spot as it relates to people who say, ‘Oh, I just don’t have it right now.’ That’s part of the reason we started doing this.” Harvey and Mumford aren’t alone. A growing number of students on college campuses nationwide are stepping in to provide other students with free or low-cost emergency contraceptives, birth control and menstrual products.
📥 Actions You Can Take 📤
Tax-exempt organization complaint referrals. 13909. You can fill this out for the NRA and lots of other organizations. How about if some of us white folk go into some of the MAGA churches and video record what they’re saying?
Voting rights. This may be the biggest issue threatening our democracy right now. Besides contacting your representatives at the state and federal level to do the right thing (depending on who they are), you can support and contact these organizations:
ACLU — American Civil Liberties Union
Democracy Docket — founded by Marc Elias, so important in fighting the challenges after the last election.
Fair Fight — founded by Stacey Abrams
🌱Grass roots. Biden and Harris can do the top-down stuff, but we have to support from the bottom. I don’t know how to deprogram 75 million people, but some things have been written about, such as deep canvassing, and lots of people are talking about this. If you know someone (who did not storm the Capitol), then see if you can be pleasant. Instead of trying to reason with them (logic is obviously not their strong point) distract them with something else. We need to remove the sources of lies and to take down the temperature. If we get more of the Rs to wear masks and to get vaccinated and to vote for Ds, the country will be a better place. We need to coax some of them out of the rabbit holes and diffuse the anger and the crazy.
🏃 Run for something. If you want to run for something, but have no idea what to do, these people will help you. They also like money and volunteers to help those people who are running, so even if you’re not in a position to stand for office, you can help. Note: they are especially planning to target the 57 Rs in local governments who participated in the insurrection.
👎 Defund the seditionists. Defund the seditionists. This is a list with companies that sometimes have donated to the seditionists. The list is long. You will recognize many of the corporations, and you probably have a relationship with some — either you are a customer, a shareholder, or maybe even an employee. Contact them and compliment or complain, but let them know you are watching. Forward it to others.
🔎 Want to check out what’s going on with campaign contributions? Check out this diary. 👀
🐍 Schadenfreude 😈
Beginning of the disastrous end for Rudy Giuliani Jose Pagliery The Daily Beast
Rudy Giuliani, the disgraced politician once known as “America’s Mayor” and now known as a punchline, is about to face the most disastrous court ruling of his life—and it will only get worse from there. Giuliani is poised to get hit with a multimillion dollar ruling against him in D.C. over his baseless accusations of election fraud against two poll workers. After that civil trial concludes, he’ll turn around and begin preparing for a criminal trial in Atlanta, where he’s facing many of the same racketeering charges he once wielded as a federal prosecutor against mobsters in New York. And throughout it all, Giuliani has a long list of creditors, from former associates to contractors, who are also hounding him for money. For Giuliani, 2023 will likely end in penniless defeat. But 2024 could be even worse—it could actually end with him in prison.
Note: Rudy did not testify at the defamation trial.
More insurrectionists sentenced to long prison terms.
x Judge sentences Jan 6 defendant Thomas Ballard of Texas to 54 months prison, per Justice Dept
====>
https://t.co/3HPWg6tlde — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) December 13, 2023
I do think tRump is less competent than he was. Another reason he skipped the GOP debates:
x Trump keeps saying he’s not in cognitive decline. Yesterday in Iowa, he said he was sharper than he was 20 years ago. Most ppl w/ dementia say this. It’s classic behavior. Trump has obviously been given very bad news about his year over a year deterioration, and is in deep denial — Tom Joseph (@TomJChicago) December 14, 2023
📣 Let’s Honor Truth ☀️️
This week, again, we’re honoring Hunter Biden. He’s defying a Congressional subpoena but he showed up at the Capitol and held a press conference to explain why. Farnoush Amiri Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hunter Biden on Wednesday defied a congressional subpoena to appear privately for a deposition before Republican investigators who have been digging into his business dealings. He insisted he would only testify in public. The Democratic president’s son slammed the GOP-issued subpoena for the closed-door testimony, arguing that information from those interviews can be selectively leaked and manipulated. “Republicans do not want an open process where Americans can see their tactics, expose their baseless inquiry, or hear what I have to say,” Biden said outside the Capitol in a rare public statement. “What are they afraid of? I am here.”
Sometimes you need to stop lies before they happen. Well done, Mr. Biden!
🌹 Let’s Celebrate Love ❤️
A great way to let go of your legos:
x This is Charlie Jeffers.
He started a charity that collects used LEGO bricks from kids who no longer need them and give to children who can't afford them.
So far, he's donated more than 3,000 sets and prevented more than 900 pounds of LEGO from entering landfills. pic.twitter.com/5tgSCoEmxO — Goodable (@Goodable) December 12, 2023
📎 Odds & Ends 📎
Brazil and Columbia destroy illegal gold mines in Amazon forest Cristen Hemingway Jaynes EcoWatch
Brazil and Colombia have blown up 19 illegal gold mining operations in the Amazon rainforest. Colombia’s armed forces said the mines were producing about $1.5 million worth of the rare metal every month and polluting the rainforest’s rivers with mercury, reported the BBC and Reuters. The unlawful activity was producing 50.71 pounds of gold a month, authorities said, as Reuters reported. The mining operation “became a source of financing for weapons and explosives and the acquisition of chemical inputs by the criminal structure known as the Familia del Norte,” Colombia’s armed forces stated in a press release, as reported by Reuters.
More Goodable — refugees planting trees in Uganda
x In Uganda, refugees are planting trees to combat climate change and malaria at the same time.
The trees help create a healthier environment while also acting as a repellant for mosquitoes.
Read more about the innovative initiative on the Goodable App! pic.twitter.com/cq0cCWvFn9 — Goodable (@Goodable) December 13, 2023
🐦 I do a lot of other writing. A recent offering: the Crow Nickels (chronicles), a trilogy about crows who want to save birdkind from extinction: Hunters of the Feather, Scavengers of Mind and Familiars of the Flock (They’re really good! They’re really cheap! Buy and review or rate positively! And Hunters is also available on Audible!) Other stories, based on Jane Austen novels — such as The Meryton Murders — and others based on history and Greek mythology, such as Jocasta: The Mother-Wife of Oedipus, can be found here. All titles are available through Kindle Unlimited, but I only get paid if you turn the pages.
💙 What You Can Do to Rescue Democracy 💙
It turns out that participation in democracy is not just an every-four-years event but requires active participation, like, whenever you can find time.
Current projects:
Look in the comments for Progressive Muse’s report on Postcards to Voters
And some other ideas:
You can relax and recharge.
You can join protests and freeway blog.
You can help register new voters.
You can smile.
You can say something nice to friend or a stranger.
You can get out the vote for special elections.
You can reach out to upset Republicans. We need to win some back.
You can share your ideas below.
🌻
💙 “Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we all are created equal and the harsh ugly reality that racism, nativism, fear, demonization have long torn us apart. The battle is perennial, and victory is never assured.” 💙
President Joseph R. Biden
🌹 🌹 🌹
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