Greta Thunberg says it's 'strange' Biden is considered a leader on climate change

Source: The Hill

Climate activist Greta Thunberg said it was "strange" that President Biden is considered a leader in climate change and questioned his role in tackling the climate crisis.

In an interview with The Washington Post published Monday, Thunberg was asked if she was inspired by Biden or any world leaders fighting global warming and climate change.

"If you call him a leader," Thunberg replied. "I mean, it’s strange that people think of Joe Biden as a leader for the climate when you see what his administration is doing."

Thunberg, 18, has been the face of the youth climate strike, which has turned into a global movement since the teen began protesting in Sweden in 2018. In various appearances around the world, Thunberg has called for world leaders to do more to fight climate change, arguing her generation will see the most damaging effects of global warming if nothing is done.

Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/587463-greta-thunberg-says-its-strange-biden-is-considered-a-leader-on

Did people really put the tree up on Christmas Eve years ago?

I remember my mom telling me this as a kid when I complained that December 10th was too late to put it up.

Question about the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban (10 year ban)

I remembered it being close, but looked it up and see that it passed 52-48. So now I have questions...

1) What was the Party breakdown? I'd be willing to bet it wasn't entirely on a Party line.

2) Why didn't anyone filibuster? I find that rather odd. Not even Jesse Helms?

3) Why was the ban for only 10 years? Did anyone want to make it permanent? I can't think of many bans with expiration dates on them.

'I'm Going to Ignore Them': Adams on Council Members' Letter About Solitary Confinement

Source: NBC NY

Eric Adams says he’s the next mayor of New York City whether the also newly-elected council members “like it or not.”

One the same day the mayor-elect scrapped his inauguration ceremony due to rising COVID-19 cases, Adams had a few choice words bout his colleagues to-be who signed a letter Tuesday criticizing his plans to put violent inmates on Rikers Island into solitary confinement.

Twenty-nine incoming New York City councilmembers said in the letter that solitary confinement is considered a form of torture by the United Nations, human rights organizations and medical experts, adding that evidence shows the method actually causes more violence.

In response to the letter, which was sent to both Adams and reporters, Adams said the councilmembers' desire is to be "disruptive."

Read more: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/politics/im-going-to-ignore-them-adams-on-council-members-letter-about-solitary-confinement/3463395/

"Well, guess what? I'm from West Virginia," he said. "I'm not from where they're from"

Short article here on an interview with Manchin yesterday after the negative reaction. Here's two paragraphs on what Manchin said:

Did any reporters try and ask Biden about Manchin today?

I haven't heard anything.

Supreme Court receives appeals asking Kavanaugh to block large employer vaccine mandate

Source: CNN

(CNN)The Supreme Court Monday said it has received several appeals asking Justice Brett Kavanaugh to consider the Biden administration's requirement that large employers mandate their employees obtain a Covid-19 vaccine or submit to weekly testing.

The appeals come as the pandemic rages globally and the omicron variant takes hold over the holiday season.

Business groups, religious nonprofits and Republican-led states want to freeze a federal appeals court decision from Friday that revived the mandate while the appeals process plays out. As an alternative argument, some of the parties say they want the court to step in now and hear arguments in the case, bypassing the normal appeals process.

The legal papers are directed to Kavanaugh because he has jurisdiction over the appeals court that made the ruling. He is likely to refer the matter to the full court. The court asked for responses by December 30 to the mandate challengers' request.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/20/politics/supreme-court-kavanaugh-osha-vaccine-mandate-omicron/index.html

Joe Manchin demands that only parents working and making less than $200,000 get the full child tax c

Source: Business Insider

Joe Manchin demands that only parents working and making less than $200,000 get the full child tax credit — otherwise he'll tank it

The child tax credit will have to look dramatically different for Sen. Joe Manchin to support an extension.

The West Virginia senator drove a stake through Democrats' spending hopes on Sunday, announcing on Fox News he won't vote for the Build Back Better plan as it currently stands. Part of the proposal included an extension of the child tax credit, which has doled out monthly payments as large as $300 to roughly 36 million households since it began in July.

The last checks for the program went out on December 15, and it was up for renewal in President Biden's BBB plan. Manchin publicly criticized BBB's price tag for months, arguing it posed too great a risk with inflation already running at historic highs. Yet a Monday interview with West Virginia's MetroNews revealed more reasons for Manchin's opposition and, specifically, why he wouldn't back a re-up of the child tax credit.

The centrist senator began by repeating his call for a work requirement, arguing such a test is necessary for the payments to be "accountable." Other Senate Democrats had rebuked the work requirement in recent months, with many arguing that raising a child is work in itself. The Monday interview signals that, unless such a stipulation is added, Manchin will allow the credit to expire in late December.

Read more: https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-manchin-child-tax-credit-bbb-work-requirements-salary-limits-2021-12

Senator Dick Durbin's powerful Tweet today

What do you think Biden said when he found out about Manchin's opposition today?

Reporters won't get to question him about it until Monday, so what do you think he said when he found out this morning?