Chet Collins

Beautiful sky to start the day.

Senate Rejects Nord Stream 2 Sanctions Bill - WSJ

The administration has endorsed an alternative bill offered by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D., N.J.). That legislation would direct the administration to review its waiver of sanctions against Nord Stream 2, and impose mandatory sanctions against Russian leaders, banks and businesses, but only if Moscow escalates hostilities against Ukraine.

Missing in this explainer: the Cruz version would automatically impose sanctions. The Menendez version would allow the Administration to have discretion to (again) waive sanctions.

It doesn’t appear that the current waiver has done much to increase European solidarity or deter Russia. On the contrary, it has made Western energy markets even more vulnerable to Putin’s whims.

The IRS Pleads Poverty - WSJ Opinion

The IRS poverty plea is part of an effort to blame Republicans for not agreeing to the Biden request to expand the IRS budget by $80 billion over 10 years. But most of that money won’t go to faster or better IRS service. The money is for more auditors and audits, even as tax revenue is soaring. The tax agency shouldn’t be rewarded for inefficiency with more money.

It’s just like the “American Rescue Plan,” a massive spending bill to fight COVID, keep schools open, and increase testing capacity. 10 months later, testing supplies are scarce and schools are closed.

The government is an inefficient distributor of capital, and these are but two more reminders.

Biden Follows the Trump Playbook - WSJ Opinion

Mr. Trump went to Georgia just over a year ago to rally voters for the Senate runoff elections. In a rant of a speech, he made false claims about the electoral system, accused Democrats of undemocratic aims, and attacked the legitimacy of the 2020 election. Mr. Biden this week went to Atlanta to rally support for two federal voting bills. In a rant of a speech, he made false claims about the electoral system, accused Republicans of undemocratic aims, and pre-emptively attacked the legitimacy of the 2022 election. Now who’s the wrecking ball?

How great is wireless printing?

🖨

Biden Expresses Doubt About Passage of Elections Bill - WSJ

“The honest to God answer is I don’t know if we can get this done,” Mr. Biden told reporters Thursday after a closed-door lunch with the Senate Democratic caucus.

Tough to see the day when the sitting President gives up so easily and join sides with Jefferson Davis. Our democracy is now hanging by half of a thread!!!

Weather station soaking up the rays. Really enjoying the day taking it easy and recharging its batteries.

Supreme Court Blocks Biden Vaccine Rules for Private Employers, Allows Them for Healthcare Workers - WSJ

The high court, however, did give the administration more latitude in the healthcare industry, allowing it to impose a vaccine mandate for more than 10 million healthcare workers whose facilities participate in Medicare and Medicaid, a holding that leaves one part of the president’s Covid-19 playbook in place.

Vaccination requirements for employees in healthcare are the industry norm. They aren’t standard in non-healthcare employment.

I think the big disappointment is that it took SCOTUS to affirm such a basic principle.

Sinema Rules Out Weakening Filibuster, Dealing Blow to Biden’s Election-Law Push - WSJ

“While I continue to support these bills, I will not support separate actions that worsen the underlying disease of division infecting our country,” Ms. Sinema said on the Senate floor.

More like Senator Davis, amirite?

Recent polling shows softness in support for the president among some younger voters and other traditional pillars of the Democratic Party, groups that could be energized by a renewed push on voting rights.

To be clear, Biden knows these bills will never pass and the filibuster won’t get changed, but he’s on a war path to bolster his deeply underwater poll numbers.

Redesign the Senate and federalize elections all for the political benefit of a single politician? Talk about self-serving.

But, then again, what has this Administration and Congress been but over-promising and never delivering?

Tensions Rise Between Fauci, GOP Over Covid-19 Pandemic Response - WSJ

In an unusual move, Health and Human Services spokesman Ian Sams on Tuesday issued a statement defending Dr. Fauci and accusing Republicans of spreading misinformation. “At a time when America is seeing rising Covid cases, it’s disappointing and frankly unacceptable that Republican senators chose to spend a hearing with the country’s leading public health experts spreading conspiracy theories and lies about Dr. Fauci, rather than how we protect people from Covid-19,” Mr. Sams said.

I’m old enough to remember when Dr. Fauci worked in the Trump Administration and the media accused him of lying about the pandemic from the podium.