Stories & Opinions Worth Knowing but Maybe Not Quite Threadworthy 6/1

[Eupher]

Former VP Mike Pence Will Announce Presidential Bid in Iowa Next Week

Former Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to announce his 2024 presidential campaign in Des Moines, Iowa on June 7, which will also be his 64th birthday. The Pence campaign plans to show a video followed by an announcement speech. The campaign kickoff event will come before a previously announced Town Hall.

Read More:

CNN to Host Former Vice President Mike Pence in Iowa Town Hall as Presidential Ambitions Mount

Former VP Mike Pence Testifies to Federal Grand Jury on Former Pres. Trump’s Role in January 6

Before becoming Vice President, Pence was an Indiana Governor and a congressman. A midwesterner himself, Pence sees himself in familiar cultural terrain in the early primary state. A campaign insider said:

We view this race as absolutely wide open, and Iowa is really going to solidify itself as the pivotal player. It’s a place that values Mike Pence’s principles — traditional conservative principles — deep-rooted faith and uncommon character.

Earlier this month, Committed to America, a Pence-supporting Super PAC, said that it plans to organize in all 99 Iowa counties. Long-time GOP consultant and PAC co-chair Scott Reed said:

We’re going to organize Iowa, all 99 counties, like we’re running him for county sheriff.

Reed said that the PAC intends to introduce Pence to voters and let them see him outside of his prior role as VP. They styled him as a “Reagan conservative”:

People know Mike Pence, they just don’t know him well. This campaign is going to reintroduce Mike Pence to the country as his own man, not as vice president, but as a true economic, social and national security conservative — a Reagan conservative.

In recent months Pence has been on a book tour, promoting his memoir, and giving speeches while testing the waters for his presidential bid. During those events he promoted his unrelenting support for the war in Ukraine while proposing cuts to Medicare and Social Security, positions that differentiate him from his former boss and the GOP frontrunner, Donald Trump. On social issues, Pence focuses on pro-life policy and opposing “radical gender ideology.”

Pence has been spending more time in Iowa, including stops in Des Moines and Ottumwa last week. Pence will return to the state this upcoming weekend for Governor Joni Ernst’s Roast and Ride event.

This month, a poll done by Quinnipiac University found 36 percent of Republicans nationwide have an unfavorable view of Pence, a higher unfavorability rating than Trump or Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Many Republicans regard Pence with contempt, based on the opinion that Pence turned his back on the former President during the election certification process. While Pence’s PAC people suggest that voters will hail Pence’s actions as “upholding the Constitution,” their theory will be put to the test. Veteran Republican strategist Dave Koche said:

Boy, if he’d never been through January 6, and had the ramifications of all that, he’d be particularly well-built for the Iowa caucuses now. Maybe he can overcome that stuff, but that’s why we run the campaign. We’ll find out.

The top contenders in the GOP primary, Trump and DeSantis, are each polling in double digits while Pence remains in single digits among the crowded field of candidates. Others who have thrown their hats into the ring include former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

The former VP is polling slightly ahead of Haley, making Pence the third-place candidate for now.

Mr. Milquetoast is throwing his hat in the ring. Aw, ain't that sweet? And he'll be the Birthday Boy on the Official Day of Hat-Throwing.

[Eupher]

Republicans React to House Passing Debt Deal in Late-Night Vote

As usual, tons of Twatter:

Speaker Kevin McCarthy was able to cobble together enough Republican votes to push through a bill suspending the $34.1 trillion—TRILLION—debt ceiling. The Fiscal Responsibility Act passed Wednesday night with a 314-117 vote. The bill essentially removes the federal government’s borrowing limit until January 1, 2025—after the next presidential election.

One hundred forty-nine Republicans joined Democrats in voting to raise the debt ceiling, enough for McCarthy to drag the bill across the finish line. The speaker said it would “restore fiscal sanity and hold Washington accountable” by doing the following:

McCarthy claims the vote is a big win, noting that Joe Biden and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) had demanded a clean debt limit, but Republicans refused to allow it.

McCarthy called it “the biggest spending cut in American history”:

The Congressional Budget Office on Tuesday said the legislation would result in $1.5 trillion in savings over a decade.

President Biden also celebrated passage of the bill in the Republican-controlled House. “This agreement is good news for the American people and the American economy,” he said after the vote. “I urge the Senate to pass it as quickly as possible so that I can sign it into law.”

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) was one of the most vocal members objecting to the bill:

Roy voted no on the bill, along with 71 other Republicans:

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who voted no, said, “The vast majority of Americans wanted to see spending cuts in exchange for increasing the debt ceiling. And that’s not what happened tonight. And so I’m disappointed in the outcome of the vote. I think we could have done better.”

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) blasted the bill ahead of his no vote, tweeting, “Let’s be clear at the end of the day this bill only cuts $12B but allows $4T in new debt. It also sets in place spending caps at post-COVID levels. This doesn’t reflect the priorities or best interests of the American people.”

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) said the bill gave too much money to the IRS:

The House Freedom Caucus called it a “win for Joe Biden.”

Meanwhile, in the upper chamber, Sen. Bernie Sanders (S-Vt.) warned that he will not vote for the bill as it stands:

Rep. Justin Amash, a Libertarian member of Congress, explained that it’s wrong to compare raising the debt ceiling to paying your credit card bill.

“As it’s commonly (and incorrectly) presented, raising the debt ceiling is like paying your credit card bill,” he said. “You bought something on credit, enjoyed it, and the bill is due. The only question is whether you will now pay. But that’s not at all what happens. In reality, raising the debt ceiling is like increasing your credit limit so you can borrow more. You’re out of money but want to keep buying things—and you owe interest on existing borrowing. The additional debt mostly finances new purchases. You never pay your credit card bill, because you never pay down the debt.”

The bill now heads to the Senate, where Schumer has said he will not allow any Republican amendments. The federal government will run out of money to pay its bills on Monday unless the bill passes in the Senate and is signed by Biden.

You know it's a pile of shit when more Dems vote for McCarthy's bill than Repubs. Seventy-two Republicans see this as the SharterJoe win it truly is.

[Eupher]

Who Would Dare Serve in a New Trump Administration?

Without a doubt, Donald Trump’s presidency was good for America. He secured the border, got our economy roaring, and even managed to broker a few “impossible” peace deals. His personal behavior, however, has increasingly become indefensible.

Make no mistake about it: if Trump is back in the White House in 2025, I’ll be thrilled. That said, I have lingering concerns about Trump’s ability to assemble a fully-functioning administration. Heck, even after he was elected he had problems filling positions, and worse yet, despite his campaign promises to surround himself with the “best and most serious people,” Trump’s choices didn’t always meet that criteria. One notable example was Omarosa Manigault Newman.

There were plenty of people Trump chose who were great choices, but Trump was quick to throw anyone under the bus for not doing exactly what he wanted 100% of the time. As such, the Trump administration was marked by a constantly revolving door of personnel. Instead of fostering strong alliances, he consistently alienated and antagonized those he selected for his team, burning bridges left and right. He doesn’t want the best and brightest; he wants the most unflinchingly loyal. Loyalty is certainly important, as Trump clearly had some people in his administration who deliberately undermined him. But even some of his most loyal and effective allies, like Mike Pence, Bill Barr, Jeff Sessions, James Mattis, and others, were eventually thrown under the bus for not being adequately committed in Trump’s eyes.

Trump’s recent attack on his former White House Press Secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, is the latest example of this. On Tuesday evening, he decided to attack McEnany, now a co-host of Fox News’ Outnumbered, after she reported on new polling data from Iowa indicating that Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis is “closing the gap” with Trump after DeSantis officially announced his candidacy last week.

“Kayleigh ‘Milktoast’ [sic] McEnany just gave out the wrong poll numbers on Fox News. I am 34 points up on DeSanctimonious, not 25 up. While 25 is great, it’s not 34. She knew the number was corrected upwards by the group that did the poll,” Trump wrote. “The RINOS & Globalists can have her. FoxNews should only use REAL Stars!!!”

While Trump’s criticisms of primary opponent Ron DeSantis may be off base, one could argue that it’s all part of presidential primary politics. Heck, even before Joe Biden officially entered the 2020 Democratic primary, Kamala Harris said she believed the women who had accused him of sexual misconduct. Additionally, during a primary debate, she strongly insinuated that Biden was racist because of his past collaboration with Democratic segregationists, specifically regarding the matter of school busing. Politics can be brutal at times. But attacking Kayleigh McEnany — the woman who so aggressively and effectively defended him behind the White House podium? Over what? Reporting on a poll he didn’t like? For not agreeing with everything he’s done since leaving the White House?

“Imagine being so immature as to attack your former press secretary, who was nothing if not loyal, for allegedly misquoting a poll number,” Fox News Chief Political Analyst Brit Hume tweeted Wednesday morning.

Unfortunately, I’m not confident Trump will change his ways. He is who he is. The question is, by the time the 2024 election comes around, will there be anyone left willing to serve in his new administration?

I don't have an account on Truth Social, so I don't see what DJT posts there except through the news. What I have seen is nothing short of ridiculous. At this point, I can't see the wisdom of voting for Trump. He's a 76-year-old child.

But more to the point, Margolis is on point and raises an interesting question. Given that DJT had a difficult time with finding people who wound up being shown the door anyway, who would willingly work for this guy? Beltway insiders routinely lie and obfuscate their real intentions and loyalties, since they are generally beholden to the Beltway rather than any politician in office. So who would Trump hire for those institutions that steadfastly work to undermine him - DOJ, FBI, CIA, NSA, and others?

[DefiantSix]

Former VP Mike Pence Will Announce Presidential Bid in Iowa Next Week

[snip]

The former VP is polling slightly ahead of Haley, making Pence the third-place candidate for now.

Mr. Milquetoast is throwing his hat in the ring. Aw, ain't that sweet? And he'll be the Birthday Boy on the Official Day of Hat-Throwing.

Another candy-date that needs to have a "Please clap" moment; the sooner the better. I am sick unto death of RINO, deep-state quislings and their "lull everybody back to sleep while we continue to advance the "progressive" Marxist agenda" MO.

[SVPete]

If, as usual, CA's Presidential Primary is in June (the Presidential part of the ballot is not jungled up), California's vote will be meaningless, but it will probably be largely split between Trump and DeSantis. Pence is climbing onto a broken hobby-horse, IMO. I think he will drop out by the end of April.

On the Dem side, Williamson and Trust-Fund-Enviro-Lawyer are already crying foul, that the Dem Party is loading the primary dice for LIEden. Tal vez, quien sabe? Williamson should at least be happy to have two opponents who make her look sort of sane, .

[SVPete]

Georgia Campus Carry Rules Upheld Against State Constitutional Separation of Powers Challenge

https://reason.com/volokh/2023/05/31/georgia-campus-carry-rules-upheld-against-state-constitutional-separation-of-powers-challenge/

From today's unanimous Georgia Supreme Court decision in Knox v. State, written by Justice Ellington:

Five University System of Georgia ("USG") professors filed suit to block a 2017 statutory amendment that removed public colleges and other public postsecondary educational institutions from the statutory definition of "school safety zone." Before the 2017 amendment, carrying or possessing a weapon on any real property or in any building owned by or leased to any postsecondary educational institution was a misdemeanor, and the 2017 amendment decriminalized that conduct. The professors alleged that, as a result of the 2017 amendment, the Code requires the Board of Regents, the USG, and USG institutions to permit persons to carry or possess weapons on the campuses of public postsecondary educational institutions, contrary to longstanding USG policies.

The professors sought a declaration that the statutory amendment is unconstitutional as applied because it usurps the Board's constitutional authority to govern, control, and manage the USG and its member institutions…. ... The professors alleged that they are injured by what they deem a "separation-of-powers violation."

No, said the court, because the Georgia Board of Regents had itself changed its policies in response to the 2017 amendment:

[DefiantSix]

...On the Dem side, Williamson and Trust-Fund-Enviro-Lawyer are already crying foul, that the Dem Party is loading the primary dice for LIEden. Tal vez, quien sabe? Williamson should at least be happy to have two opponents who make her look sort of sane, .

Cue another stunning "defeat" of the Bernie-bots in ...6 ...5 ...4