Good Morning and welcome back to Sunday Morning Coffee. Here are some of the political news you've seen or, perhaps, missed all laced with my commentary. It's what I get to do early each Sunday. Warning...just a half a cup today. Softball and my granddaughter starting at 8AM. Yikes! And the rest of the day is a workday.
Biden Poll Numbers
It's the big beltway news story. "President Biden's Poll Numbers Drop" For months the obstructionist Republicans have been on every insurrectionist media outlet crowing about how bad things are. These are the same people who kept silent when "45" was destroying everything from our standing in the world to the COVID-19 pandemic. No, what is happening is people are worried. We didn't see the ending of the pandemic in June...like everybody thought. Why? Because there are some who have been told not to trust the vaccine, not to wear masks, not to keep a safe distance. Meanwhile the shortage of workers has crippled the supply chain and prices are rising. I get it but none of that is the president. In fact...
Build Back Better
In fact the president is trying to help the American people through the massive infrastructure bill that is going nowhere because of the GOP, who loves tax cuts for the wealthy but stand in the way of tax increases for them, dawdles. And then there is Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and that goofy senator from Arizona Kyrsten Sinema a Democrat that had to fly home on Friday to get money from wealthy donors rather than talk about what she doesn't like in the bills the House has passed. Who the hell is going to primary that woman? Weary...
The New Book
It's out on Tuesday and the reporting has been hot. Stephanie Grisham, onetime press secretary for President Donald Trump and chief of staff for the first lady telling of her time in the White House. Excerpts are predictably juicy, but one unifying theme seems to be the administration’s brazen embrace of dishonesty. NBC News writes: "Grisham reports, for example, that at the 2019 G-20 Summit in Japan, right before the video cameras started rolling, she saw Trump lean toward Russian President Vladimir Putin and overheard him say: “I’m going to act a little tougher with you for a few minutes. But it’s for the cameras, and after they leave, we’ll talk.”
"Grisham is famously known as the press secretary who never held a press conference. Hence the tongue-in-cheek title of her book: “Now I Will Take Your Questions.” The salacious nature of her work of alleged nonfiction should in no way rehabilitate her professional legacy. But boy — she does have the goods."
Of course the former president and first lady have both issued statements that none of what is in the book is true. Right....
We've Got So Much Money...
What happens when you make the decision to not spend money on things like education, health care, child care, rental assistance? You might want to ask Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA) who, along with her minions in the Iowa House and Senate are taking great pride in the fact the state has in excess of a billion dollars in it's "rainy day fund". It's raining cats and dogs and the safety net for thousands of Iowan's is out of reach. They have been running out to the media on a daily basis proud of the fact they have choked off kids, teachers, families from help just to amass a chest of gold. Meanwhile Iowan's are hoping for crumbs from the table of their master...it's sick.
Iowa U.S. Senate Race
I have it on a good authority that things in Iowa are about to heat up...big time. Sworn to not chat about it but...whoa! Stay tuned. But it is interesting that in one poll Iowan's say Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) should stand aside while another poll indicates people will continue to vote for him. We are a very confused state.
Early Voting in Iowa
The GOP effort to strangle to vote in Iowa will be in full view shortly. Right now you can request a ballot. Right now. I understand they will be mailed out on the 13th of October and then you've got just days to send it back in. It's all part of voter suppression. Meanwhile, Postmaster Louis DeJoy has announced first class mail will now be delivered much like it was in 1970 taking five days rather than three. Isn't that nice? The only question is, "How in the hell is Louis DeJoy STILL the postmaster general?" If you happen to live in POLK County and would like to help us track ballots get your early voting ballot from the Polk County Democrats here.
Partly Personal
Told you this was just half a cup. I'm off to a softball game and then off for an interview with my friend Julie Gammick who led an amazing Iowa Writers Retreat a couple of weeks ago in Okoboji. She is going to share some reflections on her effort and announce the 2022 event. Be watching for it on Insight on Business the News Hour this week.
As you may know I'm running a write in campaign for the Windsor Heights City Council. My thanks to several of you for the help. My friend Dave Miglin is creating the website and we've had lots of folks ask for signs and postcards are coming out soon as well. If you live in, or know somebody in Windsor Heights all they have to do is write Michael Libbie or Mike Libbie on the ballot and boom. We're golden. Thanks in advance and thanks for reading!
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