Conservatives Have Kevin McCarthy On the Run as Impeachment, Spending Issues Heat Up
Author: Greg Valliere
July 26, 2023
CONSERVATIVES ARE FLEXING THEIR MUSCLES in the House; they have just enough votes to push Speaker Kevin McCarthy toward the right on two divisive issues — a potential impeachment of President Biden (sure to fail) and much more aggressive spending cuts (which could produce a budget crisis later this year).
THE ACTIVISTS HAVE TWO MAJOR ARGUMENTS against the Bidens: First, Hunter probably will avoid jail time in a plea bargain today that would lead to a jail sentence for most any other defendant. IRS whistleblowers have made a strong case that the Justice Department ignored their findings on Biden’s tax avoidance; there’s an outside chance that a Trump-appointed judge may reject the settlement today.
SECOND, THE WHITE HOUSE has changed its wording of the relations between Hunter and Joe. The president has contended, absurdly, that he and his son never talked about business, which may be refuted soon by witnesses who will testify that they did.
THE WHITE HOUSE FALLBACK now is that Hunter and Joe were not in business together, leaving unsaid the issue of whether they talked about business dealings. If they did, this would confirm a suspicion by many in Washington that neither Joe nor Hunter have been truthful. But is this impeachable?
MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS want to begin impeachment proceedings, which have a slim chance of succeeding. Even if the House impeaches, it’s very unlikely that two thirds of the Senate would vote to convict (see: Donald Trump).
AN IMPEACHMENT BATTLE would be only one of two headaches for McCarthy. He faces a revolt from the right wing on spending, with fiscal hawks demanding more cuts than were included in the debt ceiling deal earlier this summer. Two bills will be considered this week; if they fail to pass, it would signal a spending brawl this fall, with a government shutdown on the table on Oct. 1.
McCARTHY WANTS TO KEEP HIS JOB, so he will cave — on impeachment and spending; he has even agreed to a hearing today to explore UFOs amid charges in the House that the Pentagon has concealed the extent of mysterious sightings.
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TEAMSTERS TOUGH GUY SEAN O’BRIEN virtually guaranteed a strike against UPS for the past month, but he gladly took a deal yesterday that will encounter some opposition from the rank-and-file, which will have to ratify it in the next couple of weeks. We thought a brief strike was likely but we apparently were wrong.
THE “STICKY INFLATION” THREAT will continue on the wage front, however, as other labor unrest persists — auto workers, Hollywood artists, airline employees and others want generous deals that mirror the tentative UPS package.
THE PROPOSED UPS DEAL would raise the minimum pay for part-timers to $21 an hour — far above the current minimum starting pay of $16.20. The top rate for full-time drivers will rise to $49 an hour; they currently make $42 an hour on average after four years.
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