General Election 2024

Quote: SOOPOO

Let me get this straight. Are you saying the recently conducted House elections were ‘all about abortion rights’? The election in which this Democrat majority country just voted for Republicans by MILLIONS of votes more than Democrats? That (not done counting, but) 220 voted Republican and only 215 voted Democrat? Please explain to me if it is ‘all about abortion’ how there are FEWER Democrats elected to the house and MORE Republicans elected to the house after the Roe reversal? You can say whatever you want, as you always do, but that doesn’t make it true!

You are missing that before Roe a red wave was predicted. The fact that they will likley end up +1 in the house and a minority in the Senate is a huge win for dems. They were predicted to sweep both..... So a small loss in one house is actually a massive win compared to the original forecasts.

Quote: Gandler

Y So a small loss in one house is actually a massive win compared to the original forecasts.

A moral victory but still a loss.

Quote: DRich

A moral victory but still a loss.

Holding the Senate is a win (I would argue the Senate is more important). And, there are some sane House Republicans (enough that 1 or 2 can sometimes be moved on a reasonable proposal). So a small house minority is about as good as it gets.

The Republican led Congress is going to cut funding for Biden's 87,000 new armed IRS agents. Good.

I'm concerned they will cut aid to Ukraine.

If it wan't for the US, they wouldn't be in this mess in the first place.

'Ukraine aid under threat in Republican-controlled House'

Quote: Gandler

Holding the Senate is a win (I would argue the Senate is more important). And, there are some sane House Republicans (enough that 1 or 2 can sometimes be moved on a reasonable proposal). So a small house minority is about as good as it gets.

The Senate is absolutely more important.

jcw has to spend the next two years in constant fear that Justice Thomas has another mystery “infection.” (Tick tock, LMAO)

Quote: Tanko

The Republican led Congress is going to cut funding for Biden's 87,000 new armed IRS agents. Good.

I'm concerned they will cut aid to Ukraine.

If it wan't for the US, they wouldn't be in this mess in the first place.

'Ukraine aid under threat in Republican-controlled House'

"87,000 Armed IRS agents" is not correct. (For one thing IRS agents are not armed, ask the Wizard if you don't believe me, or just look at the IRS policy). IRS has a very small amount of specialty agents that are armed for high risk law enforcement related activities. But, these are not the people who come around and check your books.....

Or just use basic logic, The IRS barely even has 87k employees total (its about 90k, and its far from fully staffed, in fact they cannot fill the open roles they have now....) , do you really think they are going to double their employee count and 100% of those employees are going to be armed federal law enforcement? This makes zero sense (especially because the IRS employees who make the most profit sit behind a computer). There is literally zero reason to hire 87k federal LE....

Or see the AP:
https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-IRS-special-agent-gun-028823423140

I do not understand where this absurdity comes from.... It must be some right wing meme somewhere.....


But, you do realize that the House cannot do this alone right? It requires the Senate... (Even if it were true).

Quote: Gandler

I do not understand where this absurdity comes from....

That number come from this Treasury Dept. report which mentions “spending nearly $80 billion on IRS priorities over the course of the decade including hiring new specialized enforcement staff’. “Importantly, the additional resources will go toward enforcement against those with the highest incomes...”

In the report, Yellin estimates an increase in total resources from the current 5,197 to 86,852 by 2031.

Currently there are 2,200 armed IRS Special Agents, who are authorized to carry arms. Proportionately, that could be at least 36,807 Special Agents by 2031.

At the same time the Treasury Dept. issued that report, the IRS posted this want ad:

'We're Hiring Special Agents Now'

Key Requirements

'Be legally allowed to carry a firearm.'

Major Duties

'Carry a firearm; must be prepared to protect him/herself or others from physical attacks at any time and without warning and use firearms in life-threatening situations; must be willing to use force up to and including the use of deadly force'

Quote: Tanko

That number come from this Treasury Dept. report which mentions “spending nearly $80 billion on IRS priorities over the course of the decade including hiring new specialized enforcement staff’. “Importantly, the additional resources will go toward enforcement against those with the highest incomes...”

In the report, Yellin estimates an increase in total resources from the current 5,197 to 86,852 by 2031.

Currently there are 2,200 armed IRS Special Agents, who are authorized to carry arms. Proportionately, that could be at least 36,807 Special Agents by 2031.

At the same time the Treasury Dept. issued that report, the IRS posted this want ad:

'We're Hiring Special Agents Now'

Key Requirements

'Be legally allowed to carry a firearm.'

Major Duties

'Carry a firearm; must be prepared to protect him/herself or others from physical attacks at any time and without warning and use firearms in life-threatening situations; must be willing to use force up to and including the use of deadly force'

Yes increasing the 2k to 5k special agents by 2031, is not "Democrats Hiring 87k Armed IRS Agents this year". And, I would be skeptical of that number, because they cannot even maintain the 2k..... These are not the people who do audits, these are people who respond to very specific high risk incidents. The same reason NASA has armed LE, there are not "armed NASA agents flying onto the moon in a sign of American space imperialism"..... its to respond to and investigate very specific concerns.

They are not increasing agents to 32k, this would increasing the amount of special agents to 35% of the workforce (and again they can barely manage 2k). By comparison this would almost be as large as the Coast Guard (a military branch, and also an LE branch), this just makes no sense even thinking about it surface level.

IRS special agents are a very niche career field within the IRS, I would guess that the IRS employs more maintenance workers and groundkeepers than armed special agents.

And, even if they increased the number to 10 millions, it would be irrelevant, these are not the people who do audits or decide who needs to be audited.

Unless you are a financial fugitive on the run, or laundering money for a cartel there is literally no reason an average American should care about or think about IRS special agents.

The vast majority of "IRS Agents" are just civilian employees who just look at numbers and logs. They do not have arrest power, they do not carry guns, they do not execute warrants (well maybe admin warrants in very specific circumstances). Most "IRS agents" are uber nerds who if you met in person would not intimate you in the slightest.

The idea that they are militarizing is absurd (they literally do not need to, they care about collecting money, and as a Federal agency they can literally just take money from your bank account if needed, or impose forced garnishments, there is no need to march around with guns.....)

CNN at least is now projecting that the Republicans have reached the magic 218 number and have control of the House of Representatives

some margin for error could still be there but they have the Dems at only 210 ... so I think it's over

Quote: ams288

The Senate is absolutely more important.

jcw has to spend the next two years in constant fear that Justice Thomas has another mystery “infection.” (Tick tock, LMAO)

Good point. The Senate will allow any Biden nominee to the SC to fly by. The House can choose to impeach Biden, which would rank amongst the stupider things the House would have done in my lifetime. But it looks like Repubs will win 221-214. That’s a big enough cushion that no ‘Manchinning’ will happen.

Looks like there WILL be a lame duck gay/interracial rights bill that passes. A dozen Repub Senators are allowing a vote, overriding the filibuster. It will be another ‘bipartisan’ success for the Biden administration.