The Daily Countable: FISA Reauthorized, Opioids and Medicaid, & Voting Snafus in Virginia
by Countable | 1.18.18
One more day until government shutdown, folks!
Republicans have formulated another stopgap spending bill, with a six year CHIP extension attached to it. It's still unclear if all the Republicans will support it, or if some Democrats may defy their caucus and vote for it, but if you want to know about the bill itself, read all about it right here.
One Big Thing
Today, just in time for the Friday expiration deadline, the Senate passed the FISA bill, reauthorizing warrentless surveillance for another six years without the greater privacy protections that some lawmakers, both Republican and Democrat, were calling for.
Do you support this move to reauthorize FISA? Do you want to see Congress introduce separate legislation to address privacy concerns? Does it make you want to go off grid and move to the middle of nowhere? Let your lawmakers know!
On the Radar
The opioid epidemic is on everyone's radar these days, and for good reason. And Medicaid is also a big issue for many of you. GOP members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee are now bringing the two together in a report, arguing that Medicaid expansion is fueling the opioid crisis.
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) managed to push back via a written statement even though she has the flu. So, if you agree with her that this report is poppycock, what's your excuse? Let your Members of Congress hear from you!
And if you agree with the report, you should also weigh in. The more participation the better! That's always the Countable position.
Under the Radar
This news didn't get much coverage outside of the DC area, but a Washington Post analysis found that thousands of Virginia voters likely voted in the wrong state legislature district in 2017, and have been since 2010. And research experts say the problem likely exists everywhere.
What?!?
Want to know what happened in Virginia and how you, no matter what state you live in, can see if you are also assigned to the wrong voting district? Read our article here, then contact your state Board of Elections to urge them to conduct a similar analysis. Every vote counts!
Your Gov at a Glance 👀
The White House: President Trump in DC
- The president will meet with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in the morning, before meeting with senior military leaders at the Pentagon.
- The president will then travel to Pennsylvania to visit H&K Equipment Company, where he will deliver remarks before returning to the White House.
The House of Representatives: In Session
- Voting on a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government through February 16, renew the Children's Health insurance Program (CHIP) for six years, and extend delays of several Obamacare taxes.
- Voting on a bill to exempt financial institutions that originate fewer than 500 mortgages or sell less than 500 credit lines annually from reporting requirements.
- Voting on one other bill.
The Senate: In Session
- Voting on a bill to reauthorize intelligence agencies' surveillance powers under FISA Section 702.
- If the CR passes the House, the Senate could move to start consideration of the bill.
Tomorrow’s Preview
- The House is expected to vote on a bill to enact criminal penalties for healthcare providers who don't provide care to an infant that survives an attempted abortion.
- If the CR passes the House and the Senate doesn't vote on it today, a vote would likely be held tomorrow.
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Talk to Andrea Seabrook, Managing Editor, via email, andrea [at] countable.us, or on twitter, @RadioBabe. And don’t forget to keep in touch @Countable.
Written by Countable
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I have zero confidence that this is administration can get anything done. It’s only been one year of ignorance and I don’t know if this Country can survive three more years of stupidity. Make America Smart Again!!!!
Been the same crap all year over and over they can not get any thing done . Wow so out of control cant believe this shit. Really tired of it . Way past time to resign ,impeach , jail, I don’t care get rid of them all.
The blame on opioids use is on the person who uses drugs. Drug use has always been around as has alcoholism. The person who uses drugs is to be held accountable not health insurance.
No. Build the Wall, stop chain migration and hold politicians accountable for crimes against Americans in sanctuary cities.
All, smoke and mirrors, they want the people to fight each other! That's the divide that autocratic governments use . I'm tired of being a sheep ❗️🇺🇸
Vote NO on the CR to temp funding. We voted for you to pass a budget not keep slowly funding the government!!!!!! Do you Constitutional duty and balance and pass a budget. You people wonder why we all have a low opinion of what you do? Because you won’t even sit down and work across the aisle to get the business of the people done! Stop the blocking party antics and do your damn job!!! 😡
I hope Trump vetoes FISA that was used to unlawfully spy on him based upon the fake dossier.
I see where federal government wants to increase gas tax for roads. How about increasing taxes on corporations and the wealthy, say about $1.5 trillion dollars! That would help the infrastructure and would not increase the cost to the Poor and the middle class. I like that better.
How as an American do you reauthorize an unconstitutional act, not a law! Laws that are unconstitutional aren't laws.
Please read the below definition and find some, or do this country a favor and resign! Integrity: in·teg·ri·ty: noun 1.the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness."he is known to be a man of integrity"synonyms: honesty, probity, rectitude, honor, good character, principle(s), ethics, morals, righteousness, morality, virtue, decency, fairness, scrupulousness, sincerity, truthfulness, trustworthiness "I never doubted his integrity" 2. the state of being whole and undivided. "upholding territorial integrity and national sovereignty"synonyms:unity, unification, coherence, cohesion, togetherness, solidarity "the integrity of the federation"
Democrats are to blame for all this crap coming to a head. You have brain dead Pelosi and Schumer spreading nothing but lies and act like two high school bullies. Both have totally forgotten the working people in our country. They’re so worried about immigrants when our veterans are still living in streets and are committing suicide at an alarming rate. These two Senators are the poster children for term limits. They should be booted out considering all the years they’ve lined their pockets with kickbacks and so called donations by the people who manipulate them as puppets. I would like to see both of them to be given a psychological evaluation because Pelosi is definitely suffering delusions from dementia. The only thing between her ears is doggie doo doo so I’ll be voting for Trump next election after seeing how these two crooks operate!!
Holding children’s healthcare hostage along with our DACA kids and adults is the wrong move. We are flipping the majority in 2018.
It is not JUST this administration! It seems that we go through this practically every year. They should begin NOW hashing out the problems for the 2019 FY and just maybe we would be able to have a funding for the next upcoming year. I mean this is not rocket silence people, it comes around each and every year. Get with the program or hang up your hat or take your hat out of the ring now and don’t go for re-election or run for an elected office if you’re not going to do what the American public is expecting you to do for the enormous salary you are or would be receiving!
If you've ever experienced the pain of losing a loved one to opioids, you would understand this: The Opioid Crisis is the fault of the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture them, doctors that overprescribe and the government for not regulating either of the two. Blaming the Opioid Crisis on the expansion of Medicaid is just another political ploy by republicans to distract from the heart of the ACTUAL issue in order to cut Medicaid. Addiction isn't prejudice, and is equally as prominent in affluent communities as it is in areas with lower income. Please, end this madness already!
Medicaid expansion is not fueling the opioid epidemic, there are statistics that prove this. We should be considering Portugals model of decriminalization and treatment. They have had wonderful results.
The Republicans and their Racist in Chief have proven over the last year that they are incapable of governing. Stupidity abounds! The only thing they have done is give their rich donors a tax cut - as promised when they were bought and paid for. And they make sure to dangle a "shiny object" in front of us everyday on the news to distract us.... so we don't see how the US is turning into a third world country.
All three powerful things to work hard at try the opioid us awful. Phisa
If you vote Democrat you need to ask yourself if you support their agendas! 1. Big Government 2. Higher taxes 3. Murder of unborn babies 4. Gun control or the banning of all guns 5. The immorality of supporting Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender movement. To include Gay marriage and Transgenders in the Military. 6. Political Correctness 7. Socialism 8. Anti-God and Anti-Israel 9. Global Warming or Climate Change 10. Open borders If you believe in all this you’re voting correctly when voting for Democrats! If you don’t believe in all this but still vote Democrat you’ve been Indoctrinated into going against your beliefs.
Warrant less surveillance of American citizens is UNCONSTITUTIONAL and UNETHICAL on the part of OUR representatives. Have they forgotten who it is that they work for? Are there any American citizens who don’t mind that OUR government could spy on any one of us for no damn reason? Why would anyone support this being attached to FISA;a foreign surveillance policy? And that being said what exactly are OUR representatives thinking? Does that sound like they have OUR best interests at heart? It doesn’t sound like it to me. This does NOT have to be attached to this bill. Which begs the question of why? I can’t come up with one logical reason as to why. Can anyone else?
Release the memo!