On the Filibuster
Take a few minutes to watch the video below of Senate Minority Leader McConnell bluntly telling the truth about what will happen in the Senate should the Democrats in that body seek to eliminate the legislative filibuster:
This is an important statement for a number of reasons, but no reason is more important than the proven fact that Mitch McConnell does not idly boast. He does what he says he is going to do. Most of the time, this makes me happy. Remember—I am a conservative. Mitch McConnell is a conservative. He’s a special kind of conservative, in that while my conservatism seeks to conserve the blessings of our founding (rule of law, individual liberty, federalism, etc), nothing is as important to Mitch McConnell to conserve than the peculiar prerogatives of the Senate. He is an institutionalist.
What he does in this remarkable speech is lay out exactly how he and the Republicans in that body will go about their business if the Democrats are silly enough to do away with the filibuster. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING important to Democrats will happen for the remainder of the Biden Presidency. To his credit, Joe Biden is against this move. It remains to be seen whether the angry base of the Democratic Party is powerful enough to become as ridiculous as the angry base of the Republican Party.
Biden Planning a Tax Increase?
There was news this week—now that the $1.9B spending bill (I can’t keep calling it COVID relief, since is was only partially that) has been passed—that the next big lift for the Biden team is a tax increase. The plan is said to look at raising corporate taxes, tax rates on wealthy filers, and pass-through taxes levied on LLC’s and the like—and more than likely another bite at the “inheritance tax” (or “death tax” as good conservatives like to call it) apple.
Current estimates are that these increases would generate an additional $2.1T over ten years. That’s right. Slightly more than will be spent in the recent spending bill. This for an economy that is already running up annual deficits contributing to mounting debt. The problem for those who wish to spend more and tax more, is that if you don’t put tax increases for the middle class on the table, there isn’t enough money out there to do the things you want to do. The generous welfare states of Europe that modern American leftists salivate over take a big bite out of middle class incomes. It seems unlikely that there will be any appetite for doing so here.
Spring Ahead
Over the weekend, most of the United States participated in the twice annual opportunity to publicly complain about either setting clocks back or setting them ahead. This weekend, we set them ahead. I do not know whether we are currently in Daylight Savings Time (DST) or Standard Time. And I do not care. All I really care about is whether the time that I believe it to be is the actual time in the place I am in. I’m not sure if it is getting older, or a year of pandemic adjusting, but I simply don’t care enough about this (we’re talking an hour, folks) to get excited about it. I suppose if I thought long and hard on it, I’d come to believe that it would be fine to just stay on one time all year round. My dogs would appreciate it, as their sense of when it is time to eat is entirely a function of daylight, while my sense of when to feed them is entirely tied to the clock.
Vaccine Anxiety
I’m trying hard to be an adult and just sit tight and wait my turn for the COVID shot (not “jab”, shot. We are Americans, damn it), but it is getting harder. The combination of others posting their good fortune on social media, all the great news about vaccine supply and standing up of mass vaccination center, and the plain truth that here in Maryland we are still in Phase 1 (I am part of the great unwashed mass in phase 3) without any authoritative projection of when the next phase will begin, has me feeling a little bothered by the whole thing.
Making it all even worse are a number of travel commitments I have in May and June—some of which are in jeopardy if I am not vaccinated (overseas, biz) and others that are here in the states but which—in my usual experience with luck—will invariably coincide with when my number does eventually come up.
Now I know. Things ARE getting better. And I know. Quit your bitching. But maybe just a little bitching?
March Madness (cont.)
I wrote last week about my affinity for college basketball, especially my Virginia Cavaliers, who at the time were enjoying the double-bye at the ACC Tournament awaiting their Thursday night opponent (who ultimately turned out to be Syracuse). Virginia beat the Orange with a 3 pointer at the buzzer, and all was looking good….until the COVID bug bit.
Apparently at least one team member had a positive test result come back after the Syracuse game; it was confirmed the next morning, and UVA was out of the ACC Tourney. It was touch and go as to whether UVA would even be allowed to participate in the NCAA Tournament, but it looks like (God willing and no more positive tests) they’ll be able to. They’re a 4 seed in Gonzaga’s region, so things don’t look all that good.
Should you wish to participate in the annual Conservative Wahoo Bracket Challenge head on over to The CBS Bracket Challenge and post your picks. First prize is that you’ll be mentioned in this Substack with all due Hosannas. Second prize is, there is no second prize.