Democrats Massively Screw Up Electric Vehicle Tax Credits, Harm the Environment

The Democrat's "Inflation Reduction Act" actually drastically cuts the availability of federal tax credits for electric vehicles (EVs), effectively eliminating them for all new EVs.

There are 72 EV models currently available for purchase in the United States including battery, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell electric vehicles. Seventy percent of those EVs would immediately become ineligible when the bill passes and none would qualify for the full credit when additional sourcing requirements go into effect [2023].  Zero.

The $7,500 credit might exist on paper, but no vehicles will qualify for this purchase incentive over the next few years

John Bozzella, Alliance for Automotive Innovation

What if No EVs Qualify for the EV Tax Credit?

Also see If you want an electric car, buy one this week

Fraud of the Democrats' Claim that the Inflation Reduction Act Allows Medicare to Negotiate Drug Prices

The Democrats claim that their "Inflation Reduction Act" allows Medicare to negotiate down drug prices.  That claim is very largely a fraud.

In fact, here is what the new law does:

• No Medicare negotiation of any drug prices before 2026.
  
  
• Beginning in 2026, the prices of only 10 prescription drugs in Medicare Part D would be negotiated. That would increase 15 drugs in 2027. Then in 2028 negotiation would cover 15 drugs in both Medicare Part D and Medicare Part B (typically drugs in Part B are given by doctors or in hospital outpatient treatment). In 2029 and later, negotiation would include only a total of 20 Part D and Part B drugs.

That's it.  Zero negotiation until 2026 and then negotiation on only a tiny fraction of the 4,000+ drugs that Medicare pays for.

House Dems provide most votes for new 2023 war budget in House

HR7900, the bill authorizing the "Defense" budget was approved last night 329-101 y-n.  The bill authorizes spending $840 B which includes $37 B on top of Biden's budget request.  the House bll allocates $808.4 billion for the Pentagon, $30.5 billion to the Department of Energy and another $400 million in defense-related activities elsewhere in the federal government. 

Here is how OR Representatives voted

Oregon
Nay	OR 1st	D	Bonamici, Suzanne
Yea	OR 2nd	R	Bentz, Cliff
Nay	OR 3rd	D	Blumenauer, Earl
Nay	OR 4th	D	DeFazio, Peter
Nay	OR 5th	D	Schrader, Kurt

And here is the vote nationwide divided by Dems and Reps.   Once again a clear bi-partisan approval. So who is the war party?  The duopoly: Dem/Rep Party. 

All Votes		Democrats	Republicans
Yea	77%	329	180	149
Nay	23%	101	39	62
Not Voting		1	1	0

Passed. Simple Majority Required. Source: house.gov.

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/117-2022/h350?utm_campaign=govtrack_email_update&utm_source=govtrack/email_update&utm_medium=email

The vote in the Senate is expected in Sept.  Their Senate Armed Services Committee approved the Biden budget plus an additional $45 billion.  

After the Senate approves the budget, the House and Senate will form a committee to iron out the difference.  A new vote will be held on this joint bill and if approved, it will be sent to the President for his signature.  The President, however he is, always signs.  

War Powers Resolution regarding Yemen introduced in Senate

Sen Warren and Sen Sanders and Sen Leahy have introduced a Yemen War Powers Resolution to end American support for Saudi Arabia war efforts in Yemen, which has caused what is described as the largest humanitarian crisis in the world.  This is a campion bill to    one introduced and supported by 100 members of the House by Rep. Jayapal and Rep DeFazio.  

Story on this from Responsible Stagecraft:   https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/07/14/senators-introduce-resolution-aimed-at-ending-the-war-in-yemen/ 

Sen Sanders press release: 

https://www.sanders.senate.gov/press-releases/news-sanders-leahy-and-warren-introduce-war-powers-resolution-to-end-u-s-involvement-in-saudi-war-in-yemen/ 

July 2022 newsletter from the OR Progressive Party including info on war and peace, campaign finance reform, and a rally for Medicare for All in Portland on July 30.  https://conta.cc/3NKg8kX

OPP Nominates Candidates for Governor, Congressional District 4, and Oregon House District 32

Oregon Progressive Party Nominees (so far) for 2022 General Election:

Candidate	Office
Nathalie Paravicini	Governor
Chris Henry	U.S. Senator
David Delk	U.S. House, District 3
Mike Beilstein	U.S. House, District 4
Logan Laity	Oregon House, District 32
Mark Gamba	Oregon House, District 41

War budget moves forward in House and Senate with increases excessing Biden budget requests

House/Senate committees move to increase Biden war budget

The House and Senate Armed Services Committee have each voted to increase the Biden record breaking war budget request for next year.  The House version calls for $37 billion on top of the Biden request of $773 billion for war while the Senate proposal would increase the budget by $45 billion over the Biden request.  In spite of these request increases, Republicans committee members have called for even larger increases. If the full House and the full Senate approve their different version, the two chambers will form a joint committee to come up with a compromise for a final bill vote of both chambers.  Read more here:  US congress Approves Record Military Budget

People Over the Pentagon - cut war budget by $100 billion

Rep. Barbara Lee and Rep. Mark Pocan have introduced legislation to move $100 billion from the Pentagon to various programs which benefit real people.  The People Over the Pentagon Act of 2022 has been introduced (HR8040) with 15 co-sponsors; Rep. Earl Blumenauer is a co-sponsor but no other OR Rep. is listed yet.  The bill has not been introduced into the Senate.  

Pro-Choice Democrats: Welcome to the Club

Democrats in recent years have been quite pleased with the United States Supreme Court, due to its "liberal" decisions on same sex marriage and discrimination against LGBT persons.  As of 2020, persons identifying as Democrats gave the United States Supreme Court essentially the same approval rating as was given by Republicans, as shown in the Gallup Poll below.

Campaign finance reform advocates, conversely, have hated the United States Supreme Court since its 2007 decision in Randall v. Sorrell and certainly since its 2010 decision in Citizens United.

The key reason for this divergence in the Court's decisions (good on some civil rights but bad on campaign reform) was Anthony Kennedy.  Justice Kennedy voted against campaign finance reform but in favor of same sex marriage and LGBT rights.

But then Anthony Kennedy resigned in 2018 and was replaced by  Bret Kavanuagh.  Amy Coney Barrett then replaced of Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 2020.  This produced a solid majority against civil rights, even when Chief Justice Roberts tries his triangulation.  This is also a clearly 6-3 anti-environment majority, which will be demonstrated next week in  West Virginia v. EPA, which addresses the authority of EPA to regulate climate-changing emissions.

So now pro-choice liberals have to oppose the current United States Supreme Court as much as do campaign finance reform advocates.  Welcome to the club.