Congressman Tim Burchett continues to point out that the U.S. funds the Taliban with $40 million a week in taxpayer money to keep them flush with cash!
Millions for terrorists while Americans struggle to make ends meet during this holiday season. Why does our government pay terrorists with OUR money? Thank the Senate, as they refuse to act to stop what a term is “humanitarian aid” for Afghanistan. Yes, the same Afghanistan that produced the terrorist who just shot two national guardsmen in DC this week, killing one. Kudos to Tim who keeps pointing it out. Shame on the Senate for allowing it to continue.
CONGRESSIONAL EXIT RAMP. The national media is making a lot of noise about the fact that 47 members of the House and Senate have elected not to seek reelection. That number may grow in the weeks ahead, and the national media is painting the picture that it has to do with expectations that Republicans will lose control of both the House and the Senate in the midterm elections. But closer examination of who is leaving and why does not support that conclusion.
47 exits is the highest number in recent years. Some, however, including several high-profile lawmakers, are retiring from politics altogether, while others are running for other political offices either in their states or in the U.S. Senate.
Former Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is 85, was first elected in 1987 and has served for 40 years representing San Francisco is departing. Former Republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, 83, is also exiting after 40 years in Congress.
Several elderly Senators are retiring, including Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), all of them over age 65. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), 55, who has served since 2015, is also not seeking reelection.
Older House members are retiring, too: former House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), as well as Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Ill.), and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.). Aside from García, 69, all are aged between 78 and 84.
With the largest block of those leaving, Congress are the ones seeking higher office. Three Senators are forgoing reelection, including Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn, because they are running for Governor in their home states.
Twenty-four members of the House are running for the U.S. Senate or for state offices. Ten are running for Governor, including Tennessee congressman John Rose. Most of the rest are seeking to move to the US Senate. A few are in their states for Lt Governor or Attorney General.
The bottom line is that age and ambition are the primary driving forces of those moving on from service in Congress rather than a focus on who will win or lose the midterm elections.
POLLING PROPAGANDA LATE IN THE SEVENTH DISTRICT SPECIAL ELECTION?
An Emerson College poll released this week showing Matt Van Epps holding a narrow 2 point lead over Aftyn Behn in the special election that concludes Tuesday has generated a lot of buzz.
While the data is interesting, the race will be won or lost based upon which party turns out their voters. Polling is notoriously inaccurate when it comes to predicting turnout, so the Emerson poll should be taken with a grain of salt and a side of leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
And savvy political observers and nerds are among the handful who looked all the way through the cross tabs of the poll to find that it was tweaked to give about a 10 point advantage to the Democrats. (What!! A poll carefully constructed to promote an agenda!?!?)
Buried deep in the cross tabs is the revelation that those polled voted in 2024 in favor of Donald Trump over Kamala Harris by a 13 point margin. But Trump beat Harris by 22 points in the District last November, not 13! Hmmmmmm.
Steve Gill is editor and publisher of TriStar Daily.
