Lindsey graham

Congress is expected to pass its next coronavirus stimulus package later this month, and President Donald Trump is signaling his support for another wave of direct payments to people. "I support actually larger numbers than the Democrats, but it's got to be done properly," Trump told Fox Business in an interview this week. "I want the money getting to people to be larger so they can spend it. I want the money to get there quickly and in a non-complicated fashion." U.S. House Democrats have proposed a second $1,200 per person direct payment in their version of the next coronavirus aid proposal, but Trump has said that he won't sign onto their plan. His comments to Fox Business hinted that the direct payments would have his support, though. Senate Republicans, meanwhile, have closely guarded their own plans, though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters this week that he wants to move forward before the August recess. The Senate returns to the Capitol on July 20. … [Read more...] about Congress Still Aiming for Next Coronavirus Aid Package by End of July

MSNBC “Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough on Friday sounded off on the GOP’s continued support of former President Donald Trump. This comes in response to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) saying Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) is engaging in “cancel culture” for voting to impeach Trump for his role in the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Scarborough, noting McCarthy, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley want to continue meeting with Trump, questioned how “sick” and “gutless” the GOP is to still support him. “I don’t really understand when it was Kevin McCarthy who was on the phone screaming at Donald Trump when he feared for his life. It was Kevin McCarthy begging the terrorists that Donald Trump call down the terrorists and stop the terrorists from attacking. And Donald Trump refused to do it. And when Kevin got angry, Donald Trump said, well, I guess those attackers, I guess they’re more upset about the election than you are, Kevin. … [Read more...] about Scarborough: How ‘Sick,’ ‘Gutless’ Is the GOP to Still Support Trump?

SYDNEY: In the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump, seven out of 50 Republican senators voted to convict the former president of inciting insurrection. This has raised more questions than it has answered about where the Republican Party is going. It still looks like Trump’s party, but for how long? Bill Cassidy, one of the seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump, says Trump’s power over the party will “wane”. He will certainly hope so. The Republican Party of Louisiana has already censured Cassidy for his disloyalty to Trump. READ: Commentary: Impeaching Donald Trump still makes little sense On the other hand, Lindsey Graham, one of Trump’s top allies, believes Trump and his supporters are so important to the future of the party that Republicans should nominate his daughter-in-law to replace retiring Senator Richard Burr (who voted to convict). Some in the party see Trump as a major liability who will only get more toxic. He is the first president since … [Read more...] about Commentary: After Trump, what future awaits the US Republican Party?

WASHINGTON: Joe Biden's immigration reform push received a boost on Tuesday (Feb 2) when the Senate confirmed his pick to head the Department of Homeland Security, as the US president seeks to roll back Donald Trump's hardline policies. Cuban-born Alejandro Mayorkas, confirmed on a modestly bipartisan vote, becomes the first Latino and the first immigrant to head up DHS. His approval gives the expansive agency its first permanent leadership in nearly two years, and came ahead of Biden's planned signing of three executive orders aimed at streamlining immigration, including an effort to reunite children separated from their parents at the border with Mexico. They are a follow-up to executive orders that Biden signed on his first day in office as he reforms the US immigration system after what was widely criticised as abusive anti-foreigner policy under Trump. The latest measures do not address the status of some 11 million undocumented immigrants living in legal limbo, which … [Read more...] about Biden gets his Homeland Security chief as he streamlines US immigration

WASHINGTON: The United States should extend the May 1 deadline for pulling all its troops from Afghanistan, and make force cuts contingent on progress in peace talks as well as by the Taliban in reducing violence and containing al Qaeda, a bipartisan report to Congress said on Wednesday (Feb 3). Washington should not abandon the Afghan peace process, the report said. But conditions for its success will not be met by a May 1 deadline set in a 2020 US-Taliban agreement. Withdrawing all US troops then could lead to civil war, destabilising the region and reviving the al Qaeda threat. The United States "should not...simply hand a victory to the Taliban," said the Afghanistan Study Group report, reflecting criticism that the Trump administration conceded too much to the insurgents in a bid to end America’s longest war. READ: Afghan rivals to resume talks as civilian killings sow suspicion Congress commissioned the group, whose co-chairs included retired Marine General Joseph … [Read more...] about US should delay complete troop pullout in Afghanistan: Report to Congress