Here are some observations from the EU side on the touring issue facing musicians

2/ The European Commission offered the UK a standard mobility clause in its draft legal text back in March last year that would cover musicians, sportspersons etc... It's on page 354 of the EU's opening text ahead of the negotiations

3/ Under a standard mobility clause, acc to one official, EU member states can ask for visas for certain people coming to carry out paid activity. However, there's a list of exemptions for people who don't need visas:

4/ This list includes those "travelling for the purpose of business deliberations..., sportspersons or artists [including musicians] performing an activity on an ad-hoc basis, journalists sent by the media of their country of residence, and intra-corporate trainees."

5/ In other words, under a standard mobility provision, musicians, journalists, sports people and business people who travel to discuss contracts etc do not need visas. Officials say this is the standard EU arrangement for third countries, eg the US.

This is the mind-blistering fact that everyone should be aware of. The government still has *no plan* for ending the pandemic. Or even for ending the lockdown. I knew we had a troupe of clowns in charge, but this is beyond incompetence.
My column.

Taiwan's most recent death from covid-19 was on May 11th last year. It stopped the virus without lockdowns. How? Mostly through its genuinely world-beating test-trace-isolate-and-support system, developed with the help of participatory democracy. Compare, contrast and weep.

See those numbers on the y axis? They are the actual numbers. SEVEN deaths in total from covid-19, in a nation with over twice our population density. This is what competent government looks like.

From the outset, the Taiwanese government built its system on mass popular engagement and active consent. It also understood the central importance of getting TTIS right, part of which means providing a 5-star service for people who have to go into isolation.

Taiwan's approach was the exact opposite of the racist trope with which some people have tried to explain its success: "people in East Asian countries do what they're told, we don't". It actively built public engagement and enthusiasm, while our government centralised everything.

In today's #ThursdayThread, we're looking more closely at the Dem strategy moving forward. Will Democrats continue to fall for promises from the other side of the aisle or will they govern with the power of the mandate they've been

(2) There are some good indications that Schumer and Senate Democrats outmaneuvered Mitch McConnell quite neatly on the filibuster issue earlier this week and that they plan to move forward on stimulus without regard to GOP

(3) It's important to note that as much as the wins in Georgia provided Dems control of the Senate, they hold the slimmest of majorities in both chambers and that hampers their agenda.

Because of the filibuster, passing legislation requires 60

(4) So while we can breeze through cabinet nominations, passing progressive legislation is much harder. But that doesn't mean Dems shouldn't try.

Because despite what Republicans want you to believe, Biden's proposed plans have widespread public

(5) There's also some leverage in the Senate due to the difficulties the 2022 senate map presents, with more vulnerable Republican senators and a slew of GOP retirements.

In 2022, there are no Dems running for re-election in states Trump

COINTELPRO was a real program used by the US Gov. It was a series of covert and illegal projects conducted by the FBI aimed at surveilling, infiltrating, discrediting, and disrupting domestic American political organizations.
It is no conspiracy theory. Look it up.

1/11
The House of Reps approving $2000 relief checks rather than $600 dollars. That’s a big deal. $2000 checks could ease the pain just long enough for millions of Americans to remember this is the good our government can do in moments like these. #velshi

2/11
The bipartisan bill was met by Mitch McConnell at the front door of the senate with the words "The Senate is not going to be bullied into rushing out more borrowed money into the hands of Democrats' rich friends who don't need the help.” #velshi

3/11
The bipartisan bill for $2,000 checks was met by Mitch McConnell at the front door of the senate with the words, "The Senate is not going to be bullied into rushing out more borrowed money into the hands of Democrats' rich friends who don't need the help.” #velshi

4/11
What is, indeed, “rich” is Mitch McConnell - estimated to be around the 9th wealthiest person in congress - and who makes $193,000/yr, talking about people’s “rich friends”.
#velshi

5/11
If you add $2,000 to the $1,200 checks that went out in March, that’s $3200 over 9 months. $11.85/day. Nobody’s getting rich off of that. #velshi

Mitch McConnell is telling GOP senators their decision on a Trump impeachment trial conviction is a 'vote of conscience' https://t.co/tzuXEyD8ap by @tomlobianco ($) in @Politicsinsider

"His message to me was this would clearly be a vote of conscience," Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, told @Politicsinsider "He's always been respectful of members that way."

Cramer, a former House Republican & early supporter of Trump who stuck w/ him through his 1 term in office, said that he doesn't want to vote to convict Trump. But he said he might be open to voting in favor of barring Trump from serving in office again after last week's attack.

Such a vote to permanently end Trump's federal government career requires just a simple majority but would only happen should two-thirds of the Senate vote to convict Trump. That has never before occurred to a president in more than 230 years of US history.

The domestic attack on the Capitol has lawmakers from both parties rattled ahead of Biden's inauguration, where about 20,000 National Guard troops have set up camp in and around the nation's seat of legislative power.

More Photos of #PinkHatLady #BullHornLady

#PinkHatLady #BullHornLady

#PinkHatLady #BullHornLady

#PinkHatLady #BullHornLady

#PinkHatLady #BullHornLady

MINING THREAD PART 4: Industrial-scale helium project will be give FINAL approve by Trump Interior Depart(not mining but drilling) as soon as this week in one of most iconic locations in US. An unspoiled area of majestic beauty. Pics by Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance/Bloxham

The plan near here, in part controlled by Interior's Bureau of Land Management: one of the largest helium drilling operations in the US. Would start small, to prove the reserves. But backers of project could ultimately produce "5 to 10% of world annual helium production"

As BLM evaluated this project, it asked a series of questions.

The helium project would be in part on state land, part of in the LABYRINTH CANYON WILDERNESS AREA "one of the most sublime and least traveled areas of federal public lands in the nation. A stunning and remote redrock landscape, it lacks any sign of human development"

So what kind of IMPACT would this project have on this WILDERNESS area? Let's look at the findings by Interior Department, which is slated to approve the project in the coming week. Eight NEGATIVE impacts on this page.

GP Looks like media has settled on the narrative of "white supremacists" being solely responsible for the riot at the Capitol.

I have thoughts.

1/n

THREAD: Last Man Standing & The Big Easy

"big and easy" > Big Easy > New Orleans > Louisiana > NOLA

NOLA > Gematria = 42

Note the "7, 8 or 9" - we'll come back to this.

Dated 12/29

What else happened on 12/29?

Rep. Luke Letlow of Lousiana died on 12/29

NEW YORK.🚨🚨

"THE GOVERNOR... MAY ORDER THE *REMOVAL* AND/OR *DETENTION* OF SUCH A PERSON OR OF A GROUP OF SUCH PERSONS BY ISSUING A SINGLE ORDER.... SUCH PERSON OR GROUP OF PERSONS SHALL BE *DETAINED* IN A MEDICAL FACILITY OR OTHER APPROPRIATE FACILITY"

Tyranny. Period.🔻

"IF A PERSON OR GROUP DETAINED... NEEDS TO BE DETAINED *BEYOND THREE BUSINESS DAYS,* THEY SHALL BE PROVIDED WITH AN ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER'S ORDER PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISIONS TWO AND EIGHT OF THIS SECTION."

This is not even close to Constitutional. This is CCP-level tyranny.

NY's proposed "law" would not be a law at all. It flagrantly, blatantly & explicitly violates the Fourth Amendment rights of ALL American citizens. This is arrest without due process rights. It is the kind of Intolerable Act our Founders went to war