The Morning Dispatch: Bipartisan Senate Group Unveils Electoral Count Act Reform

Plus: The diplomatic and logistical headaches surrounding Nancy Pelosi's proposed trip to Taiwan.

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Happy Wednesday! Klondike is discontinuing the Choco Taco after nearly 40 years, citing “tough decisions” that were made to “ensure availability of [its] full portfolio nationwide.” 

We thought the Founding Fathers fought a war so that their descendants wouldn’t have to make any tough decisions about ice cream.

Quick Hits: Today’s Top Stories

  • The Washington Post reported last night that the Justice Department’s criminal probe of efforts to overturn the 2020 election has expanded its investigation to include former President Donald Trump’s own actions, not just those of known associates like John Eastman and Rudy Giuliani. Federal prosecutors have reportedly questioned witnesses before a grand jury in recent days—including top aides to former Vice President Mike Pence—about conversations and meetings with Trump, Trump’s efforts to pressure Pence, and Trump’s involvement in a fake-electors scheme. In an interview with NBC News that aired on Tuesday, Attorney General Merrick Garland did not rule out the possibility of prosecuting Trump.

  • European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Tuesday European Union member states formally agreed to voluntarily cut their natural gas use by 15 percent between now and next April in an effort to stockpile fuel as Russia winds down its exports to the bloc. “The impact on GDP will be significantly smaller if we start saving now and don’t wait until Russia forces us to do so,” EC Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson said. The voluntary cuts could become mandatory—with a handful of exceptions—if there is a more severe supply shock this winter.

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  1. Avatar photo
    David Burke

    Yes! NPR, Anne…

    I remember reading it in 1991/2 in The NYPress, an alternative weekly here in NYC, on the uptown M7 bus.

    I was laughing so hard that the bus passengers just started laughing with me.

    Tears, snot, standing up, sitting down…the whole rigamarole. I was damn near uncontrollable.

    David Sedaris.

    I highly recommend his books of essays. “Me Talk Funny One Day” in particular.

    His sister, Amy Sedaris, is funnier than he. She does characters in sketch comedy. Whereas he’s first person humor, she is bonkers doing character humor.

    Google her. Life With Amy was a short lived but very keen show.

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  2. Avatar photo
    BrettH

    I’d set an upper and lower boundary for age limits across all federal and state government.

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    Michael Eskridge

    My rule would prohibit multi-subject legislation!

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  4. Raincheck

    The rule named after me would prevent baseball umpires from granting a hitter’s request for time out without compelling cause.

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  5. Tim Campbell

    Tim's rule: illeism is strictly prohibited.

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  6. Mark Holmlund

    If there were a rule named after me, it would prohibit (with stiff financial penalties) the use of “was” in a statement in the subjunctive mood.

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  7. Avatar photo
    Xsearnold

    'After months of negotiations, the Senate is poised to approve $52 billion in spending to boost American semiconductor manufacturing—and Haley has the details in Tuesday’s Uphill (🔒). “Supporters of the bill argue it will jumpstart American competitiveness and enable breakthroughs in fields ranging from biometrics and artificial intelligence to fusion energy and high intensity laser research,” she reports.'

    Trust those Democrats to use taxpayer money to fund those Jewish Space Lasers!

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    Paul Reichardt

    “I mean, she has to go,” Stanford University and American Enterprise Institute fellow Oriana Skylar Mastro told The Dispatch—if only because backing out at this point would look like capitulation to China’s threats…”

    I’m starting to entertain the cynical possibility that America has no actual foreign-policy; it’s all domestic politics and short-sighted incentives therein, just some of the results of those policies happen to play out on foreign shores and include foreign actors.

    Case in point: If Speaker Pelosi was involved, I’m guessing the motivation was placating some deep-pocketed Taiwanese-American political donors for the Democratic party. There doesn’t seem to have been any alignment with the State Dept, White House, or the Taiwanese government.

    As to the person quoted in the article, it would be nice to think foreign policy strategists analyze these sort of international brouhahas at a more sophisticated level than schoolyard antics, faux-tough guy showmanship, and the moral necessity to confront someone who says something about yo mama lest they perceive you as weak. However I really doubt it.

    Thousands of people travel to and from the United States and Taiwan everyday. If Speaker Pelosi wants to go as an American tourist, this should be communicated to the Chinese government to avoid pointless provocation.


    If it is clearly, deliberately, and objectively assessed to be in the strategic interests of the United States that the Speaker of the House should go to Taiwan in an official capacity, she should go. If it is not, however, then she shouldn’t. Pretty simple really.

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    Stephanie

    QOTD: a law named after me: there are so many egregious behaviors to choose from, but my husband would make it illegal to tip over the Scrabble board after he runs up such a high score that I know I'd never catch up.

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  10. De Anna Stephenson

    Stop drivers from pulling off the road right in front of my car, blocking my view of buffalo, while said driver chatted on his cell phone and took video of the buffalo.

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    1. Pohl

      You only get one wish. Does this happen a lot?

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