At least 10 members of Congress now drive Teslas, most of whom are Democrats who say they separate their cars from their views of @elonmusk or his companies.
One Republican, MIT-trained engineer @RepThomasMassie of Kentucky, pre-ordered his Model S and had to wait, and wait, and wait. He had #3,347 delivered in 2013, when Tesla was still in its infancy.
*MCCONNELL SAYS $40B UKRAINE AID TO PASS WEDNESDAY
*BACKS NATO EXPANSION FOR SWEDEN, FINLAND
*URGES BIDEN TO DESIGNATE RUSSIA STATE SPONSOR OF TERROR
*TELLS ZELENSKY "OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS" BACK UKRAINE $ bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
“There have always been isolationist voices in the Republican Party,” McConnell told me, noting isolationist wing of his party before World War II. “I think one of the lessons we learned in World War II is not standing up to aggression early is a huge mistake.”
McConnell dismisses complaints about $40B potentially increasing inflation. "This is $40 billion, not $2 trillion," he said, pointing to last year's Dem rescue package he blames for 40-year-record price hikes.
Says he would also support more US border spending.
! Rand Paul just unilaterally blocked swift passage of Ukraine aid. He wanted the rest of the Senate add language to the bill he plans to vote against anyway bc debt/inflation.
He has this power because the Senate runs on *unanimous consent*, not nearly unanimous consent.
McConnell and Schumer both implored Paul to allow a vote on his amendment but let the bill be voted on today. Their joint entreaty didn't persuade him.
When you don't have unanimous consent it can take days, sometimes longer, to tee up a final vote. 99 isn't enough, even if there's an asteroid bearing down on Earth.
The move that would have really messed with today would have been Murkowski, Collins and Manchin agreeing to proceed to the abortion bill but releasing statements insisting on an amendment.
Senators used to do that sort of thing back in the era where most stories were read on dead trees.
If the bill had gotten to 50, a senator could have called for overturning the ruling of the chair in an effort to nuke the 60-vote threshold on motions to proceed. Would have failed but a vote I suspect some might not want to have to cast.