Tag: Thursday

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Making a major announcement at the Pentagon on Thursday, Vice-President Mike Pence said that the proposed United States Space Force was necessary to defend the U.S. from gay aliens. “I stand before you today to say that this country is under attack from outer-space gays,” Pence told the military gathering. “Only Space Force can protect us from their unimaginable evil.” Pence detailed a nightmare scenario in which “gay aliens by the thousands” land in the U.S. in “seemingly cute spacecraft” and “subvert life in America as we know it.” “Let’s say, for example, that these gay aliens can assume human form,” he said. “What’s to stop them from infiltrating normal bakeries and baking cakes for gay weddings?” “I’ll tell you what’s to stop them,” he said, pausing for dramatic effect. “Space Force.” At the White House, CNN’s Jim Acosta asked the press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, how, exactly, Pence had developed his theory about the existence of gay aliens. “No one is more qualified to talk about life on other planets than Mike Pence,” Sanders snapped.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Thursday asked for a meeting with Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson over the company’s plans to deny funding for its Southwest Chief route pending additional financial investments. The letter, penned by multiple House and Senate lawmakers in both parties, argues the route that runs through Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico is “vital to the economic well-being of our communities.” “The lack of transparency by Amtrak management about its changing position on the Southwest Chief is troubling, particularly for a Government-Sponsored Enterprise entrusted with an important public transportation mission,” the letter reads. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) signed the document, as did a group of House lawmakers from New Mexico, Colorado and Kansas. Amtrak has put conditions on its decision to contribute funds to a project on the route. The letter comes in response to a message the company sent to Congress responding to questions about plans for the route. “Amtrak will offer a $3 million match towards the project costs if the grant application for the requested amount is successful,” Amtrak CFO William Feidt wrote in the October letter that was submitted with the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant application. “Before Amtrak will fulfill this contribution, a comprehensive financial plan and accompanying commitments by relevant states and BNSF for the remainder of the infrastructure investments and associated additional maintenances costs for this route in New Mexico must be completed,” Feidt added, referring to the BNSF Railway. Democratic lawmakers from New Mexico announced in March that Colfax County had received a $16 million TIGER grant for the project, aimed at rehabilitating the Southwest Chief line, which operates from Chicago, Ill., to Los Angeles, Calif. But Amtrak is insisting the other parties pitch in financially and develop a strategy for “long-term financial commitments” to rebuild the route operating from Hutchinson, Kan., and Albuquerque, N.M. “A piecemeal approach to solving this problem that leads to higher operating costs and new capital obligations for Amtrak’s long distance routes isn’t sustainable, especially as we face vast needs for fleet, station and infrastructure improvements across the National Network,” Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari said in a statement to The Hill. “We stand prepared to consider any such plan as we consider alternatives for this portion of the route.” Reps. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Jared Polis (D-Colo.), Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M), Steve Pearce (R-N.M.) and Lynn Jenkins (R-Kan.) also signed the Thursday letter, in which lawmakers say it’s “essential” that the funding be utilized to sustain “the Southwest Chief on its current route.”

Women who run for political office still face obstacles that their male counterparts do not, members of a panel on "Women in Politics" said Thursday night at the HUB. “That’s frustrating all the time. Everyone assumes at all times I am the intern, the assistant or someone’s legislative aide, not that I am a lobbyist.” Yandle also said that it is still not as easy as it should be for women to run for office. You have to be rich to run for office. It’s not friendly for people who are from any marginalized community who do not have a lot of rich friends. Tiffany Hankins, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, shared her optimism about the future of women in politics. Fortunately one of the outcomes to come from this last terrible election is that people have been giving generously to a lot of these organizations.” Elizabeth Glenski, a senior biology major at the UW, was one of the event attendees. She said she wanted to learn more about these types of work. “There are many jobs in Seattle and so many ways to get involved politically.” In planning this discussion, ASUW’s Womxn’s Action Commission (WAC) wanted to emphasize female strength. That’s why it partnered with Huskies for NARAL Pro-Choice Washington and ASUW Office of Government Relations.