At its core, the filibuster is anti-democratic because it allows a minority of senators to block legislation that a majority of the American people support.
“The procedural maneuver, long used by Senate minorities to block civil rights legislation, is now poised to stop democracy reforms supported by broad majorities. If the Senate is to be responsive to the popular will, the filibuster must go.” 1
“It was, on the surface, a routine political process: The U.S. House of Representatives sent a resolution to the Senate calling for establishment of a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol. The measure was placed on the Senate calendar, came to the floor and provoked passionate debate. In the end, the vote was 54-35 in favor, with support from both Democrats and Republicans. But in technical terms, this was not a vote on the commission itself. Republicans had launched a filibuster on the resolution, and by Senate rules, 60 votes would be needed to break its hold. And so, although the resolution won by a wide margin, it failed.” 2
“Sen. Kyrsten Sinema formed a congressional caucus to raise “awareness of the benefits of personalized medicine” in February. Soon after that, employees of pharmaceutical companies donated $35,000 to her campaign committee.
Amgen gave $5,000. So did Genentech and Merck. Sanofi, Pfizer and Eli Lilly all gave $2,500. Each of those companies has invested heavily in personalized medicine, which promises individually tailored drugs that can cost a patient hundreds of thousands of dollars.
A Kaiser Health News database tracks campaign donations from drugmakers over the past 10 years.
Sinema is a first-term Democrat from Arizona but has nonetheless emerged as a pharma favorite in Congress as the industry steers through a new political and economic landscape formed by the coronavirus.
She is a leading recipient of pharma campaign cash even though she’s not up for reelection until 2024 and lacks major committee or subcommittee leadership posts. For the 2019-20 election cycle through March, political action committees run by employees of drug companies and their trade groups gave her $98,500 in campaign funds, Kaiser Health News’ Pharma Cash to Congress database shows.”
Always check with your health professional before taking any supplements, especially if you are taking other prescription medications. The following are some of the popular supplements used by bodybuilders.
Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine Monohydrate – Helps build muscle mass and improves exercise performance.
Dosage: 30 grams per day but can be spaced for every other day. It is not necessary to take 30 grams per day in smaller doses throughout the day. 3
Don’t take with caffeine
Do take when ingesting carbs. Some science suggest the interaction may help absorption
L-Citrulline or Citrulline Malate
L-Citrulline – L-citrulline is an amino acid normally made by the body. The body converts L-citrulline to L-arginine, another type of amino acid. Improves blood circulation and aids in muscle recovery. This amino acid is used by some men to improve symptoms of erectile dysfunction (ED). 4
Dosage: 2 through 6 grams per day should be well tolerated building up for seven days before effects are noticed.
Citrulline Malate – Malate serves as an important component in the tricarboxylic (or TCA) cycle, which is one way your body produces energy. When you increase malate levels, you increase energy production. 56
BCAA
BCAA (Branched Chain Amino Acids) – BCAAs stimulate the building of protein in muscle and possibly reduce muscle breakdown. The “Branched-chain” refers to the chemical structure of these amino acids. 7
A good, detailed article regarding BCAA supplements can be found on the National Institute of Health’s website. Although several studies are limited, taking BCAAs approximately 30 minutes prior to a workout may help with your exercise routine. 8
L-Glutamine
Glutamine – “The most abundant amino acid (building block of protein) in the body. The body can make enough glutamine for its regular needs. But during times of extreme stress (the kind you experience after heavy exercise or an injury), your body may need more glutamine than it can make. Most glutamine is stored in muscles, followed by the lungs where much of the glutamine is made.” 9
Perhaps… but NOT Totally Recommended
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) – Withania somnifera, known commonly as ashwagandha or winter cherry, is an evergreen shrub in the Solanaceae or nightshade family that grows in India, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. Several other species in the genus Withania are morphologically similar. 10
“The herb could supercharge your gym sessions, too, since it’s been shown to increase muscle mass, reduce body fat, and increase strength in men. In a study of 57 men, taking ashwagandha led to “significant increases in muscle mass and strength” and more than doubled their reductions in body fat percentage compared to a placebo group.” 11
“Since ashwagandha is traditionally used as an adaptogen, it is used for many conditions related to stress. Adaptogens are believed to help the body resist physical and mental stress. Some of the conditions it is used for include insomnia, aging, anxiety and many others, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses. There is also no good evidence to support using ashwagandha for COVID-19.” 12
In 2018, the United States Supreme Court recognized the “general rule” that religious and philosophical objections to gay marriage “do not allow business owners and other actors in the economy and in society to deny protected persons equal access to goods and services under a neutral and generally applicable public accommodations law.” 13
On June 30, 2023, the Court, for the first time in its history, grants a business open to the public a constitutional right to refuse to serve members of a protected class.
Then let’s make it public when a business wants to hate:
A notice should be prominently posted that their services cannot be used for gay marriages.
A notice should be prominently posted of their religious affiliation so that folks know that they should not use them in case they might be divorced, don’t believe in Jesus Christ, are an atheist, are in an interracial marriage, living together outside of legal marriage, etc.
Perhaps take us to the dark ages where we can post “No Dogs or Jews Allowed”.
