I had hoped by today that I would be able to write about something other than the complete dysfunction and meltdown of the GOP-controlled House, but alas, the story continues to dominate the headlines and seems only to worsen because the ex-president has now weighed in and is
The GOP sucks at governance but they don’t really think that’s their job. Their job since the advent of Trumpism, is burning it all down and have one dictator left standing. I said it earlier and I’ll say it again, you would NEVER see this happening with Nancy Pelosi in charge
What we're witnessing is an attack on the institution, similar to January 6 only this time coming from inside the chamber.
MAGA extremists perpetrating the attack proudly support convicted Jan. 6 conspirators and openly welcome a civil war. "Burn the whole place down" is not a metaphor for them. They need to be confronted directly and handed a definitive defeat.
Cobbling together some temporary majority to pass a CR to avoid a shutdown does not address the problem. So long as Kevin McCarthy is Speaker, the threat to the people's House will persist and grow.
The only feasible solution is for a bipartisan majority to themselves pass a "motion to vacate the chair", and elect a centrist Republican Speaker like Don Bacon (R-NE) who owes nothing to the extremists. Democratic leader Hakim Jeffries (D-NY) must join forces with moderate Republicans to make that happen.
I wonder what it'll take to see one of the high-ranking retired military officers now serving in the House of Representatives to step forward and display some leadership here. Defending the institution at the heart of our democracy from MAGA's current assault would be fully consistent with their training, experience and oath.
Don Bacon (R-NE) is a former Air Force Brigadier General. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) was a Marine Corps intelligence officer in Iraq. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) was embedded with Special Forces in Iraq.
If a young soldier can lead an infantry patrol in the mountains of Afghanistan, surely challenging Kevin McCarthy for the Speakership of the House of Representatives presents no greater risk. How about showing some courage, gentlemen?
Maybe we can help remind them of their sworn duty:
Don Bacon: (202) 225-4155 D.C. —— (402) 938-0300 District
Mike Gallagher: (202) 225-5665 D.C. —— (920) 301-4500 District
Brian Fitzpatrick: (202) 225-4276 D.C. —— (215) 579-8102 District
Chris and Dawna, thank you for all your fact-filled comments. I’m a big data and research fan and greatly appreciate the clarity they bring.
For the record, I’m a progressive Democrat and I’m not endorsing Mr. Bacon or any other Republican in the next election. That’s not the point. What I’m talking about is the current assault by MAGA extremists on the institution of the House of Representatives. This is not about policy disagreements or voting records.
There are only about a dozen or so hard-core MAGA Representatives within the chamber who are committed to “Burn the whole place down”. But it’s crucial to recognize the revolutionary zeal of the attackers and understand that stopping them is of the utmost urgency. As we learned on January 6, it takes very few individuals to wreak great destruction. And when the attack comes from within it can be devastating. Simply put, we need allies in this struggle.
Ironically, virtually everything you say about Mr. Bacon, Mr. Fitzpatrick and Mr. Joyce bolsters the argument that they are ideally placed to defend the institution. The only question you really raise is whether they support the extremists or the establishment. The establishment in this case is the forum wherein policy disagreements are debated and legislation passed.
I submit that in this case, our interests as progressives align with those of the opposition. We favor an orderly functioning Congress, which funds an orderly functioning government, which in turn facilitates an orderly functioning economy and stable markets. These in turn produce a stable society which is good for business, good for the arts, and good for the general welfare.
More specifically, all of the Republican members mentioned are this weekend engaged in negotiations with Democrats crafting measures to avoid a shutdown, or at least limit its duration and minimize its effects.
Our effort at www.FeathersOfHope.net is to replace Kevin McCarthy with a Speaker who will protect and defend the House of Representatives. That person can only be a Republican because that’s how the institution is structured. Next session, when we again have the majority, we can help Mr. Jeffries usher in a progressive agenda.
Again, I appreciate the opportunity to engage in productive conversation rather than trite invectives. Thanks again.
The idea that Rep. Bacon is a moderate is utterly absurd.
Bacon has voted with House conservatives more than 90% of the time, and he favors a nationwide complete ban on abortion. In announcing his reelection bid in August, he touted his belief that life begins at conception. Lastly, Bacon voted not to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6 insurrection and against holding Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress.
As previously stated, he's up for reelection next year. In 2022, he won by less than 6,000 votes. In the 2022 Nebraska governor's race, Republican Jim Pillen narrowly won Bacon's district. Pillen ran on typically MAGA platform, including the opposition to reproductive rights and the CRT dogwhistle. If Bacon were to actually become a moderate, he likely loses his seat in 2024. He's not going to do anything to further that chance.
PILLEN WAS PAID FOR BY the Ricketts family. In return, Pillen put Pete Ricketts into the Senate (an office he failed to get through an earlier election) and (with Charles Koch master-minding all of this) they put Ben Sasse in charge of the U of Florida, serving the right-wing’s agenda to subvert higher education. Bacon is a KKKoch addict; he does love his money. But Bacon is up for re-election and his opponent is an incredibly charismatic, honest Democrat: Tony Vargas. I just hope the crime syndicate aka the RNC can’t “re-buy” this House seat.
Deleted my earlier comment. I read what you wrote too fast. I thought you'd written that Vargas was going to challenge Pillen. Sorry about that! I'm glad Vargas is going to run against Bacon again. He was *so* close in 2022. Hopefully 2024 being a presidential election year will increase turnout that helps him.
I'd like to add that the two other Congressmen on your list are also most definitely not moderates.
Rep. Gallagher voted against the first impeachment inquiry into Trump, and against the articles of impeachment charging Trump with obstruction of Congress and abuse of power. He declined to criticize Trump's racist comments on four Democratic Congresswomen in 2018 (and voted against the measure condemning those comments.) In 2019, Gallagher spoke at a Trump rally. In 2021 he voted against impeaching Trump for the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Gallagher voted against restoring the Voting Rights Act, against multiple pandemic related aid bills, against disaster aid for Puerto Rico, rasing the federal minimum wage...the list goes on and on. Gallagher is MAGA.
Rep. Fitzpatrick voted against impeaching Trump for the Jan. 6 insurrection. He also voted against a bill providing housing assistahce during the pandemic, the $3T pandemic aid package, a bill requiring campaigns to report "offers of assistance" from foreign governments, against holding the AG and Commerce Secretary in contempt of Congress in 2019, against bills blocking the sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (the current version is the bill being held up in the House) as well as the appropriations bills funding the rest of the government, so that shutdown would have been even longer if he'd gotten his way; reversing Trump's decimation of the CFPB, a bill restoring net neutrality, a bill cutting off assistance to Saudi Arabian forces fighting in Yemen, and against a bill requiring Presidential candidates to disclose tax returns (that bill would have also updated ethics rules.)
Fitzpatrick is not a moderate. Your vocal support of these Congressmen is extremely suspect.
Joyce is MAGA. This suggestion isn't even a good troll.
Voted against two articles of impeachment the first time and voted against it again after the Jan. 6 insurrection. Recently, he's voted in favor of the utterly stupid MAGA-introduced "Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act" and the "Save Our Gas Stoves Act." In June he voted in favor of Rep. Chip Roy's completely baseless attempt to impeach President Biden for "High crimes and misdemeanors related to actions taken that involve immigration and the southern border." He also against the EPA's effort to reduce air pollution caused by heavy engines in new vehicles, and in favor of multiple allegedly pro law enforcement dogwhistle MAGA-introduced pieces of legislation.
MAGA and/or Russian trolls really need to step up their game. The idea Joyce isn't part of the problem in the House isn't even plausible.
I know Dave Joyce. He's as far from a MAGA as you or I. He's a Republican, for sure, and mostly votes accordingly, but if you want to know more about him, ask AOC for her opinion. They've worked together on a couple things, as true bipartisan legislators are supposed to do.
All the way back to Reagan, their hero (although they don't understand what he did very well) but they probably like that he fired union workers. Tim Scott yesterday said all strikers should be fired, (because he doesn't know what he's talking about, or maybe he does)? but that would be illegal.
nancy pelosi impeached a sitting United States President for nothing ! nancy pelosi is guilty of corruption and lying to the American public about the russian hoax and should be removed from the senate.
" the ex-president has now weighed in and is demanding" and that in a nut shell is what is wrong with not only the House, but the whole GOP. They are all just puppets for the crazy puppet-master. And if McCarthy is ousted (and he probably will be) we get to see round 2 of the GOP trying to elect someone else? The GOP is so divided it is like 2 parties within one...the GOP and the MAGA.
Pumpkin 🎃 is systematically trying to destroy the validity of our legal system by leading the pack of mongrels to poison anything that they can piss on.
"And if McCarthy is ousted (and he probably will be) we get to see round 2 of the GOP trying to elect someone else?"
How does "Speaker Gaetz" sound? I know that there have been rumblings that he wants to run for Ronnie De's current gig, but everything that he's been saying and doing for the last year-and-a-half -- not to mention the way that he's been *doing* it -- tells me that he has his eye and mind firmly on getting the Speaker's gavel. (And never letting go if he can help it.)
This is what I wrote to our local paper, which featured the disarray in the House on the front page...because, after all, McCarthy is "our" representative, and there was a lot of "local boy makes good" coverage when he was elected Speaker.
"I was shocked by the quote from McCarthy on the front page today: "This is a whole new concept of individuals who just want to burn the whole place down." The "deconstruction of the administrative state" has been the clearly stated goal of the hard right since Steve Bannon articulated it before the 2016 election. It informed so many of the actions taken during the Trump years, as regulations protecting rights and the environment were rolled back, and funding removed or severely curtailed for many governmental departments. The clearest demonstration of the "burn it down" mentality was on world-wide display on January 6th. Is McCarthy really so clueless he hasn't noticed this before? Because it's definitely nothing "new."
Great letter, Jenell! Thanks for defending our democracy against the GOP tyrants and their long game framed by Steve Bannon. It's all been out in the open.
Janell, I was wondering that, myself. I guess Kevie was lusting so hard and so long for the Speakership that he was in denial about the dangers of trying to bring the crazed radical right on board with him. He KNEW they wanted to burn down the whole enchilada...so, why, why, why did he think he could convince them to do otherwise when all the while they were taking their orders from Traitor Trump?
Owned. All of them bought and paid for. None of them represent those who sent them to Washington. They’re owned by the NRA and wealthy corporations no matter how destructive to our country.
This MAGA fiasco is quite a show. The show needs to end. We need to rid ourselves of the Trump led maggots and him calling shots from the bench is absolutely ridiculous. He wants them to defund the DOJ and he thinks he can walk away unscathed. I think I will need therapy after all of this bullshit since 2015. But I appreciate you keeping me informed. Thanks Jay!
I did not miss the "(Q-GA)" in the photo caption. Gave me a big smile as I started in on the rest...
then later "the unparalleled leadership of Speaker McCarthy" gave me another big giggle. Definitely unparalleled, but we all know that is not meant in a complimentary way!
I admit, I was shocked when I saw that MTG (Q-GA) voted No. I really thought she had bought into what McCarthy was selling - so seeing that No vote really does make it seem as if the no votes are being orchestrated in a coordinated effort by the holdouts. Perhaps with a goal that is no more sophisticated than to undermine the Speaker.
And I could not agree more with your concluding paragraph... it needs to be said "And if that means a motion to vacate and the end of McCarthy’s leadership, perhaps that’s fitting. After all, he’s the one who allowed in the crazies, the ones who just want to burn the whole place down."
This entire situation would be funny if it were not so pathetic.
Even her sorry ass can see that McCarthy's coattails are stuck in the machinery. Politicians of old had conviction and understood consequences. These "kids" are, just like #DerPumpkinFührer, all about ratings.
Gone are the days when a Speaker could say 'go along with this or you'll never get another bill on the floor.' The MTGs of Congress don't care since they're not there to pass bills, only to block them. There's not much left to motivate anarchists, no carrots, no sticks, only a promise to primary them and campaign against them, which apparently doesn't work either. McCarthy may be at the end of his rope and his Speakership, but I doubt anyone else in his position would have better luck with this group. Aligning with Democrats seems to be the only possible choice if anything is to get done. Having one party in this much disarray is not good for the country but it sure is entertaining.
I think the last carrot would be the Speaker declaring a complete renovation of the MAGAt's office, moving them into tiny closets, reducing their staff numbers, and declaring a 12 hour day/7day week until the legislation is passed. Who knows if even that would work, but worth a try...if for no other reason than to make them miserable.
Quite possibly, but it would be worth it. Actions to reverse his punishments would be impossible until a new speaker was elected which (most likely) would take a long time.
How is the Insurrectionist in Chief weighing in, publicly, demanding to defund the DOJ (for his benefit) not considered obstruction of justice? Their coup, frustratingly, continues.
Consider this possibility: they want to create such a desperate situation that Biden is forced to declare martial law and attempt to have them arrested for treason. Then they can call out their army to Really burn it all down. And say “see? If Biden can rule by decree, so can our Leader! When we win this war, WE will rule by martial law!”
Not that I think this will happen, but it could be their plot.
Biden would not be "trying to have them arrested for treason", that is the job of the Justice Dept, which he correctly allows to do their work independently (unlike tfg) and I do hope that if that is where the evidence leads that it is done. That "No one is above the law" has been established and supported (so far) by the courts.
I think you missed the words “desperate situation” and “martial law.” You are still thinking like Biden, that doing everything ploddingly by the book will solve the problem. And maybe it will, but the far right is doing everything it can to undermine such rule of law, to thwart that path to their defeat.
Bullies taunt and poke to provoke a reaction, but as soon as their victim tries to defend himself, that is their excuse to attack with full force. I see the same dynamic here. Biden is not taking the bait, so they keep poking harder. Eventually the only possible reaction is to attack first. In this case the courts may be building a trap door under them, to trigger when it is ready. We shall see if that can be reached in time.
Oh, if ONLY Mr. Carlin were alive today!! He might be the only one who could publicly shame these idiots into finding some semblance of "brain droppings"!
I too, miss him terribly! He had such a way of cutting through the crap, you know? I tell people always that if he were here today, trump would have never been elected, and the lunatics like Bobo and Margie 3-Toes and Pedophile Goetz, and, and, and...would be shamed into oblivion. Jon Stewart is wonderful, but alas, he ain't no Carlin!
I also loved him in "Prince of Tides". He absolutely stole every scene he was in, combining his irreverently explosive comedic talent with some SERIOUS drama acting chops.
Big fan here too - obviously! I own all of his books, and I believe every DVD of anything he did that was recorded. I look at him as THE defining voice of my lifetime. History will put him in the same category as Mark Twain and Will Rogers.
McCarthy will remain an ineffective leader because Dems will keep him there. Better that than to invite more ridiculous rounds of speaker brinkmanship , during which house business is suspended, and after which we could end up with a truly nutso and hostile speaker. Dems will regain the majority and McCarthy will shamefully retire from public life. And #DerPumpkinFührer will be in prison. So let it be written, so let it be done!
Let's not forget two things: 1. even if they manage to pass the spending bills, the Senate will never approve them since the house republicans are reneging on the deal McCarthy made with the President months ago. 2. They are not serious about getting this resolved since they scheduled the first "impeachment" hearing on Sep 28th - TWO DAYS before the government shuts down. These people can't pass a rules motion, but they're going to proceed with a sham impeachment inquiry??
They just want to stage some noisy political theater and get some nice juicy sound bites for Fox News. They know perfectly well that they have absolutely bupkis on Biden.
I have absolutely no sympathy for Kevin. He and Hakeem could've gotten together after the 15th vote and decided to cooperate, along with the so called reasonable Republicans. They could've gotten a lot done for the country and when the crazies move to get rid of Kevin, he could've had a base of support among Democrats and the more reasonable Republicans. He chose the exact opposite, so he gets what he deserves. Unfortunately, our country is an innocent bystander in all of this and it is the most vulnerable who will be hurt the worst with all of this nonsense. I'm so sick of this crap.
HFC extremists don't want to dump our Kev, as he is malleable Silly Putty in their hands...just continue with the humiliation, ever reminding him who his Daddy is...since one of theirs would never get the votes to succeed Kev, he has to endure the abuse until the House changes parties following the 2024 elections. Mephistopheles, shake hands with the Devil.
Am I cynical to believe the GOP (and trump) want a government shutdown to hurt the economy which would hurt Biden's re-election chance? Voters may blame GOP for shutdown but they blame Biden for the economy & inflation.
Partially due to the brilliant GQP anti-science COVID shenanigans. Tends to cull the herd a bit when the base is heavily tilted to high-risk folks . . .
I’m not sure where I’d be without The Status Kuo. What an excellent explanation of crazy. The dysfunction is breathtaking. I wonder if the “sane” Republicans will ever get a grip on their party?
A friend of mine is fond of saying, "There are no good ones." I will add, "Not any more." - but only because my father was an honest Republican, of which very few remain.
The GOP sucks at governance but they don’t really think that’s their job. Their job since the advent of Trumpism, is burning it all down and have one dictator left standing. I said it earlier and I’ll say it again, you would NEVER see this happening with Nancy Pelosi in charge
What we're witnessing is an attack on the institution, similar to January 6 only this time coming from inside the chamber.
MAGA extremists perpetrating the attack proudly support convicted Jan. 6 conspirators and openly welcome a civil war. "Burn the whole place down" is not a metaphor for them. They need to be confronted directly and handed a definitive defeat.
Cobbling together some temporary majority to pass a CR to avoid a shutdown does not address the problem. So long as Kevin McCarthy is Speaker, the threat to the people's House will persist and grow.
The only feasible solution is for a bipartisan majority to themselves pass a "motion to vacate the chair", and elect a centrist Republican Speaker like Don Bacon (R-NE) who owes nothing to the extremists. Democratic leader Hakim Jeffries (D-NY) must join forces with moderate Republicans to make that happen.
I wonder what it'll take to see one of the high-ranking retired military officers now serving in the House of Representatives to step forward and display some leadership here. Defending the institution at the heart of our democracy from MAGA's current assault would be fully consistent with their training, experience and oath.
Don Bacon (R-NE) is a former Air Force Brigadier General. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) was a Marine Corps intelligence officer in Iraq. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) was embedded with Special Forces in Iraq.
If a young soldier can lead an infantry patrol in the mountains of Afghanistan, surely challenging Kevin McCarthy for the Speakership of the House of Representatives presents no greater risk. How about showing some courage, gentlemen?
Maybe we can help remind them of their sworn duty:
Don Bacon: (202) 225-4155 D.C. —— (402) 938-0300 District
Mike Gallagher: (202) 225-5665 D.C. —— (920) 301-4500 District
Brian Fitzpatrick: (202) 225-4276 D.C. —— (215) 579-8102 District
(Learn more about this effort here: www.FeathersOfHope.net or jerryweiss.substack.com)
.
Chris and Dawna, thank you for all your fact-filled comments. I’m a big data and research fan and greatly appreciate the clarity they bring.
For the record, I’m a progressive Democrat and I’m not endorsing Mr. Bacon or any other Republican in the next election. That’s not the point. What I’m talking about is the current assault by MAGA extremists on the institution of the House of Representatives. This is not about policy disagreements or voting records.
There are only about a dozen or so hard-core MAGA Representatives within the chamber who are committed to “Burn the whole place down”. But it’s crucial to recognize the revolutionary zeal of the attackers and understand that stopping them is of the utmost urgency. As we learned on January 6, it takes very few individuals to wreak great destruction. And when the attack comes from within it can be devastating. Simply put, we need allies in this struggle.
Ironically, virtually everything you say about Mr. Bacon, Mr. Fitzpatrick and Mr. Joyce bolsters the argument that they are ideally placed to defend the institution. The only question you really raise is whether they support the extremists or the establishment. The establishment in this case is the forum wherein policy disagreements are debated and legislation passed.
I submit that in this case, our interests as progressives align with those of the opposition. We favor an orderly functioning Congress, which funds an orderly functioning government, which in turn facilitates an orderly functioning economy and stable markets. These in turn produce a stable society which is good for business, good for the arts, and good for the general welfare.
More specifically, all of the Republican members mentioned are this weekend engaged in negotiations with Democrats crafting measures to avoid a shutdown, or at least limit its duration and minimize its effects.
Our effort at www.FeathersOfHope.net is to replace Kevin McCarthy with a Speaker who will protect and defend the House of Representatives. That person can only be a Republican because that’s how the institution is structured. Next session, when we again have the majority, we can help Mr. Jeffries usher in a progressive agenda.
Again, I appreciate the opportunity to engage in productive conversation rather than trite invectives. Thanks again.
.
The idea that Rep. Bacon is a moderate is utterly absurd.
Bacon has voted with House conservatives more than 90% of the time, and he favors a nationwide complete ban on abortion. In announcing his reelection bid in August, he touted his belief that life begins at conception. Lastly, Bacon voted not to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6 insurrection and against holding Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress.
As previously stated, he's up for reelection next year. In 2022, he won by less than 6,000 votes. In the 2022 Nebraska governor's race, Republican Jim Pillen narrowly won Bacon's district. Pillen ran on typically MAGA platform, including the opposition to reproductive rights and the CRT dogwhistle. If Bacon were to actually become a moderate, he likely loses his seat in 2024. He's not going to do anything to further that chance.
PILLEN WAS PAID FOR BY the Ricketts family. In return, Pillen put Pete Ricketts into the Senate (an office he failed to get through an earlier election) and (with Charles Koch master-minding all of this) they put Ben Sasse in charge of the U of Florida, serving the right-wing’s agenda to subvert higher education. Bacon is a KKKoch addict; he does love his money. But Bacon is up for re-election and his opponent is an incredibly charismatic, honest Democrat: Tony Vargas. I just hope the crime syndicate aka the RNC can’t “re-buy” this House seat.
Deleted my earlier comment. I read what you wrote too fast. I thought you'd written that Vargas was going to challenge Pillen. Sorry about that! I'm glad Vargas is going to run against Bacon again. He was *so* close in 2022. Hopefully 2024 being a presidential election year will increase turnout that helps him.
Trust me: Bacon doesn’t listen. Bacon answers to the Ricketts and, hence, KKKoch Gang of Billionaires. Calling Bacon’s office is an act of futility.
I'd like to add that the two other Congressmen on your list are also most definitely not moderates.
Rep. Gallagher voted against the first impeachment inquiry into Trump, and against the articles of impeachment charging Trump with obstruction of Congress and abuse of power. He declined to criticize Trump's racist comments on four Democratic Congresswomen in 2018 (and voted against the measure condemning those comments.) In 2019, Gallagher spoke at a Trump rally. In 2021 he voted against impeaching Trump for the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Gallagher voted against restoring the Voting Rights Act, against multiple pandemic related aid bills, against disaster aid for Puerto Rico, rasing the federal minimum wage...the list goes on and on. Gallagher is MAGA.
Rep. Fitzpatrick voted against impeaching Trump for the Jan. 6 insurrection. He also voted against a bill providing housing assistahce during the pandemic, the $3T pandemic aid package, a bill requiring campaigns to report "offers of assistance" from foreign governments, against holding the AG and Commerce Secretary in contempt of Congress in 2019, against bills blocking the sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (the current version is the bill being held up in the House) as well as the appropriations bills funding the rest of the government, so that shutdown would have been even longer if he'd gotten his way; reversing Trump's decimation of the CFPB, a bill restoring net neutrality, a bill cutting off assistance to Saudi Arabian forces fighting in Yemen, and against a bill requiring Presidential candidates to disclose tax returns (that bill would have also updated ethics rules.)
Fitzpatrick is not a moderate. Your vocal support of these Congressmen is extremely suspect.
I would add Dave Joyce of Ohio to that list. FWIW.
Joyce is MAGA. This suggestion isn't even a good troll.
Voted against two articles of impeachment the first time and voted against it again after the Jan. 6 insurrection. Recently, he's voted in favor of the utterly stupid MAGA-introduced "Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act" and the "Save Our Gas Stoves Act." In June he voted in favor of Rep. Chip Roy's completely baseless attempt to impeach President Biden for "High crimes and misdemeanors related to actions taken that involve immigration and the southern border." He also against the EPA's effort to reduce air pollution caused by heavy engines in new vehicles, and in favor of multiple allegedly pro law enforcement dogwhistle MAGA-introduced pieces of legislation.
MAGA and/or Russian trolls really need to step up their game. The idea Joyce isn't part of the problem in the House isn't even plausible.
I know Dave Joyce. He's as far from a MAGA as you or I. He's a Republican, for sure, and mostly votes accordingly, but if you want to know more about him, ask AOC for her opinion. They've worked together on a couple things, as true bipartisan legislators are supposed to do.
I might say that the burn-it-down approach has been coming since Newt Gingrich in the 1990s. See https://history.princeton.edu/about/publications/burning-down-house-newt-gingrich-fall-speaker-and-rise-new-republican-party#:~:text=Elected%20to%20Congress%20in%201978,fight%20of%20good%20versus%20evil.
You can trace the modern GOP all the way back to Gingrich.
All the way back to Reagan, their hero (although they don't understand what he did very well) but they probably like that he fired union workers. Tim Scott yesterday said all strikers should be fired, (because he doesn't know what he's talking about, or maybe he does)? but that would be illegal.
and Rex Reed
nancy pelosi impeached a sitting United States President for nothing ! nancy pelosi is guilty of corruption and lying to the American public about the russian hoax and should be removed from the senate.
^^ Trolling troll what trolls at midnight.
you are the one that is a troll you simple say that because i disagree with what was being said. Obiviously you keep your head buried in the sand.
Agree
and so do you...
" the ex-president has now weighed in and is demanding" and that in a nut shell is what is wrong with not only the House, but the whole GOP. They are all just puppets for the crazy puppet-master. And if McCarthy is ousted (and he probably will be) we get to see round 2 of the GOP trying to elect someone else? The GOP is so divided it is like 2 parties within one...the GOP and the MAGA.
When was the last time you heard the phrase "the ex- president has now weighed in" when it comes to House or Senate votes? It's insane
Not one time. And I'm old.
We are being controlled by someone who the people voted out
Yes! tfg's coup attempt failed on January 6, so now he is attempting another coup by issuing directives to the crazies in the House!
🤯🤬🤬🤬
I promise I did not vote for Putin!
What is that mongrels hold on so many? He should’ve lost all credibility by now.
Pumpkin 🎃 is systematically trying to destroy the validity of our legal system by leading the pack of mongrels to poison anything that they can piss on.
His cult votes. Too many followed the cult off the cliff. Sold their souls in other words.
"And if McCarthy is ousted (and he probably will be) we get to see round 2 of the GOP trying to elect someone else?"
How does "Speaker Gaetz" sound? I know that there have been rumblings that he wants to run for Ronnie De's current gig, but everything that he's been saying and doing for the last year-and-a-half -- not to mention the way that he's been *doing* it -- tells me that he has his eye and mind firmly on getting the Speaker's gavel. (And never letting go if he can help it.)
This is what I wrote to our local paper, which featured the disarray in the House on the front page...because, after all, McCarthy is "our" representative, and there was a lot of "local boy makes good" coverage when he was elected Speaker.
"I was shocked by the quote from McCarthy on the front page today: "This is a whole new concept of individuals who just want to burn the whole place down." The "deconstruction of the administrative state" has been the clearly stated goal of the hard right since Steve Bannon articulated it before the 2016 election. It informed so many of the actions taken during the Trump years, as regulations protecting rights and the environment were rolled back, and funding removed or severely curtailed for many governmental departments. The clearest demonstration of the "burn it down" mentality was on world-wide display on January 6th. Is McCarthy really so clueless he hasn't noticed this before? Because it's definitely nothing "new."
Jenell Mahoney
Great letter, Jenell! Thanks for defending our democracy against the GOP tyrants and their long game framed by Steve Bannon. It's all been out in the open.
The fact that the likes Steve Bannon was in our White House at one time makes my stomach churn.
Janell, I was wondering that, myself. I guess Kevie was lusting so hard and so long for the Speakership that he was in denial about the dangers of trying to bring the crazed radical right on board with him. He KNEW they wanted to burn down the whole enchilada...so, why, why, why did he think he could convince them to do otherwise when all the while they were taking their orders from Traitor Trump?
Republicans: traitors and spies, ALL.
Repubbies: traitors, spies AND trolls.
Owned. All of them bought and paid for. None of them represent those who sent them to Washington. They’re owned by the NRA and wealthy corporations no matter how destructive to our country.
Did they print it?
Not yet...but since they published one from me just yesterday on a different subject, it might be a couple of days.
This MAGA fiasco is quite a show. The show needs to end. We need to rid ourselves of the Trump led maggots and him calling shots from the bench is absolutely ridiculous. He wants them to defund the DOJ and he thinks he can walk away unscathed. I think I will need therapy after all of this bullshit since 2015. But I appreciate you keeping me informed. Thanks Jay!
But the DOJ isn't affected by the funding they are trying to pass... he was President he should..... Oh I'm sorry, of course he doesn't know (SMH)
I smiled at your comment. But even if he DOES know, his followers don't so they will believe whatever he tells them the outcome will be.
You are quite correct and I think that is the saddest thing of all.
unfortunately very true
I did not miss the "(Q-GA)" in the photo caption. Gave me a big smile as I started in on the rest...
then later "the unparalleled leadership of Speaker McCarthy" gave me another big giggle. Definitely unparalleled, but we all know that is not meant in a complimentary way!
I admit, I was shocked when I saw that MTG (Q-GA) voted No. I really thought she had bought into what McCarthy was selling - so seeing that No vote really does make it seem as if the no votes are being orchestrated in a coordinated effort by the holdouts. Perhaps with a goal that is no more sophisticated than to undermine the Speaker.
And I could not agree more with your concluding paragraph... it needs to be said "And if that means a motion to vacate and the end of McCarthy’s leadership, perhaps that’s fitting. After all, he’s the one who allowed in the crazies, the ones who just want to burn the whole place down."
This entire situation would be funny if it were not so pathetic.
Even her sorry ass can see that McCarthy's coattails are stuck in the machinery. Politicians of old had conviction and understood consequences. These "kids" are, just like #DerPumpkinFührer, all about ratings.
Photo looks to me as if Her Qness was awaiting a mama bird to drop a big old juicy worm in that big mouth of hers.
Gone are the days when a Speaker could say 'go along with this or you'll never get another bill on the floor.' The MTGs of Congress don't care since they're not there to pass bills, only to block them. There's not much left to motivate anarchists, no carrots, no sticks, only a promise to primary them and campaign against them, which apparently doesn't work either. McCarthy may be at the end of his rope and his Speakership, but I doubt anyone else in his position would have better luck with this group. Aligning with Democrats seems to be the only possible choice if anything is to get done. Having one party in this much disarray is not good for the country but it sure is entertaining.
I think the last carrot would be the Speaker declaring a complete renovation of the MAGAt's office, moving them into tiny closets, reducing their staff numbers, and declaring a 12 hour day/7day week until the legislation is passed. Who knows if even that would work, but worth a try...if for no other reason than to make them miserable.
They’d remove him as speaker instantly.
Quite possibly, but it would be worth it. Actions to reverse his punishments would be impossible until a new speaker was elected which (most likely) would take a long time.
I'm just dreaming at this point.
You forget, not only does McCarthy lack a brain, heart, and courage, but he’s also controlled by the Wicked Witches of the Q.
How is the Insurrectionist in Chief weighing in, publicly, demanding to defund the DOJ (for his benefit) not considered obstruction of justice? Their coup, frustratingly, continues.
The same way banning medical care is not practicing medicine without a license.
Consider this possibility: they want to create such a desperate situation that Biden is forced to declare martial law and attempt to have them arrested for treason. Then they can call out their army to Really burn it all down. And say “see? If Biden can rule by decree, so can our Leader! When we win this war, WE will rule by martial law!”
Not that I think this will happen, but it could be their plot.
Biden would not be "trying to have them arrested for treason", that is the job of the Justice Dept, which he correctly allows to do their work independently (unlike tfg) and I do hope that if that is where the evidence leads that it is done. That "No one is above the law" has been established and supported (so far) by the courts.
I think you missed the words “desperate situation” and “martial law.” You are still thinking like Biden, that doing everything ploddingly by the book will solve the problem. And maybe it will, but the far right is doing everything it can to undermine such rule of law, to thwart that path to their defeat.
Bullies taunt and poke to provoke a reaction, but as soon as their victim tries to defend himself, that is their excuse to attack with full force. I see the same dynamic here. Biden is not taking the bait, so they keep poking harder. Eventually the only possible reaction is to attack first. In this case the courts may be building a trap door under them, to trigger when it is ready. We shall see if that can be reached in time.
Thank you, I do have hope for the trap door analogy, nicely put!
"McCarthy’s leadership" is an oxymoron. The late great George Carlin would have said it was right up there with "jumbo shrimp".
Oh, if ONLY Mr. Carlin were alive today!! He might be the only one who could publicly shame these idiots into finding some semblance of "brain droppings"!
I miss him. And I have been thinking of him often over the last 7 years.
I too, miss him terribly! He had such a way of cutting through the crap, you know? I tell people always that if he were here today, trump would have never been elected, and the lunatics like Bobo and Margie 3-Toes and Pedophile Goetz, and, and, and...would be shamed into oblivion. Jon Stewart is wonderful, but alas, he ain't no Carlin!
I also loved him in "Prince of Tides". He absolutely stole every scene he was in, combining his irreverently explosive comedic talent with some SERIOUS drama acting chops.
Big fan here too - obviously! I own all of his books, and I believe every DVD of anything he did that was recorded. I look at him as THE defining voice of my lifetime. History will put him in the same category as Mark Twain and Will Rogers.
McCarthy will remain an ineffective leader because Dems will keep him there. Better that than to invite more ridiculous rounds of speaker brinkmanship , during which house business is suspended, and after which we could end up with a truly nutso and hostile speaker. Dems will regain the majority and McCarthy will shamefully retire from public life. And #DerPumpkinFührer will be in prison. So let it be written, so let it be done!
🙏🙏🙏
Let's not forget two things: 1. even if they manage to pass the spending bills, the Senate will never approve them since the house republicans are reneging on the deal McCarthy made with the President months ago. 2. They are not serious about getting this resolved since they scheduled the first "impeachment" hearing on Sep 28th - TWO DAYS before the government shuts down. These people can't pass a rules motion, but they're going to proceed with a sham impeachment inquiry??
They just want to stage some noisy political theater and get some nice juicy sound bites for Fox News. They know perfectly well that they have absolutely bupkis on Biden.
And went home Thursday night instead of doing the job. They have no time for three day weekends.
Hakeem Jeffries for Speaker ? For some reason, this feels plausible.
Schadenfriday! “That’s GOLD, Jay! GOLD!!!”
I should claim the copyright!
Sad to say but you should before someone else takes credit. IP is IP.
I have absolutely no sympathy for Kevin. He and Hakeem could've gotten together after the 15th vote and decided to cooperate, along with the so called reasonable Republicans. They could've gotten a lot done for the country and when the crazies move to get rid of Kevin, he could've had a base of support among Democrats and the more reasonable Republicans. He chose the exact opposite, so he gets what he deserves. Unfortunately, our country is an innocent bystander in all of this and it is the most vulnerable who will be hurt the worst with all of this nonsense. I'm so sick of this crap.
HFC extremists don't want to dump our Kev, as he is malleable Silly Putty in their hands...just continue with the humiliation, ever reminding him who his Daddy is...since one of theirs would never get the votes to succeed Kev, he has to endure the abuse until the House changes parties following the 2024 elections. Mephistopheles, shake hands with the Devil.
Am I cynical to believe the GOP (and trump) want a government shutdown to hurt the economy which would hurt Biden's re-election chance? Voters may blame GOP for shutdown but they blame Biden for the economy & inflation.
If you’re cynical than I am too; they will blame it all on Biden and the base will believe it
Luckily, the 'base' is getting smaller, if the shrinking crowd size at Trump rallies is any indication.
Partially due to the brilliant GQP anti-science COVID shenanigans. Tends to cull the herd a bit when the base is heavily tilted to high-risk folks . . .
feasible
I’m not sure where I’d be without The Status Kuo. What an excellent explanation of crazy. The dysfunction is breathtaking. I wonder if the “sane” Republicans will ever get a grip on their party?
A friend of mine is fond of saying, "There are no good ones." I will add, "Not any more." - but only because my father was an honest Republican, of which very few remain.