It's not really Nancy Pelosi, it's the fact that the Democrats are sane. If there were extremists trying to just tear down everything, Pelosi would have the same problems as McCarthy.
Many of the centrists in the last Congress tried to undermine the progressive agenda, and things got a bit dicey. But she pulled them in line, just as she held the progressives together. I credit Nancy Pelosi with a lot of that.
It shows how far republicans have fallen from actual governance, when working with democrats is forbidden and potentially career ending. Not that I wouldn't love to see McCarthy go down in flames. The problem is the damage this can do the economy should not be underestimated.
The GOP doesn't care if the economy goes down -- they assume, probably correctly -- that voters will blame President Biden instead of *their* republican congressperson. Few of the House republicans will pay any price for these actions in November. Voters are idiots who keep re-electing incumbents, especially the low-information cult-member voters in many Red districts.
You're right, they don't. However, historically, the party that causes the shutdown gets the blame. Now in this political climate that may no longer be true, anything is possible and the cult members are always going to blame the democrats. The red districts are never going to change, but the districts that are a toss up or the ones where Biden won in 2020 are another story. The republicans in those seats are very nervous right now.
The state of the GQP is a direct consequence of years of radical gerrymandering. When the general election is pre-determined, the primary is what mattters.
To win a GQP primary, the key is to be the bigger a-hole. Radical fanatics get the primary voters (the “base” bozos) to turn out.
It’s always been unclear exactly how the Russians have remained so effective at corrupting a party like the GOP that used to hate them. Some of it is Trump, but there is a lot more going on. It reaches deep into places like the FBI, and it always involves the oligarchical interests in some way.
I always thought it was very clear. The GOP is a party made up of people who are guided entirely by greed and lust for power. Feed the first, promise them the second and they can be guaranteed to do their buyer's bidding, whether said buyer is an American billionaire, a corporation, or a foreign enemy.
The GOP never really hated "Russians" per se - it was COMMIES they hated. If the Bolshevik revolution had failed and royalty writ large had come to the rescue to institute a new Russian autocracy, the party would have been fine with that - and would have no doubt sent aid, and lots of it.
I want them treated the way any one of us would have been treated, if we did our jobs so crappily. Disciplinary hearing, followed by a dismissal with no severance and no benefits.
Jay, I’ve been reading your newsletter daily for a few weeks now. Today you’re officially on my “favorites” list!
“What? You mean we’re not here to get tips on insider trading information?!””Senator” Tommy Gooberville just purchased $250,000 in defense contractor Qualcomm stock. Is it just me or does that sound illegal? (Because it is, shockingly) All while blocking military promotions to the point it’s becoming unstable for the military? Serving on the Armed Services committee is not a free financial services institution. Popcorn always ready, hot and buttered!
Qualcomm isn't a defense contractor, any more than Orowheat is a defense contractor because the military buys bread. Qualcomm is a chip and software company with a focus on cell phone communication.
Beg to differ. I’ve been trying to post the link but can’t for some reason. Look on Raw Story “Tuberville Busted” on MSM.com. Qualcomm is clearly a defense contractor.
OK, in a sense you are right. By the same token, Intel, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, etc. are also all defense contractors. I just think that's stretching the concept too much, and that article overstates the case, IMO.
No popcorn - a lot of people are going to be hurt. Not to mention, it's still being framed as the House has a problem. Not that the Republicans can't govern.
It that sense, yes people are being hurt. Look what Joe Manchin did to his home state! West Virginia is 20 minutes from my state line (PA). I’m there all the time. Manchin screwed over his constituents hard refusing to sign the “Build Back Better” legislation. Throwing 1000’s of West Virginia’s children back into poverty. It is Republicans doing most of the damage, but because of the actions of both Manchin and Sinema, 2 Democrats in the Senate did quite a bit of damage to Americans.
I would argue that he managed to find just enough backbone to push through a budget deal that was highly favorable to the Democrats, but he didn’t lose his job. That was rather impressive. I think it has more to do with the fact that no one else wanted the job, though.
Question that I hope you can answer, Jay. I am displaying my ignorance here: if McCarthy already came to an agreement with Biden, I would assume that the House Dems are in favor of it, so why isn't a combination of Dems and moderate Republicans enough to get the budget passed? Why does it hinge on the MTG posse?
It is all about whose brand name is on the thing. Dems have no liking for the idea of helping a Republican Speaker, and the freedumb caucus would rather drink their own pee than see a sane bill passed with Dem votes. The posturing will continue until some grownups (few though they may be) figure out how to pass something that won't reflect too favorably on either side.
Thanks for the nod to Nancy Pelosi’s genius competence. I watch these idiots blunder and foul and think of what life would be like if she were still in charge. Don’t blame her for resigning, but sure do miss her.
It says something that even the Senate Republicans, the vast majority of whom are NOT centrists, are utterly aggravated by the actions of the House Republicans. This is what happens when you have people who are far more interested in getting likes for their "tweets" and/or appearances/praise on Fox News, OANN and Newsmax than they are in actually governing. But, then again, that's the MAGA movement summed up, isn't it?
It’s always time for popcorn with the Republicans providing non-stop entertainment. Yes, this is serious stuff but the twisting and blame games, etc., are amusing to watch. All these children of the Republican Party need to go home and stay there. They need to send some grownups to Congress. I bet they failed Kindergarten! Remember on your report card the line that read “works and plays well with other”? They got a “need A LOT of improvement” as a grade!
It’s almost as if being in government is an actual job, and one that you have to be smart and work hard in order to do.
Right?! Who knew?!
Americans did. Republicans don’t.
Implication intentional.
Nancy Pelosi was and is a political genius. This would NEVER happen if she were speaker
It's not really Nancy Pelosi, it's the fact that the Democrats are sane. If there were extremists trying to just tear down everything, Pelosi would have the same problems as McCarthy.
Many of the centrists in the last Congress tried to undermine the progressive agenda, and things got a bit dicey. But she pulled them in line, just as she held the progressives together. I credit Nancy Pelosi with a lot of that.
It shows how far republicans have fallen from actual governance, when working with democrats is forbidden and potentially career ending. Not that I wouldn't love to see McCarthy go down in flames. The problem is the damage this can do the economy should not be underestimated.
The GOP doesn't care if the economy goes down -- they assume, probably correctly -- that voters will blame President Biden instead of *their* republican congressperson. Few of the House republicans will pay any price for these actions in November. Voters are idiots who keep re-electing incumbents, especially the low-information cult-member voters in many Red districts.
You're right, they don't. However, historically, the party that causes the shutdown gets the blame. Now in this political climate that may no longer be true, anything is possible and the cult members are always going to blame the democrats. The red districts are never going to change, but the districts that are a toss up or the ones where Biden won in 2020 are another story. The republicans in those seats are very nervous right now.
The state of the GQP is a direct consequence of years of radical gerrymandering. When the general election is pre-determined, the primary is what mattters.
To win a GQP primary, the key is to be the bigger a-hole. Radical fanatics get the primary voters (the “base” bozos) to turn out.
"Some want restrictions on funding for Ukraine."
I wonder how much Russia is paying to keep the US from funding Ukraine's military efforts against Russia.
It’s always been unclear exactly how the Russians have remained so effective at corrupting a party like the GOP that used to hate them. Some of it is Trump, but there is a lot more going on. It reaches deep into places like the FBI, and it always involves the oligarchical interests in some way.
I always thought it was very clear. The GOP is a party made up of people who are guided entirely by greed and lust for power. Feed the first, promise them the second and they can be guaranteed to do their buyer's bidding, whether said buyer is an American billionaire, a corporation, or a foreign enemy.
The GOP never really hated "Russians" per se - it was COMMIES they hated. If the Bolshevik revolution had failed and royalty writ large had come to the rescue to institute a new Russian autocracy, the party would have been fine with that - and would have no doubt sent aid, and lots of it.
That is a BIG question. I am also curious who is pressuring UN Secretary General into adopting his own wishy-washy stance on the subject.
The caucus of No. Know Nothing, Do Nothing. What a travesty it is for us to have these NoNos in office.
I want them treated the way any one of us would have been treated, if we did our jobs so crappily. Disciplinary hearing, followed by a dismissal with no severance and no benefits.
Yes! Yes!
Jay, I’ve been reading your newsletter daily for a few weeks now. Today you’re officially on my “favorites” list!
“What? You mean we’re not here to get tips on insider trading information?!””Senator” Tommy Gooberville just purchased $250,000 in defense contractor Qualcomm stock. Is it just me or does that sound illegal? (Because it is, shockingly) All while blocking military promotions to the point it’s becoming unstable for the military? Serving on the Armed Services committee is not a free financial services institution. Popcorn always ready, hot and buttered!
Qualcomm isn't a defense contractor, any more than Orowheat is a defense contractor because the military buys bread. Qualcomm is a chip and software company with a focus on cell phone communication.
Beg to differ. I’ve been trying to post the link but can’t for some reason. Look on Raw Story “Tuberville Busted” on MSM.com. Qualcomm is clearly a defense contractor.
OK, in a sense you are right. By the same token, Intel, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, etc. are also all defense contractors. I just think that's stretching the concept too much, and that article overstates the case, IMO.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/busted-tommy-tuberville-invested-in-defense-contractor-while-blocking-military-nominations/ar-AA1gTUXb
GOP = The party of nyet.
No popcorn - a lot of people are going to be hurt. Not to mention, it's still being framed as the House has a problem. Not that the Republicans can't govern.
It that sense, yes people are being hurt. Look what Joe Manchin did to his home state! West Virginia is 20 minutes from my state line (PA). I’m there all the time. Manchin screwed over his constituents hard refusing to sign the “Build Back Better” legislation. Throwing 1000’s of West Virginia’s children back into poverty. It is Republicans doing most of the damage, but because of the actions of both Manchin and Sinema, 2 Democrats in the Senate did quite a bit of damage to Americans.
Truth
One of the reasons that the House is such a mess is that the press we have is not informative, it is sensationalist. Here is a former NBC correspondent taking apart the interview of Trump in the Daily Koz and bringing up what I had mentioned in someone's Substack yesterday, which is was this not fact checking part of the deal? https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/9/18/2193974/-NBC-MAY-HAVE-ALREADY-LAUNCHED-INVESTIGATIONS-INTO-WELKER-TRUMP-INTERVIEW-FOR-NEWS-RULES-VIOLATIONS?detail=emaildkre&pm_source=DKRE&pm_medium=email
Don't know what is going on, but the Press is not serving our democracy. This is a prime example of that.
Thank you for posting this article.
CNN and NBC are dead to me.
Follow the money.
WOW! Thank you for posting. Keith Olbermann is an outstanding source.
“That would mean McCarthy truly becomes a “Speaker in Name Only” “
You say that as if it hasn’t ALWAYS been the case.
I would argue that he managed to find just enough backbone to push through a budget deal that was highly favorable to the Democrats, but he didn’t lose his job. That was rather impressive. I think it has more to do with the fact that no one else wanted the job, though.
Question that I hope you can answer, Jay. I am displaying my ignorance here: if McCarthy already came to an agreement with Biden, I would assume that the House Dems are in favor of it, so why isn't a combination of Dems and moderate Republicans enough to get the budget passed? Why does it hinge on the MTG posse?
It is all about whose brand name is on the thing. Dems have no liking for the idea of helping a Republican Speaker, and the freedumb caucus would rather drink their own pee than see a sane bill passed with Dem votes. The posturing will continue until some grownups (few though they may be) figure out how to pass something that won't reflect too favorably on either side.
The moronic elected by the stupid. Your GOP House of Representatives. Wallow in it.
Thanks for the nod to Nancy Pelosi’s genius competence. I watch these idiots blunder and foul and think of what life would be like if she were still in charge. Don’t blame her for resigning, but sure do miss her.
It says something that even the Senate Republicans, the vast majority of whom are NOT centrists, are utterly aggravated by the actions of the House Republicans. This is what happens when you have people who are far more interested in getting likes for their "tweets" and/or appearances/praise on Fox News, OANN and Newsmax than they are in actually governing. But, then again, that's the MAGA movement summed up, isn't it?
The only thing Kevin McCarthy is going to pass is gas.
And then proudly proclaim that he's "owned" the climatologists by doing so.
😂😂😂😂
It’s always time for popcorn with the Republicans providing non-stop entertainment. Yes, this is serious stuff but the twisting and blame games, etc., are amusing to watch. All these children of the Republican Party need to go home and stay there. They need to send some grownups to Congress. I bet they failed Kindergarten! Remember on your report card the line that read “works and plays well with other”? They got a “need A LOT of improvement” as a grade!
Great writing!