There’s a full-fledged mutiny happening in the House GOP that has paralyzed the caucus for the past two days, with no House business expected or able to move forward until at least Monday, perhaps even longer.
If any of us refused to do our jobs, we would be fired. They should be expelled from Congress and forbidden to ever serve again. 🤷🏻♀️. I know that’s a truly simplistic idea but they should be held to the same level of accountability as we the people.
It’s not so much that they aren’t doing their jobs. It’s more that they are just gumming up the works for everyone else. It’s like someone who shows up at a job but then locks everyone else out of their workstations. So in some ways, worse.
Thx for the clarification. Still, if they are creating a work stoppage until Monday at the least, they should be expelled from the building or the privilege of serving. I’m just so done with their toddler shenanigans. Gaetz, Boebert, mtg, gosar, McCarthy-small people with small minds who refuse to serve the people who elected them. And for those of us in Florida, we can really pick the worst of the worst. Insane and inane -Rick Scott, Desantis, Rubio, Gaetz, Steube, and more...disgusted doesn’t even touch the depth of my disdain.
Dave, I fear you are correct. That politicians can be warped by greed and power is not a huge surprise. The cruelty, inhumanity, indecency, and determined ignorance of our fellow Americans is-I have become hideously disillusioned by so many. That’s why I am so deeply grateful for the group gathered here.
Stop calling these terrorists the "Freedom Caucus." Selfish pols intent on blowing up American democracy for fun and profit don't get to appropriate one of the deepest values of our country. They are legislative hijackers, nothing more.
It’s getting a bit hard to come up with names that aren’t their stated names, or to use quotes around everything. Words like “conservative” are meaningless. “Moderate” doesn’t apply. “Freedom” caucus is just one more.
Elect clowns, expect a circus! I also wonder if any forthcoming indictments/arrests could include members of congress and we end up gaining our majority back before 2024…🤞
Right now there isn’t any indication that Smith’s grand juries will indict any members of congress, but a lot will depend on what information Mark Meadows has provided. It is a very big political nightmare, by the way, to come after a whole set of Congressmembers on grounds they are guilty of crimes like obstruction of an official proceeding. There are big First Amendment considerations, as well as considerations over the legitimacy of the Justice Department. My guess is that they don’t come after Congressmembers and concentrate on the White House including Trump.
Soooo, in other words, those members of Congress who aided the insurrectionists will likely walk. Wow, that sucks. Crimes were committed, and just because the DOJ wants to focus on the WH doesn't mean that others don't deserve a 'closer look.'
Thank you, Jay. With all you have going on, you still find the time to write a thorough, thoughtful, and easy-to-understand piece for us. :)
Thank you for thinking the same thing I was. I was wondering if when the January 6 indictments come down it would include those who submitted the fake electors scheme, the woman in white who attempted to blow up the DNC headquarters with a pipe bomb (the same woman who wore white at President Biden's State of the Union), those who deactivated the panic buttons in offices of Democrats, those giving tours of Congress on January 5 when tours were not allowed. There must be surveillance videos the DOJ has been pouring over for many months.
As if we didn't already know this, the Far Right Kookus wants total control. No such thing as doing what's best for the greater good or even their own constituents. They just want to totally run the show, their rules, their choices, full stop. Nothing could be more un-American than that. But yet, they call themselves The Patriots. What a shitshow.
Like it or not, their job is to do what their constituents want. And given that many have already been reelected, they *are* fulfilling their responsibility to their constituents.
What they don't understand is that they also have a responsibility to the people who *didn't* vote for them, and of course they have no clue about governing.
True. If these Reps come from a district that is thoroughly gerrymandered deep red, their seats are so secure (except from an even redder primary challenger) that a Rep can easily ignore all of their constituents and do anything that pleases them.
Oh, Kevin. These are your chaos monkeys and this IS your circus. For the sake of the country, I hope they get voted out next year. In Atlanta, one of our political reporters wrote “Marjorie Taylor Greene- voice of reason?” after the budget deal. And that’s how we know that we are, in fact, in the upside down.
Let's hope that these guys eventually lead to Constitutional Amendments and a better congress, the way Netflix used their implementation of chaos monkeys to lead to a more reliable software system.
Ahh, the endless incompetence and irony of Lauren Bobo, who sits next to Matt Goose, while missing the vote on the debt ceiling bill. (And then she states differing reasons why she wasn't there). Her opponent, Adam Frisch, said: "How can you represent #CO03 when you don’t even show up?
What was more important than voting?" And Bobo is in the 80th percentile of representatives missing votes. Not only does she not represent me (alas, I live in the blue town of Durango), she doesn't represent anyone. Ugh!
Me too. So much of CD-3 is rural, and the blue areas along the I-70 corridor of Vail and so on and here in Durango was not enough to counter Grand Junction and the vast rural areas. But I believe voters here are tired of her, and Frisch can win.
All y'all gotta contribute $$. And get out and knock on doors. And not just known Dem voters - start asking your more conservative neighbors if this nonsense is what they really want from their rep. Plenty of them will certainly say, "Hell yeah!" But SOME of them - some of them might be getting just a little bit sick of this.
Democrat Adam Frisch, who ran as a moderate in 2022, raised $1.7 million in a six-week period that started in mid-February and ended March 31. Boebert raised $667,000 in the period ending March 31, according to Saturday’s filing with the Federal Election Commission. The average amount donated or Frisch was just under $36, and 98% of donations were $100 or less. Our family already has donated to his campaign, and will do so again.
That's the way. Excellent. My Congresswoman, Elissa Slotkin, flipped a pretty red seat exactly like that. It'll take more, of course, but don't forget the boots on the ground as well. Money matters - way too much, but that's where we are - but that personal, retail politickin' is a must. Door-knocking, talking over coffee or a drink - neighbors talking to neighbors can shift each other's thinking, sometimes just enough.
I kind of love the idea of him having to do all his deals with Hakeem Jeffries. That would make my heart happy. I thought that during the speaker vote, what if they made a different deal with a moderate republican (idk who that is) and made that person speaker? That happened in Ohio actually. It didn't really fix anything but it did make things slightly less insane. (Key word 'slightly'.)
Melanie, you have accurately described exactly what our network of ordinary citizens ( visit us here: www.FeathersOfHope.net ) has been advocating for the last six months:
Use the "motion to vacate the chair" to remove Kevin McCarthy and replace him with a moderate Republican Speaker.
What we did not expect was that President Biden and House Democratic Leadership would so brilliantly out-maneuver Mr. McCarthy during the budget talks. The debt limit bill in its final form is as good as any the Democrats could have hoped for in a Republican House, and it passed with Speaker McCarthy's support.
The end result is that MAGA extremists have been marginalized and reduced to desperate tactics like described by Jay in this post. All signs now point to the emergence of a cross-party alliance with Kevin McCarthy retaining his seat. This may actually be a good thing, as there are few if any moderates who would want to be Speaker under these conditions.
The Party who has vigorously worked to dumb down America is reaping what they've sown. They now have Representatives who are too dumb to grasp how government actually works in order to maintain their own power.
That statement from Gaetz about “hanging out for five months and then jumping into the back seat with Jeffries” has that ineffable sexualized metaphor we have come to expect from the wretch.
Politicians have long made accusations that other politicians are “in bed with” someone they disapprove of (i.e. “in bed with the oil lobby”), but only Gaetz would talk about “jumping into the back seat with” the opposition. So on-brand.
It is completely infuriating that all of us who are honest taxpayers are providing the salaries and excellent benefits for ignorant, bigoted right wing clowns who are doing absolutely nothing positive for their constituents or our country. If they are included in the DOJ indictments for planning and participation in the January 6 domestic terrorism I truly hope we will soon be reading about House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries.
➡️ "It is completely infuriating that all of us who are honest taxpayers are providing the salaries and excellent benefits for ignorant, bigoted right wing clowns who are doing absolutely nothing positive for their constituents or our country." ⬅️
If any of us refused to do our jobs, we would be fired. They should be expelled from Congress and forbidden to ever serve again. 🤷🏻♀️. I know that’s a truly simplistic idea but they should be held to the same level of accountability as we the people.
It’s not so much that they aren’t doing their jobs. It’s more that they are just gumming up the works for everyone else. It’s like someone who shows up at a job but then locks everyone else out of their workstations. So in some ways, worse.
Thx for the clarification. Still, if they are creating a work stoppage until Monday at the least, they should be expelled from the building or the privilege of serving. I’m just so done with their toddler shenanigans. Gaetz, Boebert, mtg, gosar, McCarthy-small people with small minds who refuse to serve the people who elected them. And for those of us in Florida, we can really pick the worst of the worst. Insane and inane -Rick Scott, Desantis, Rubio, Gaetz, Steube, and more...disgusted doesn’t even touch the depth of my disdain.
But that’s the scary part, Jen: They are convinced (and so am I) that they ARE faithfully representing the people who elected them.
Dave, I fear you are correct. That politicians can be warped by greed and power is not a huge surprise. The cruelty, inhumanity, indecency, and determined ignorance of our fellow Americans is-I have become hideously disillusioned by so many. That’s why I am so deeply grateful for the group gathered here.
Yikes! Sorry but I don’t know where “pathetic” came from. Auto correct will be my demise someday!
Lol-right there with you. 😂
Sometimes a pathetic simple goes right to the point! I’m with you.
Stop calling these terrorists the "Freedom Caucus." Selfish pols intent on blowing up American democracy for fun and profit don't get to appropriate one of the deepest values of our country. They are legislative hijackers, nothing more.
It’s getting a bit hard to come up with names that aren’t their stated names, or to use quotes around everything. Words like “conservative” are meaningless. “Moderate” doesn’t apply. “Freedom” caucus is just one more.
I dunno. How about the Tyrannical Temper Tantrum Toddlers? They have earned no dignity.
Thanks for your work.
I think Chaos Caucus fits pretty well.
The Nihilist Caucus seems apt. They’re all about blowing things up just to see where the pieces fall.
It reminds you a bit of Newspeak from 1984...
Minitru, Minipax, Miniluv, Miniplenty... and of course "War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength"
Insurgent Party?
They should just refer to them as the dumb caucus 😀
Elect clowns, expect a circus! I also wonder if any forthcoming indictments/arrests could include members of congress and we end up gaining our majority back before 2024…🤞
Right now there isn’t any indication that Smith’s grand juries will indict any members of congress, but a lot will depend on what information Mark Meadows has provided. It is a very big political nightmare, by the way, to come after a whole set of Congressmembers on grounds they are guilty of crimes like obstruction of an official proceeding. There are big First Amendment considerations, as well as considerations over the legitimacy of the Justice Department. My guess is that they don’t come after Congressmembers and concentrate on the White House including Trump.
Appreciate the reply, and I tend to agree…but a girl can dream! Thanks Jay!!
Soooo, in other words, those members of Congress who aided the insurrectionists will likely walk. Wow, that sucks. Crimes were committed, and just because the DOJ wants to focus on the WH doesn't mean that others don't deserve a 'closer look.'
Thank you, Jay. With all you have going on, you still find the time to write a thorough, thoughtful, and easy-to-understand piece for us. :)
Thank you for thinking the same thing I was. I was wondering if when the January 6 indictments come down it would include those who submitted the fake electors scheme, the woman in white who attempted to blow up the DNC headquarters with a pipe bomb (the same woman who wore white at President Biden's State of the Union), those who deactivated the panic buttons in offices of Democrats, those giving tours of Congress on January 5 when tours were not allowed. There must be surveillance videos the DOJ has been pouring over for many months.
As if we didn't already know this, the Far Right Kookus wants total control. No such thing as doing what's best for the greater good or even their own constituents. They just want to totally run the show, their rules, their choices, full stop. Nothing could be more un-American than that. But yet, they call themselves The Patriots. What a shitshow.
I like “Kookus!” It describes them perfectly!
These people know nothing about governing or their responsibilities to their constituents.
Like it or not, their job is to do what their constituents want. And given that many have already been reelected, they *are* fulfilling their responsibility to their constituents.
What they don't understand is that they also have a responsibility to the people who *didn't* vote for them, and of course they have no clue about governing.
I’m thinking that they don’t care what their own constituents want. They only care about power, money, and owning the libs.
True. If these Reps come from a district that is thoroughly gerrymandered deep red, their seats are so secure (except from an even redder primary challenger) that a Rep can easily ignore all of their constituents and do anything that pleases them.
My rep is a perfect example. Gym Jordan
I was actually thinking of him and a few others from heavily gerrymandered states!
Oh, Kevin. These are your chaos monkeys and this IS your circus. For the sake of the country, I hope they get voted out next year. In Atlanta, one of our political reporters wrote “Marjorie Taylor Greene- voice of reason?” after the budget deal. And that’s how we know that we are, in fact, in the upside down.
Let's hope that these guys eventually lead to Constitutional Amendments and a better congress, the way Netflix used their implementation of chaos monkeys to lead to a more reliable software system.
Of course Matt Gaetz makes a creepy sexual reference.
How fast can states enact recall elections? If they won't do their job, they should be replaced, and not wait 2 years.
There isn’t a recall mechanism for Congressmembers as far as I am aware.
https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/expulsion.htm#:~:text=Article%20I%2C%20section%205%20of,has%20expelled%20only%2015%20members
Members are expelled by members of their Chamber
Ahh, the endless incompetence and irony of Lauren Bobo, who sits next to Matt Goose, while missing the vote on the debt ceiling bill. (And then she states differing reasons why she wasn't there). Her opponent, Adam Frisch, said: "How can you represent #CO03 when you don’t even show up?
What was more important than voting?" And Bobo is in the 80th percentile of representatives missing votes. Not only does she not represent me (alas, I live in the blue town of Durango), she doesn't represent anyone. Ugh!
I'm still perplexed that she managed to win re-election against a fantastic candidate like Frisch. I thought saner minds would prevail.
Me too. So much of CD-3 is rural, and the blue areas along the I-70 corridor of Vail and so on and here in Durango was not enough to counter Grand Junction and the vast rural areas. But I believe voters here are tired of her, and Frisch can win.
He came very, very close last time. I think he can squeak it out, too.
Glad to hear that. Fingers crossed!
All y'all gotta contribute $$. And get out and knock on doors. And not just known Dem voters - start asking your more conservative neighbors if this nonsense is what they really want from their rep. Plenty of them will certainly say, "Hell yeah!" But SOME of them - some of them might be getting just a little bit sick of this.
Democrat Adam Frisch, who ran as a moderate in 2022, raised $1.7 million in a six-week period that started in mid-February and ended March 31. Boebert raised $667,000 in the period ending March 31, according to Saturday’s filing with the Federal Election Commission. The average amount donated or Frisch was just under $36, and 98% of donations were $100 or less. Our family already has donated to his campaign, and will do so again.
That's the way. Excellent. My Congresswoman, Elissa Slotkin, flipped a pretty red seat exactly like that. It'll take more, of course, but don't forget the boots on the ground as well. Money matters - way too much, but that's where we are - but that personal, retail politickin' is a must. Door-knocking, talking over coffee or a drink - neighbors talking to neighbors can shift each other's thinking, sometimes just enough.
I kind of love the idea of him having to do all his deals with Hakeem Jeffries. That would make my heart happy. I thought that during the speaker vote, what if they made a different deal with a moderate republican (idk who that is) and made that person speaker? That happened in Ohio actually. It didn't really fix anything but it did make things slightly less insane. (Key word 'slightly'.)
Yes, the Ohio speaker election was something else as a result!
Melanie, you have accurately described exactly what our network of ordinary citizens ( visit us here: www.FeathersOfHope.net ) has been advocating for the last six months:
Use the "motion to vacate the chair" to remove Kevin McCarthy and replace him with a moderate Republican Speaker.
What we did not expect was that President Biden and House Democratic Leadership would so brilliantly out-maneuver Mr. McCarthy during the budget talks. The debt limit bill in its final form is as good as any the Democrats could have hoped for in a Republican House, and it passed with Speaker McCarthy's support.
The end result is that MAGA extremists have been marginalized and reduced to desperate tactics like described by Jay in this post. All signs now point to the emergence of a cross-party alliance with Kevin McCarthy retaining his seat. This may actually be a good thing, as there are few if any moderates who would want to be Speaker under these conditions.
.
Wow. Seems like a whole lot of dick measuring to see who's going to be in control while totally ignoring what the people want.
The people need to show their displeasure by voting to clear out the mess.
Draining the swamp starts with one small section at a time.
And it's time for voters to start draining the swamp.
The Party who has vigorously worked to dumb down America is reaping what they've sown. They now have Representatives who are too dumb to grasp how government actually works in order to maintain their own power.
Is it possible that this might be a perfect storm?
It is a storm, but whether it is perfect is in the eye of the beholder I suppose.
Perfect shitstorm... (btw, do Americans use that phrase, or is this another term that us Germans misappropriated?)
We use it. Often.
True.
That statement from Gaetz about “hanging out for five months and then jumping into the back seat with Jeffries” has that ineffable sexualized metaphor we have come to expect from the wretch.
An adolescent mind.
I'd like to slap that smug smile off of his stupid ugly face
Politicians have long made accusations that other politicians are “in bed with” someone they disapprove of (i.e. “in bed with the oil lobby”), but only Gaetz would talk about “jumping into the back seat with” the opposition. So on-brand.
It is completely infuriating that all of us who are honest taxpayers are providing the salaries and excellent benefits for ignorant, bigoted right wing clowns who are doing absolutely nothing positive for their constituents or our country. If they are included in the DOJ indictments for planning and participation in the January 6 domestic terrorism I truly hope we will soon be reading about House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries.
➡️ "It is completely infuriating that all of us who are honest taxpayers are providing the salaries and excellent benefits for ignorant, bigoted right wing clowns who are doing absolutely nothing positive for their constituents or our country." ⬅️
Clown Posse!
"Insane Clown Posse"
You win!🤡😂
That one's taken - watch out for the IP police.
I find it incredibly rich that Gaetz references a monogamous relationship. He is a total butthole!