I loved the (Q-GA). I live in GA, but thankfully not in her district! This bimbo is a total disgrace to this state!!! She goes out of her way to act foolish, childish, stupid, and ignorant.
Wait, that’s Frumpy!!! Is she been partaken by his tiny hands and fingers? Maybe that’s what’s ailing her. She’s not had anything ‘bigger’!!!
I don't think it's an act. From the (thankfully) relatively little I've seen/heard from/of her she's all those things and more. Apologies to anyone who's read this before, but some years ago my friends and I came up with a six point scale of stupidity: fool, idiot, imbecile, retard, moron & cretin. We're going to have to find another category for her (and her rabid ilk – it's also changed over time; ‘clown’ was in there at one point, after fool and before idiot. If anyone has any suggestions for expanding the list, or replacing any of the categories, they'd be most welcome. I intend to do a bit more research myself). Interestingly enough, there was, apparently, a similar scale that was used by the psychiatric and legal professions, proposed some time in the first half of the 20th century. Idiot was the worst on that scale, used for people with a mental age of two or less (if you're interested, this is the Wikipedia entry where I found the reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiot?wprov=sfla1 )
but we felt that ‘idiot’ has lost its strength as it seems much to innocuous & relatively harmless for people like MTG.
Nicholas, how tight you are. “Idiot” doesn’t even come into the same room as MTG, Matt Gaetz, Lauren Blowbert, and the rest of that GQP group of traitors!!!
Thank you for your input, I appreciate and I will bear it in mind. Any suggestions for a replacement? Of course I mean no disrespect to people who suffer from genuine leaning difficulties of any kind. The point wasn't to make fun of the afflicted, rather those, like the teflon tramp who think they're so much smarter than everyone else and have three temerity to consider themselves for to tell everyone else what to do it how to behave.
I did have to check that. I had assumed that “Q-GA” had something to do with QAnon-Georgia but was confused because, as far as I'm aware, QAnon are not a political party, just a bunch of batshit crazies (excuse the language). I like House Banshee too. 🤣. Excuse my ignorance, but I'm German by birth and British by citizenship (my family moved here when I was 9).
I'd take it as a badge of honour, but the chances are, currently, fairly remote, as I live in London. Of course, our current hopelessly inept government is ignorant enough to still fall for his cons. They're just as eager to associate themselves with his rancid views and, even more so, his apparent wealth. Of course the ‘teflon tramp’ has been let off once again with the NY court reducing his fines to $175,000,000 (I don't know if that sobriquet has been used before, but it was my reaction to the NY court's decision: given how much he's getting away with, how everyone seems to be bending over backwards to treat him with kid gloves… hence teflon as, like Bozo (Boris Johnson), our corrupt, venal and disgraced former Prime Minister, nothing seems to stick. My hope is that, as in Bozo's case, that it's all mounting up and when it finally does hit the fan it'll be with a vengeance and all his tawdry gold will turn to brown). He really is a cretin, boasting that he's got $½ billion in cash one minute and his lawyers claiming he's virtually destitute the next, that $500 million is an “unprecedentedly” vast sum for a private company (it's far from it with numerous cases of $1-1½ billion: Apple vs Samsung was $1.3 billion, for example, and one was as high as $13 billion). He just can't help shooting his mouth off, yet more evidence that he's as thick as two short planks, not to mention his obviously deteriorating rescue for a brain (what is it with the whole ‘Biden's too old/has a failing memory’ when Teflon Tramp is now a year older than Biden was when he took office and the total gobbledygook he increasingly comes out with?). I say let him, let him and eventually he'll incriminate himself to such an extent that it can no longer be ignored. He just has to brag about how rich & clever he is, what a fantastic businessman he is. Four bankruptcies, for casinos?! The odds are 70/30 in favour of the house, how can you lose money on a casino? No doubt he wasted vast amounts of money in tasteless, gaudy decor (“Gold! More gold! We can't have people thinking I'm poor!” Not just tasteless, but the truly rich don't need to show off how rich they are, they know and don't care; just more evidence that he's nowhere near as rich as he claims). After all, it wasn't his money he was wasting, it was his creditors'. That's another thing, his lawyers whining that no one's prepared to put up a $½ billion bond. For one thing it's not uncommon to have several companies putting up a share of the bond, say $100-200 million each. He'd only need 3-5 companies stupid enough to gamble on him, but that's what happens when you welch on your promises (I'm not a being man, but I'd say it's pretty surefire that he'll welch on any bonds he gets). Personally, I think the real reason he didn't pay is that he couldn't. He lost the fortune he inherited and has only ever lived off other people's money. It's the one thing he got right: if you con people into believing that you're loaded, they'll fall over themselves to lend you millions. By now they should all know it's all show and scam. It's always seemed obvious to me that he's got a massive inferiority complex and all the ostentatious show of wealth was overcompensating and hiding something.
Anyway, I've gone on long enough and I'm not telling you anything you don't know better than I. Apologies for that and thank you for your kind concern.
Nicholas, you may go in and in all you wish. The more folks tgg he at read your writing from London, and how the folks over there are acting, Ms be some f these here will wake up and smell the damn coffee.
What's really funny about this is that just for grins I double clicked the word in Chrome to get a formal definition of the word Banshee, and this is what I got:
"(in Irish legend) a female spirit whose wailing warns of an impending death in a house."
While I don't know the exact definition of " firebrand " , I personally believe it indicates someone with a lot of vim and vigor that stands , loudly, for something they believe in. Does anyone know what M-T Greene ( say the letters out loud) stands for besides noise and chaos? Banshee defines her perfectly. And my visuals are great !
The Hastert Rule, named for disgraced and disgraceful former Republican Speaker Dennis Hastert, only permitted bills to be voted upon provided they had a majority of the majority. But for the Hastert Rule immigration reform would have passed years ago and we would all be better off. Now it appears the rule is either dead or dying. Good riddance. Send no flowers. Feel free to dance on its grave.
The real majority in the House are most Dems and moderate Republicans. Question: if Johnson supports Ukraine aide, why hasn’t he used the real majority to get that aide passed weeks ago, as the same “real majority“ would presumably have protected him then from a motion to vacate? What am I missing?
Two reasons. First, whether when push comes to shove any Democrats will support Johnson on a motion to vacate is questionable. Second, Trump opposes any Ukraine aid and Johnson is very reluctant to oppose Trump on anything.
Thx for the explanation. If the Democrats come to Johnson’s rescue, perhaps the real majority in the House will find a way to pass bipartisan legislation like the Border bill - or is that just a naive hope?
Liza, nothing is ‘naive hope’ when it comes to this band of GQP Trumpublicans.
One thing these Democrats must not forget, and we might need to call and remind them over this two week break. Bonding IS NOW and ALWAYS WILL BE a Trump loving MAGA supporter. He has carried the tech for Trump, been to Mar-a-Lago and kissed the ring, bowed and kissed the feet, of their wannabe dictator. He does exactly as Trump says do. He always has ever since he’s been selected as the Speaker.
We just remember. Johnson was dejected as the Speaker of the House AFTER Trump gave the ‘green light’ and endorsed his selection.
MAKE THE CALL TO YOUR DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE!!!
Let them know that they MUST proceed with extreme caution in dealing with the two-faced Johnson. He will do everything he can to preserve his Speakership position!!! Even if it means throwing some Democrat Representatives under the proverbial Trump bus!!!
I would count on tffg pounding heavily on Speaker Johnson over the next two weeks along with the extreme right flank of GQP Trumpublicans. Johnson can’t be trusted. Hopefully since MTG filed her partition as not privileged, the Dems can get Johnson to bring up the Ukraine aid bill before dealing with Marjorie 3 IQ.
Great point. Once mtg threatened to file, he should've checked his support w/Dems and then gotten the Ukraine aid passed. Dems, on their part, could also have been ready to add the border bill as part of the deal.
Jay Kuo: Damn, you are GOOD! "Comer, Comer, Cormer, Karma, Chamelion!"
You give so much that is USABLE. That one I'll remember!
As far as Ukraine, the best news I heard has come from our ally, France, where Army Chief of Staff Pierre Schill recently announced France is ready on 30-days notice to send a division of 20,000 combat troops to Ukraine, especially to fight in border areas, such as near Belarus.
Moreover, France is considering as many as 60,000 troops in light of the war's threat to the national interests of France.
If France joins the war in Ukraine overtly, Putin will take it as an invite to attack other European countries and NATO members. This would mean a total escalation of the war in Europe and including putting the nuclear option back in play. I am not sure this is a great reason to cheer.
Gabriela: This is in the category of, "There is something for everyone."
Germany is NOT on board.
Since we are in a brief mode of comment and reply, I am not going to go into all the factors here that bring me cheer.
But you are absolutely right: Not only is escalation possible, including the "nuclear option," but the politics in Germany is full of dialogue on this issue.
There are many reasons why Germany is not on board.
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz even hesitates on sending Ukraine many weapons and Germany absolutely exercises its will to ensure that Europe moves TOGETHER and in consultation.
Gabriela: You raise a very good, well-thought out point. Nothing is yet in stone. Germany will not send Taurus Missiles to Ukraine, while England and France pledge the Storm- and the SCALP-EG equivalents to Ukraine.
Since I have roots in Germany and am bilingual with friends over 40 years as close as cousins, I have a real stake in the survival especially of Germany and the Low Countries and in the freedom and prosperity of the Continent in general.
Olaf Scholz and Emanuelle Macron consult closely, if frostily. The factors you raise are being carefully weighed by the heads of state.
Most especially in the face of what we've sent Israel. It's sickening. Deprive one people who are fighting for their lives and nation, while aiding the destruction of another people's lives and land.
I agree that MTG may have finally lost her influence by trying to be more powerful than she is. Her hubris knows no bounds, and that makes her stupid. She may still win with her “constituents” but she will be forever despised by colleagues in the house. There is dumb and dumber, and then there is Marjorie.
Thank you for such a great summary of the utter failure that the GOP has become in Washington. Now, decent GOP members are jumping for their lives off a burning sinking ship that has hit an iceberg. The GOP is going down due to their own absurd, childish in-fighting. I have second hand embarrassment, but as much as I find this funny sometimes, I cannot forgot they are out to destroy this country.
I know we deal with trauma with laughter. I do it all the time being in the healthcare field. Humor is my sanity in this current situation. It makes all the awfulness slide down a little easier. Until it doesn’t. Then comes time for the work, but I am not sure what work I am supposed to be doing here in Alabama.
Unlike Washington, the GOP here are trucking along. I feel and sound like a tired record at this point. I believe many Alabamians stopped listening a long time ago. The Alabama Republicans are successfully banning everything here left and right. I have whiplash as I told Jess Piper.
We have investigative journalists, reporters, and authors who speak against the GOP leadership, but Alabama voters don’t care. They prove it every time they go to the polls. I try to tell myself that it is due to the gerrymandering and voter suppression laws, but I don’t know anymore. Is this really what the majority of Alabamians want?
I feel your pain as I live in Texas. Our governor (using that term loosely) recently dipped into his war chest to fund primary challenges against those Republican reps who voted (wisely for once) against school vouchers. Many of those challengers - even worse than those currently in office if that can be believed - won their primaries. So here we are. The worst of us are "governing", vouchers are almost certain to pass, Abbott is taking local power away, and our AG continues, like Trump, to get away with his criminality. Republican voters seem just fine with that situation although, to be fair, I doubt many of them know about it. They're not informed, just brainwashed.
Texas too is extremely gerrymandered and our voter suppression is among the worst in the country. Unlike other states, we the people have no power to put issues directly on the ballot. Only the idiots in Austin can do that. I have no idea how Texas is going to get itself out of the death spiral we're in.
Others have come to that conclusion as well and we're experiencing a slow but steady brain drain, especially among healthcare professionals and teachers. I'd say that this would wake people up but we're too big a state for the impact to be felt for years. Plus, our tax status means a lot of companies want to set up shop here. I fear very deeply for the future of Texas and good Texans.
Gov. Kay Ivey just signed the school voucher bill into law a couple of days ago. Just another day in the neighborhood. I agree with you that most people don’t seem to have a clue about what is going on with their own state government, much less federal.
I found in my research for my Facebook group concerning the corruption of the Alabama Public Service Commission, that the Texas Christian nationalist billionaire Tim Dunn, gave Ivey a lot of campaign money in 2022 from an out of state PAC. He’s buying his Calvary for the second coming of Trump across the deeply red states.
Trying to disprove a Republican “fact” to Trumpers is the absolute worse. I gave up on my family and friends a long time ago. The cult of Trump stands strong in their ignorance. They will fight to stay uninformed as much as they fight for Trump. I am so tired, afraid, and hopeless because you don’t dare mention “He who shall not be named” in public here. That is a sure way to start a fight, so I keep my mouth shut. If I accidentally slip up, an all out war commences. Me against the rest.
I follow the Birmingham Reddit group to remind myself that there are like-minded people in Alabama. I read the hate and threats that are allowed by the moderator. I have had comments removed because they were anti-Trump, not threatening or disrespectful.
I say all of this to ask, “What can we do to save our country? And, to save our families?” My relationship rules are no politics, no religion, and no LGBTQ. This is how I maintain my relationships with my friends and family. It is sad that it’s come to this. Now, they do not abide by this rule. They get to talk all they want. I feel like it’s the same thing with the media now. It’s about who can yell the loudest, not who is actually right.
Are you familiar with Joyce Vance's substack Civil Discourse? She is a renowned
American lawyer who served as the United States ttorney for the Northern District of Alabama from 2009 to 2017. You might get some comfort reading her substack.
Starting to rely more and more on Substack, with voices like Jay, Joyce Vance, Heather Cox Richardson, Dan Rather, even Jeff Tiedrich, Wonkette, and now Andy Borowitz.
I'm so sorry! I know how horrible things can be as a sane/reasonable/compassionate/blue person living in a red area. And, btw, I too am in healthcare. However, I work for myself (I'm a psychologist) which makes things a lot easier. Plus, people seeking counseling tend to be more liberal.
Back in 2016, a local woman started a FB group for liberal women in our county. I joined when there were just 80 women. Now there are over 5,000. Not all members are in our county but most are (women from other counties begged to join). It's been very, very helpful. Not only can women see there are many more of us than we realized but we've been able to have meet-ups and even engage in political action. A number of women in the group have even run for office! Is there a way to do something like that or would it be too dangerous for you?
I completely agree that trying to argue with cultists is a waste of time. But maybe you can start with things you all agree upon. Since they're not informed, they likely don't know what's at stake or how things work. Share good memories of your time in public school or teachers who were special to you and ask them to do the same. Then casually mention how important that was to you. Or mention things students today could do with more money. Plant seeds. I've found that since Texans have been so suppressed for so long, they have no idea of what's possible or even what various government officials SHOULD be doing. If you bring up this information in a casual and non-combative way, you may slide over their defenses. And once people's world is rocked, even in a small way, they start seeing things differently. That's how we de-program people in cults. For example, Megan Phelps Roper got deprogrammed when she started arguing with people on Twitter and they were kind and patient with her. When she discovered her "enemies" weren't evil, her views changed.
And yes, the media has a LOT to answer for. They haven't been doing their jobs for decades and it shows. We need to start holding them more accountable and trying to get smaller outlets back.
I would love to be a part of a women’s liberal Facebook group. Funnily enough, my group is mostly Trump supporters that quit me when they found out I was a Democrat. I was fighting a bipartisan issue I thought, but I was so wrong. I have been debating on how to transform my group into a more effective one, because there are a few members who do not support Trump or are on the fence.
I was trying to come to Trump supporters with understanding, because I was raised in a rural Southern Baptist community. I thought we could find common ground. I know what they’ve been told to believe all their lives. I was one of them! I failed. I guess I am at a crossroads, because I refuse to quit. Several wanted me to run for office, but I have some serious health issues that hold me back. I am also fairly new to politics. I think it takes a fair amount of craziness to run for a political office. I don’t know if I have it in me.
I would like to add that I don’t envy you in Texas with the likes of Greg Abbot and the trials and tribulations of Ken Paxton which reads like a really bad political thriller. You guys get national air time right now for the border and we get it for IVF. I believe it’s a competition neither of us wants to win.
As they say, everything is bigger in Texas and that definitely includes corruption! Ever since GWB was governor, I keep thinking that we've hit bottom, that there can't be anyone worse than the current one in office. I keep being wrong.
Throw in Florida and we're like the trifecta of terrible states.
abbott and Paxton both suck. They are using our tax dollars to find all their little projects to fuck over the people in this state. It’s not a great place to live anymore and climate change has made the summer unbearable. But my family and friends are here and I just don’t want to leave right now.
Also in healthcare. And from WI, which until a few weeks ago was the most gerrymandered state. BUT- over the course of more than a decade of grueling and patient efforts -we have fairer maps! Read this article by Kuo about how it was done. Guaranteed to give you hope and a roadmap.
Thank you. SCOTUS struck down a couple of the voting districts in Alabama. After a lot of fighting and yelling, the new districts were redrawn. I believe we have a run off for one of the new districts on March 26th. Even with the newly redrawn district, it’s still a struggle to get a Democrat elected. It is progress though and I am thankful.
My dear Lost in Alabama. I feel you. I too have lost my family as a result of this MAGA Cult movement. After my wife passed in March, 2022, my step children made no bones about their intent. They were all Trump supporters, and knowing that I spent several years of my career trying to arrest this clown 🤡 shit 💩 show, they quickly pushed me out. I currently live here in Georgia, when this all took place my wife and I were living with our youngest daughter and her family. After the wife passed, everything went to hell. She ended up cleaning out my bank accounts, and then was evicted, leaving he hinting everything. When the landlady showed up she actually thought I had died! She informed me that she had been there to the horse numerous times the last few months to speak to be about the rent not being paid, but was told I was deathly ill in the hospital, or any number of other stories.
Anyway, I ended up homeless, losing everything, living in the woods under a bridge in January of 2023. If it wasn’t due my youngest stepson and his wife locating me, I guess I’d have died there.
Anyway, we have to keep fighting this cult. There’s no giving in, or giving up, to it. It can be defeated. We just gave to keep plugging along, and working together as one group. That’s it.
You must remember, if we give up this fight, we lose our freedoms, our Democracy, our Constitution, and we start living like peasant Russians currently live. I have lived like that, and I didn’t like it at all. Taking a bath in an ice cold river, drinking nasty water, being without my medical equipment, supplies, medications. It wasn’t fun at all. I don’t wish that life on anyone. And I hate seeing our veterans, and others, that are forced to live in such a manner. But, if it wasn’t for them, the three months I was in that situation, I would not have survived. They all pitched in and kept my crippled ass alive.
We must do the sane with each other. We must keep each other alive, keep democracy alive, and fight these GQP cultist at every step. We will win this battle!!!
I am so incredibly sorry for what you have been through. I think those that helped you remind of us of our own humanity. Life is fragile and bad things happen. Unexpected bad things. We need our communities. They are so important. We need others sometimes, and sometimes they need us. I’m sure you didn’t think you would ever be homeless. Sometimes, I worry about that for myself. If Trump gets elected, I could very well be.
I think the hell that has been rained down on families by Trump is a huge issue in this country. In his efforts to tear down democracy, he has torn so many families and friends apart. I believe this is part of the authoritarian handbook. The US didn’t get the memo.
I believe that this issue is often overlooked. It makes it impossible for people to have civil debates anymore. Trump is up at his podium every day spouting out hate, calling people dehumanizing names, making all of his opponents evil. He’s like a deranged third grader saying “I know I am, but what are you?” How do you reason with this? He is priming his followers for violence.
A Christian guy named Kirk said the other day on TV, “Democrats are not Christians. We must be prepared to fight the next day if Trump loses.” As a former Christian, I know how his words are being received all across America. He is echoing Trump’s bloodbath rhetoric.
Like you, I can’t not fight. I get ridiculed on a daily basis, because no one around me believes Trump will destroy us. I’m told I am being paranoid. I don’t think so. It sounds so dramatic. I can’t wrap my head around it.
So, I am spending my Sunday binge watching Resident Alien. It’s about an alien who has come to earth to kill all of the humans, but he wrecks his spaceship, and gets infected with humanity. I think we all need to get infected with a little humanity these days!
I'm from Michigan and have traveled to EUFAULA and it's ashamed those useless politicians don't care seems they want to go back in time I feel sorry for those are blue
I should have qualified “decent”. I mean that they chose to quit rather than to continue with the bullshit. If they were really decent, they would have stayed and fought.
Let's hope the Ukrainian aid package busts loose soon enough to prevent Putin from going nuclear on his false-flag effort to implicate Ukraine in the theater massacre in Moscow.
What makes me crazy is that when will all these people be held accountable ? Mike johnson is solely responsible for the thousands of lives list on ukraine for stopping congress from voting on it. because of his job? They should be arrested and thrown in jail FOR LIFE.
I don't hate Republicans - everyone is entitled to their own opinions and views, etc - but this really has long been stupid. Destructive. Damaging to others. Even lethal. Trump dulled us over the years to the unspeakable behavior, but it's time we looked at this with fresh eyes and do what should have been done long ago. Condemn this absurdity and squash it. Let's hope the polls groan from the outpouring of voters.
Republicans don't want a "right to their own opinions", they want a right to their own facts and it doesn't work that way. Facts are facts. They don't get to make up their own.
I changed my mind. Saturday's Just for Xeets and Giggles takes second place to today's Status Report on the GOP, having garnered more smirks, smiles and audible chuckles from this reader!
As for the discharge petition, I have been following the vote count coming out of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Before they recessed, the count was 191 signatures. 190 Democrats signed, to Ken Buck's 1 signature. Scroll to end for number.
So helpful in knowing what is coming and being able to explain it to others.
I’m only sorry that Gaza gets barely mentioned. Hundreds of thousands of people being purposely starved to death is always newsworthy. Especially when it is happening on our penny.
At least, Canada is stopping military aid to Israel, and Finland is restarting donations to the United Nations refugee aid organization.
There are very few people who see all the clamoring for the "aid for Israel" package for what it is: A guarantee for more slaughter and dispossession in Gaza and the West Bank, plus yet another lifeline to keep the criminal murderer Netanyahu in office. The hell with that.
“House banshee” 🤣🤣🤣
And then designating her as (Q-Ga) was inspired. LMAO. Great way to start the day.
I loved the (Q-GA). I live in GA, but thankfully not in her district! This bimbo is a total disgrace to this state!!! She goes out of her way to act foolish, childish, stupid, and ignorant.
Wait, that’s Frumpy!!! Is she been partaken by his tiny hands and fingers? Maybe that’s what’s ailing her. She’s not had anything ‘bigger’!!!
I don't think it's an act. From the (thankfully) relatively little I've seen/heard from/of her she's all those things and more. Apologies to anyone who's read this before, but some years ago my friends and I came up with a six point scale of stupidity: fool, idiot, imbecile, retard, moron & cretin. We're going to have to find another category for her (and her rabid ilk – it's also changed over time; ‘clown’ was in there at one point, after fool and before idiot. If anyone has any suggestions for expanding the list, or replacing any of the categories, they'd be most welcome. I intend to do a bit more research myself). Interestingly enough, there was, apparently, a similar scale that was used by the psychiatric and legal professions, proposed some time in the first half of the 20th century. Idiot was the worst on that scale, used for people with a mental age of two or less (if you're interested, this is the Wikipedia entry where I found the reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiot?wprov=sfla1 )
but we felt that ‘idiot’ has lost its strength as it seems much to innocuous & relatively harmless for people like MTG.
Nicholas, how tight you are. “Idiot” doesn’t even come into the same room as MTG, Matt Gaetz, Lauren Blowbert, and the rest of that GQP group of traitors!!!
might want to reconsider the use of the word retard.
Thank you for your input, I appreciate and I will bear it in mind. Any suggestions for a replacement? Of course I mean no disrespect to people who suffer from genuine leaning difficulties of any kind. The point wasn't to make fun of the afflicted, rather those, like the teflon tramp who think they're so much smarter than everyone else and have three temerity to consider themselves for to tell everyone else what to do it how to behave.
Sorry, for was meant to be fit to tell everyone else.
I see her referred to as Q-Ga a lot!
It was a first for me. Love it!
Me too!
Yes, me too.
That's automatic for Jay, he does it every time. :-)
I did have to check that. I had assumed that “Q-GA” had something to do with QAnon-Georgia but was confused because, as far as I'm aware, QAnon are not a political party, just a bunch of batshit crazies (excuse the language). I like House Banshee too. 🤣. Excuse my ignorance, but I'm German by birth and British by citizenship (my family moved here when I was 9).
Damn, Nicholas. You might be stuck in one of Frumpy’s “concentration camps” and deported along with the rest of us.
You might want to keep your heritage to yourself. If he finds out you are part German and British, you’re a goner for sure!!!
I'd take it as a badge of honour, but the chances are, currently, fairly remote, as I live in London. Of course, our current hopelessly inept government is ignorant enough to still fall for his cons. They're just as eager to associate themselves with his rancid views and, even more so, his apparent wealth. Of course the ‘teflon tramp’ has been let off once again with the NY court reducing his fines to $175,000,000 (I don't know if that sobriquet has been used before, but it was my reaction to the NY court's decision: given how much he's getting away with, how everyone seems to be bending over backwards to treat him with kid gloves… hence teflon as, like Bozo (Boris Johnson), our corrupt, venal and disgraced former Prime Minister, nothing seems to stick. My hope is that, as in Bozo's case, that it's all mounting up and when it finally does hit the fan it'll be with a vengeance and all his tawdry gold will turn to brown). He really is a cretin, boasting that he's got $½ billion in cash one minute and his lawyers claiming he's virtually destitute the next, that $500 million is an “unprecedentedly” vast sum for a private company (it's far from it with numerous cases of $1-1½ billion: Apple vs Samsung was $1.3 billion, for example, and one was as high as $13 billion). He just can't help shooting his mouth off, yet more evidence that he's as thick as two short planks, not to mention his obviously deteriorating rescue for a brain (what is it with the whole ‘Biden's too old/has a failing memory’ when Teflon Tramp is now a year older than Biden was when he took office and the total gobbledygook he increasingly comes out with?). I say let him, let him and eventually he'll incriminate himself to such an extent that it can no longer be ignored. He just has to brag about how rich & clever he is, what a fantastic businessman he is. Four bankruptcies, for casinos?! The odds are 70/30 in favour of the house, how can you lose money on a casino? No doubt he wasted vast amounts of money in tasteless, gaudy decor (“Gold! More gold! We can't have people thinking I'm poor!” Not just tasteless, but the truly rich don't need to show off how rich they are, they know and don't care; just more evidence that he's nowhere near as rich as he claims). After all, it wasn't his money he was wasting, it was his creditors'. That's another thing, his lawyers whining that no one's prepared to put up a $½ billion bond. For one thing it's not uncommon to have several companies putting up a share of the bond, say $100-200 million each. He'd only need 3-5 companies stupid enough to gamble on him, but that's what happens when you welch on your promises (I'm not a being man, but I'd say it's pretty surefire that he'll welch on any bonds he gets). Personally, I think the real reason he didn't pay is that he couldn't. He lost the fortune he inherited and has only ever lived off other people's money. It's the one thing he got right: if you con people into believing that you're loaded, they'll fall over themselves to lend you millions. By now they should all know it's all show and scam. It's always seemed obvious to me that he's got a massive inferiority complex and all the ostentatious show of wealth was overcompensating and hiding something.
Anyway, I've gone on long enough and I'm not telling you anything you don't know better than I. Apologies for that and thank you for your kind concern.
Nicholas, you may go in and in all you wish. The more folks tgg he at read your writing from London, and how the folks over there are acting, Ms be some f these here will wake up and smell the damn coffee.
Today I saw her referred to as "the whore of babble on"--even better!
One of the best I’ve seen!!
Oh! I love that one!!
😂🤣👍!!! Epic!!!
That's good, yes!
I laughed out loud at that! Perfect description!
What's really funny about this is that just for grins I double clicked the word in Chrome to get a formal definition of the word Banshee, and this is what I got:
"(in Irish legend) a female spirit whose wailing warns of an impending death in a house."
"Marjorie Three Names" (Q-GA)
While I don't know the exact definition of " firebrand " , I personally believe it indicates someone with a lot of vim and vigor that stands , loudly, for something they believe in. Does anyone know what M-T Greene ( say the letters out loud) stands for besides noise and chaos? Banshee defines her perfectly. And my visuals are great !
That's what I always call her: Empty Greene
Actually, I think I got that one from you. I love it!
You are most very welcome!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Oh, I dunno. I'm rather partial to "la babuina."
How awesome was that?!
The Hastert Rule, named for disgraced and disgraceful former Republican Speaker Dennis Hastert, only permitted bills to be voted upon provided they had a majority of the majority. But for the Hastert Rule immigration reform would have passed years ago and we would all be better off. Now it appears the rule is either dead or dying. Good riddance. Send no flowers. Feel free to dance on its grave.
The real majority in the House are most Dems and moderate Republicans. Question: if Johnson supports Ukraine aide, why hasn’t he used the real majority to get that aide passed weeks ago, as the same “real majority“ would presumably have protected him then from a motion to vacate? What am I missing?
Two reasons. First, whether when push comes to shove any Democrats will support Johnson on a motion to vacate is questionable. Second, Trump opposes any Ukraine aid and Johnson is very reluctant to oppose Trump on anything.
Thx for the explanation. If the Democrats come to Johnson’s rescue, perhaps the real majority in the House will find a way to pass bipartisan legislation like the Border bill - or is that just a naive hope?
Liza, nothing is ‘naive hope’ when it comes to this band of GQP Trumpublicans.
One thing these Democrats must not forget, and we might need to call and remind them over this two week break. Bonding IS NOW and ALWAYS WILL BE a Trump loving MAGA supporter. He has carried the tech for Trump, been to Mar-a-Lago and kissed the ring, bowed and kissed the feet, of their wannabe dictator. He does exactly as Trump says do. He always has ever since he’s been selected as the Speaker.
We just remember. Johnson was dejected as the Speaker of the House AFTER Trump gave the ‘green light’ and endorsed his selection.
MAKE THE CALL TO YOUR DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE!!!
Let them know that they MUST proceed with extreme caution in dealing with the two-faced Johnson. He will do everything he can to preserve his Speakership position!!! Even if it means throwing some Democrat Representatives under the proverbial Trump bus!!!
I would count on tffg pounding heavily on Speaker Johnson over the next two weeks along with the extreme right flank of GQP Trumpublicans. Johnson can’t be trusted. Hopefully since MTG filed her partition as not privileged, the Dems can get Johnson to bring up the Ukraine aid bill before dealing with Marjorie 3 IQ.
Hopefully they do. I’d like you to see the aid we owe to Ukraine get heading to them. Hopefully we can send them enough to end this bull💩with Putin.
Great point. Once mtg threatened to file, he should've checked his support w/Dems and then gotten the Ukraine aid passed. Dems, on their part, could also have been ready to add the border bill as part of the deal.
Jay Kuo: Damn, you are GOOD! "Comer, Comer, Cormer, Karma, Chamelion!"
You give so much that is USABLE. That one I'll remember!
As far as Ukraine, the best news I heard has come from our ally, France, where Army Chief of Staff Pierre Schill recently announced France is ready on 30-days notice to send a division of 20,000 combat troops to Ukraine, especially to fight in border areas, such as near Belarus.
Moreover, France is considering as many as 60,000 troops in light of the war's threat to the national interests of France.
See:
https://www.fr.de/politik/frankreich-schill-macron-russland-belgorod-kursk-putin-akw-nato-bodentruppen-ukraine-zr-92904616.html
https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/generalstabschef-des-heeres-sind-bereit-19600700.html
The news from France brings me great cheer!
Bless France for the willingness to risk so much for the lives in peril!
If France joins the war in Ukraine overtly, Putin will take it as an invite to attack other European countries and NATO members. This would mean a total escalation of the war in Europe and including putting the nuclear option back in play. I am not sure this is a great reason to cheer.
Gabriela: This is in the category of, "There is something for everyone."
Germany is NOT on board.
Since we are in a brief mode of comment and reply, I am not going to go into all the factors here that bring me cheer.
But you are absolutely right: Not only is escalation possible, including the "nuclear option," but the politics in Germany is full of dialogue on this issue.
There are many reasons why Germany is not on board.
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz even hesitates on sending Ukraine many weapons and Germany absolutely exercises its will to ensure that Europe moves TOGETHER and in consultation.
Gabriela: You raise a very good, well-thought out point. Nothing is yet in stone. Germany will not send Taurus Missiles to Ukraine, while England and France pledge the Storm- and the SCALP-EG equivalents to Ukraine.
Since I have roots in Germany and am bilingual with friends over 40 years as close as cousins, I have a real stake in the survival especially of Germany and the Low Countries and in the freedom and prosperity of the Continent in general.
Olaf Scholz and Emanuelle Macron consult closely, if frostily. The factors you raise are being carefully weighed by the heads of state.
The immorality of holding up aid to Ukraine is breath-taking.
It's truly disgusting
He professes Christianity. Nothing is less Christian than allowing innocent people to die when you can do something to prevent it.
Amen.
Most especially in the face of what we've sent Israel. It's sickening. Deprive one people who are fighting for their lives and nation, while aiding the destruction of another people's lives and land.
I agree that MTG may have finally lost her influence by trying to be more powerful than she is. Her hubris knows no bounds, and that makes her stupid. She may still win with her “constituents” but she will be forever despised by colleagues in the house. There is dumb and dumber, and then there is Marjorie.
She's dumb as a box of hair. I would say box of rocks but I think I've owned pet rocks that are smarter :)
Wow, Jay. Very impressed by your ability to provide us the facts in a such a witty way.
Agreed! Such a joy to read his writing.
Thank you for such a great summary of the utter failure that the GOP has become in Washington. Now, decent GOP members are jumping for their lives off a burning sinking ship that has hit an iceberg. The GOP is going down due to their own absurd, childish in-fighting. I have second hand embarrassment, but as much as I find this funny sometimes, I cannot forgot they are out to destroy this country.
I know we deal with trauma with laughter. I do it all the time being in the healthcare field. Humor is my sanity in this current situation. It makes all the awfulness slide down a little easier. Until it doesn’t. Then comes time for the work, but I am not sure what work I am supposed to be doing here in Alabama.
Unlike Washington, the GOP here are trucking along. I feel and sound like a tired record at this point. I believe many Alabamians stopped listening a long time ago. The Alabama Republicans are successfully banning everything here left and right. I have whiplash as I told Jess Piper.
We have investigative journalists, reporters, and authors who speak against the GOP leadership, but Alabama voters don’t care. They prove it every time they go to the polls. I try to tell myself that it is due to the gerrymandering and voter suppression laws, but I don’t know anymore. Is this really what the majority of Alabamians want?
I feel your pain as I live in Texas. Our governor (using that term loosely) recently dipped into his war chest to fund primary challenges against those Republican reps who voted (wisely for once) against school vouchers. Many of those challengers - even worse than those currently in office if that can be believed - won their primaries. So here we are. The worst of us are "governing", vouchers are almost certain to pass, Abbott is taking local power away, and our AG continues, like Trump, to get away with his criminality. Republican voters seem just fine with that situation although, to be fair, I doubt many of them know about it. They're not informed, just brainwashed.
Texas too is extremely gerrymandered and our voter suppression is among the worst in the country. Unlike other states, we the people have no power to put issues directly on the ballot. Only the idiots in Austin can do that. I have no idea how Texas is going to get itself out of the death spiral we're in.
Others have come to that conclusion as well and we're experiencing a slow but steady brain drain, especially among healthcare professionals and teachers. I'd say that this would wake people up but we're too big a state for the impact to be felt for years. Plus, our tax status means a lot of companies want to set up shop here. I fear very deeply for the future of Texas and good Texans.
Gov. Kay Ivey just signed the school voucher bill into law a couple of days ago. Just another day in the neighborhood. I agree with you that most people don’t seem to have a clue about what is going on with their own state government, much less federal.
I found in my research for my Facebook group concerning the corruption of the Alabama Public Service Commission, that the Texas Christian nationalist billionaire Tim Dunn, gave Ivey a lot of campaign money in 2022 from an out of state PAC. He’s buying his Calvary for the second coming of Trump across the deeply red states.
Trying to disprove a Republican “fact” to Trumpers is the absolute worse. I gave up on my family and friends a long time ago. The cult of Trump stands strong in their ignorance. They will fight to stay uninformed as much as they fight for Trump. I am so tired, afraid, and hopeless because you don’t dare mention “He who shall not be named” in public here. That is a sure way to start a fight, so I keep my mouth shut. If I accidentally slip up, an all out war commences. Me against the rest.
I follow the Birmingham Reddit group to remind myself that there are like-minded people in Alabama. I read the hate and threats that are allowed by the moderator. I have had comments removed because they were anti-Trump, not threatening or disrespectful.
I say all of this to ask, “What can we do to save our country? And, to save our families?” My relationship rules are no politics, no religion, and no LGBTQ. This is how I maintain my relationships with my friends and family. It is sad that it’s come to this. Now, they do not abide by this rule. They get to talk all they want. I feel like it’s the same thing with the media now. It’s about who can yell the loudest, not who is actually right.
Are you familiar with Joyce Vance's substack Civil Discourse? She is a renowned
American lawyer who served as the United States ttorney for the Northern District of Alabama from 2009 to 2017. You might get some comfort reading her substack.
https://joycevance.substack.com/about
Starting to rely more and more on Substack, with voices like Jay, Joyce Vance, Heather Cox Richardson, Dan Rather, even Jeff Tiedrich, Wonkette, and now Andy Borowitz.
The Bulwark is very good too!
Thank you for the recommendation. I haven’t been on Substack for very long. I didn’t know Joyce Vance had one. I am checking it out now!😊
Just to be clear, she actually lives in Alabama!
Supergood suggestion!
I'm so sorry! I know how horrible things can be as a sane/reasonable/compassionate/blue person living in a red area. And, btw, I too am in healthcare. However, I work for myself (I'm a psychologist) which makes things a lot easier. Plus, people seeking counseling tend to be more liberal.
Back in 2016, a local woman started a FB group for liberal women in our county. I joined when there were just 80 women. Now there are over 5,000. Not all members are in our county but most are (women from other counties begged to join). It's been very, very helpful. Not only can women see there are many more of us than we realized but we've been able to have meet-ups and even engage in political action. A number of women in the group have even run for office! Is there a way to do something like that or would it be too dangerous for you?
I completely agree that trying to argue with cultists is a waste of time. But maybe you can start with things you all agree upon. Since they're not informed, they likely don't know what's at stake or how things work. Share good memories of your time in public school or teachers who were special to you and ask them to do the same. Then casually mention how important that was to you. Or mention things students today could do with more money. Plant seeds. I've found that since Texans have been so suppressed for so long, they have no idea of what's possible or even what various government officials SHOULD be doing. If you bring up this information in a casual and non-combative way, you may slide over their defenses. And once people's world is rocked, even in a small way, they start seeing things differently. That's how we de-program people in cults. For example, Megan Phelps Roper got deprogrammed when she started arguing with people on Twitter and they were kind and patient with her. When she discovered her "enemies" weren't evil, her views changed.
And yes, the media has a LOT to answer for. They haven't been doing their jobs for decades and it shows. We need to start holding them more accountable and trying to get smaller outlets back.
Hang in there!
I would love to be a part of a women’s liberal Facebook group. Funnily enough, my group is mostly Trump supporters that quit me when they found out I was a Democrat. I was fighting a bipartisan issue I thought, but I was so wrong. I have been debating on how to transform my group into a more effective one, because there are a few members who do not support Trump or are on the fence.
I was trying to come to Trump supporters with understanding, because I was raised in a rural Southern Baptist community. I thought we could find common ground. I know what they’ve been told to believe all their lives. I was one of them! I failed. I guess I am at a crossroads, because I refuse to quit. Several wanted me to run for office, but I have some serious health issues that hold me back. I am also fairly new to politics. I think it takes a fair amount of craziness to run for a political office. I don’t know if I have it in me.
I would like to add that I don’t envy you in Texas with the likes of Greg Abbot and the trials and tribulations of Ken Paxton which reads like a really bad political thriller. You guys get national air time right now for the border and we get it for IVF. I believe it’s a competition neither of us wants to win.
As they say, everything is bigger in Texas and that definitely includes corruption! Ever since GWB was governor, I keep thinking that we've hit bottom, that there can't be anyone worse than the current one in office. I keep being wrong.
Throw in Florida and we're like the trifecta of terrible states.
abbott and Paxton both suck. They are using our tax dollars to find all their little projects to fuck over the people in this state. It’s not a great place to live anymore and climate change has made the summer unbearable. But my family and friends are here and I just don’t want to leave right now.
I feel your pain. I am in the same boat.
Also in healthcare. And from WI, which until a few weeks ago was the most gerrymandered state. BUT- over the course of more than a decade of grueling and patient efforts -we have fairer maps! Read this article by Kuo about how it was done. Guaranteed to give you hope and a roadmap.
https://statuskuo.substack.com/cp/142769360
Thank you. SCOTUS struck down a couple of the voting districts in Alabama. After a lot of fighting and yelling, the new districts were redrawn. I believe we have a run off for one of the new districts on March 26th. Even with the newly redrawn district, it’s still a struggle to get a Democrat elected. It is progress though and I am thankful.
My dear Lost in Alabama. I feel you. I too have lost my family as a result of this MAGA Cult movement. After my wife passed in March, 2022, my step children made no bones about their intent. They were all Trump supporters, and knowing that I spent several years of my career trying to arrest this clown 🤡 shit 💩 show, they quickly pushed me out. I currently live here in Georgia, when this all took place my wife and I were living with our youngest daughter and her family. After the wife passed, everything went to hell. She ended up cleaning out my bank accounts, and then was evicted, leaving he hinting everything. When the landlady showed up she actually thought I had died! She informed me that she had been there to the horse numerous times the last few months to speak to be about the rent not being paid, but was told I was deathly ill in the hospital, or any number of other stories.
Anyway, I ended up homeless, losing everything, living in the woods under a bridge in January of 2023. If it wasn’t due my youngest stepson and his wife locating me, I guess I’d have died there.
Anyway, we have to keep fighting this cult. There’s no giving in, or giving up, to it. It can be defeated. We just gave to keep plugging along, and working together as one group. That’s it.
You must remember, if we give up this fight, we lose our freedoms, our Democracy, our Constitution, and we start living like peasant Russians currently live. I have lived like that, and I didn’t like it at all. Taking a bath in an ice cold river, drinking nasty water, being without my medical equipment, supplies, medications. It wasn’t fun at all. I don’t wish that life on anyone. And I hate seeing our veterans, and others, that are forced to live in such a manner. But, if it wasn’t for them, the three months I was in that situation, I would not have survived. They all pitched in and kept my crippled ass alive.
We must do the sane with each other. We must keep each other alive, keep democracy alive, and fight these GQP cultist at every step. We will win this battle!!!
I am so incredibly sorry for what you have been through. I think those that helped you remind of us of our own humanity. Life is fragile and bad things happen. Unexpected bad things. We need our communities. They are so important. We need others sometimes, and sometimes they need us. I’m sure you didn’t think you would ever be homeless. Sometimes, I worry about that for myself. If Trump gets elected, I could very well be.
I think the hell that has been rained down on families by Trump is a huge issue in this country. In his efforts to tear down democracy, he has torn so many families and friends apart. I believe this is part of the authoritarian handbook. The US didn’t get the memo.
I believe that this issue is often overlooked. It makes it impossible for people to have civil debates anymore. Trump is up at his podium every day spouting out hate, calling people dehumanizing names, making all of his opponents evil. He’s like a deranged third grader saying “I know I am, but what are you?” How do you reason with this? He is priming his followers for violence.
A Christian guy named Kirk said the other day on TV, “Democrats are not Christians. We must be prepared to fight the next day if Trump loses.” As a former Christian, I know how his words are being received all across America. He is echoing Trump’s bloodbath rhetoric.
Like you, I can’t not fight. I get ridiculed on a daily basis, because no one around me believes Trump will destroy us. I’m told I am being paranoid. I don’t think so. It sounds so dramatic. I can’t wrap my head around it.
So, I am spending my Sunday binge watching Resident Alien. It’s about an alien who has come to earth to kill all of the humans, but he wrecks his spaceship, and gets infected with humanity. I think we all need to get infected with a little humanity these days!
I'm from Michigan and have traveled to EUFAULA and it's ashamed those useless politicians don't care seems they want to go back in time I feel sorry for those are blue
I have had this actual nightmare - Kay Ivey dancing in her blackface on her plantation with her slaves.
No more politics before bedtime🤣😭
Just sad
It is sad, because Alabama is a beautiful state and people used to be kind and welcoming. That ended when Trump came along.
Well the citizens in Eufaula have great hospitality very friendly and helpful it reminded me of the little town I live in
There are no decent GOP members.
I should have qualified “decent”. I mean that they chose to quit rather than to continue with the bullshit. If they were really decent, they would have stayed and fought.
Referring to Ms Greene as “dumb as rocks” is grossly unfair to geological samples.
I just made the comment that I've had pet rocks that were smarter LOL
Pam, nothing wrong with that. I think all of have had a few pets that were smarter than MTG, and her band if total misfits!
For sure!
Let's hope the Ukrainian aid package busts loose soon enough to prevent Putin from going nuclear on his false-flag effort to implicate Ukraine in the theater massacre in Moscow.
Comer: “Not the best path forward”. You can’t move forward when you’ve been handed your ass on a silver platter umpteen times.
What makes me crazy is that when will all these people be held accountable ? Mike johnson is solely responsible for the thousands of lives list on ukraine for stopping congress from voting on it. because of his job? They should be arrested and thrown in jail FOR LIFE.
Isn't treason life in prison?
LOL!!!! He's such a nimrod!
I nearly spit out my coffee when I read “Comer, Comer, Comer karma chameleon”! You are king of schadenfreude!
I don't hate Republicans - everyone is entitled to their own opinions and views, etc - but this really has long been stupid. Destructive. Damaging to others. Even lethal. Trump dulled us over the years to the unspeakable behavior, but it's time we looked at this with fresh eyes and do what should have been done long ago. Condemn this absurdity and squash it. Let's hope the polls groan from the outpouring of voters.
Republicans don't want a "right to their own opinions", they want a right to their own facts and it doesn't work that way. Facts are facts. They don't get to make up their own.
The ones in question? Yeah, you won't get any argument from me there.
I changed my mind. Saturday's Just for Xeets and Giggles takes second place to today's Status Report on the GOP, having garnered more smirks, smiles and audible chuckles from this reader!
As for the discharge petition, I have been following the vote count coming out of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Before they recessed, the count was 191 signatures. 190 Democrats signed, to Ken Buck's 1 signature. Scroll to end for number.
https://clerk.house.gov/DischargePetition/2024031209?CongressNum=118
They really do take a lot of time in recess when so much for so many is at stake.
Thanks for the count update.
Isn't this the second 2-week break in 3 months?
I think so. They’re tired, I guess.
Oh, Laura—we’ve been calling Republicans the stupid party for 40 years. Your America-hating faction included.
This is a great report, thanks for the details, insight and clarity.
So helpful in knowing what is coming and being able to explain it to others.
I’m only sorry that Gaza gets barely mentioned. Hundreds of thousands of people being purposely starved to death is always newsworthy. Especially when it is happening on our penny.
At least, Canada is stopping military aid to Israel, and Finland is restarting donations to the United Nations refugee aid organization.
Thanks again.
The aid bill has aid to Gaza in it, so to hold it up is not only horrific for Ukraine but also the people of Gaza.
There are very few people who see all the clamoring for the "aid for Israel" package for what it is: A guarantee for more slaughter and dispossession in Gaza and the West Bank, plus yet another lifeline to keep the criminal murderer Netanyahu in office. The hell with that.