;)
Thursday
Jan052023
January 5, 2023
Late Morning/Afternoon Update:
The New York Times' live updates of developments in Republican House members' efforts to select a speaker are here. ~~~
~~~ Marie: The vote in Round 7 is essentially the same as it was in the previous two rounds: 212 votes for Jeffries, 201 for McCarthy, 19 for Donalds & 1 "present." Oh, and Gaetz voted for Trump. Gaetz should nominate Trump in the next round, and -- as Trump likes to say, "we'll see what happens." ~~~
~~~ Catie Edmondson & Annie Karni: "Representative Kevin McCarthy of California on Thursday lost a seventh vote for the speakership.... After losing a half-dozen consecutive votes in two humiliating days, Mr. McCarthy by Thursday had privately agreed to more demands from the right-wing dissidents, embracing measures that would weaken the speakership considerably and that he had previously refused to countenance. One would allow a single lawmaker to force a snap vote to oust the speaker...." ~~~
~~~ Marie: The House held its 8th vote for speaker Thursday afternoon, and the results were essentially the same: 212 for Jeffries, 201 for McCarthy, 17 for Donalds, 2 for Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, 1 for Donald Trump, and 1 "present." The House is moving into the 9th round of votes. This has gone from ridiculous to borrrr-ing. ~~~
~~~ Marie: Okey-doke. The House held its 9th vote, and the results were Jeffries 212, McCarthy 200, Donalds 17, Hern 3, and 1 "present." Apparently one member has left for the day, as My Kevin came up one short of his results in the last several tries. We are moving into Vote No. 10, apparently because Kevin does not have the votes to adjourn. ~~~
~~~ Marie: The House was not supposed to be in session Friday, so members from both parties have, you know, other plans. But it looks as if the votes will go on Friday. So we'll see how these anticipated absentees affect the outcomes. ~~~
~~~ Marie: Oh, here's a surprise: the totals on the 10th roll call were Jeffries 212; McCarthy 200, Donalds 13, Hern 7, & 1 voting "present." Apparently My Kevin & his crew are continuing to negotiate with the terrorists. ~~~
~~~ Marie: CNN invited Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) on to talk about the House fiasco, and he addressed Erin Burnett as "young lady." (She's about 8 years younger that Troy.) When Burnett jovially replied that she would take the "young lady" remark as a compliment, Troy said, "Of course it was. This is my first time on the Clinton News Network." I've found a new person to despise. ~~~
~~~ The vote on the 11th roll call was Jeffries 212, McCarthy 200, Donalds 12, Hern 7, Trump 1, and 1 "present." The House adjourned till noon tomorrow, the second anniversary of Insurrection Day, a day that will live in infamy and one that My Kevin & so many other House members caused. ~~~
~~~ The Washington Post's live updates of developments in the House of Representatives are here. NBC News live updates of House proceedings are here.
The Party of Nothing. Lisa Lerer & Reid Epstein of the New York Times: "After two days of chaos and confusion on the House floor, Republicans have made it abundantly clear who is leading their party: absolutely no one.... With no unified legislative agenda, clear leadership or shared vision for the country, Republicans find themselves mired in intraparty warfare, defined by a fringe element that seems more eager to tear down the House than to rebuild the foundation of a political party that has faced disappointment in the past three national elections. Even as Donald J. Trump rarely leaves his Florida home in what so far appears to be little more than a Potemkin presidential campaign, Republicans have failed to quell the anti-establishment fervor that accompanied his rise to power. Instead, those tumultuous political forces now threaten to devour the entire party."
Noam Scheiber of the New York Times: "In a far-reaching move that could raise wages and increase competition among businesses, the Federal Trade Commission on Thursday unveiled a rule that would block companies from limiting their employees' ability to work for a rival. The proposed rule would ban provisions of labor contracts known as noncompete agreements, which prevent workers from leaving for a competitor or starting a competing business for months or years after their employment, often within a certain geographic area. The agreements have applied to workers as varied as sandwich makers, hair stylists, doctors and software engineers."
~~~~~~~~~~
Groundhog Day All Over Again
Disarray, She Wrote. Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: "A right-wing Republican revolt paralyzed the House for a second painful day on Wednesday, leaving Representative Kevin McCarthy of California fighting for political survival after losing a half-dozen consecutive votes for speaker and no clear path forward to allow Congress to function. In a spectacle on the House floor not seen in 100 years, unrelenting hard-right lawmakers refused repeatedly to throw their support behind Mr. McCarthy, the party leader, who suffered another three humiliating defeats in a grim replay of the three he endured on Tuesday. The episode again put Republican divisions on vivid display, grinding the House to a standstill and extending an ignominious start to the new Republican majority, potentially foreshadowing an era of dysfunction and disarray."
Amy Wang, et al., of the Washington Post: "The House adjourned Wednesday evening after a raucous scramble as Democrats tried to block Republicans from approving [a] motion to adjourn.... A group of McCarthy allies and a group of hard-right holdouts, who have now six times voted against McCarthy, huddled for hours in a Capitol office to continue negotiations after an earlier adjournment. During the last-minute negotiations, McCarthy made final concessions to a group of 20 lawmakers in hopes that it could end their blockade ahead of votes Thursday, according to four people familiar with the talks.... McCarthy emerged from the meeting bluntly telling reporters that the impasse continued, but suggested that progress was being made. 'I don't think a vote tonight will make a difference,' he said. 'But a vote in the future will.'"
Lisa Mascaro & Farnoush Amiri of the AP: “What started as a political novelty, the first time in 100 years a nominee has not won the gavel on the first vote, has devolved into a bitter Republican Party feud and deepening potential crisis. [Kevin] McCarthy is under growing pressure from restless Republicans, and Democrats, to find the votes he needs or step aside, so the House can open fully and get on with the business of governing. His right-flank detractors appear intent on waiting him out, as long as it takes.... [Former Speaker Nancy] Pelosi ... said the Republicans' 'cavalier attitude in electing a Speaker is frivolous, disrespectful and unworthy of this institution. We must open the House and proceed with the People's work.'"
The House of Representatives isn't essentially nonfunctional. It's totally nonfunctional. -- Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.)
Luke Broadwater of the New York Times: "Without a speaker, the United States House of Representatives essentially becomes a useless entity. Because none of its members can be sworn in until a speaker is chosen, there are no lawmakers to respond to an emergency or a crisis, only representatives-elect. With no rules adopted, the legislative process cannot move forward; no bills can be passed or resolutions adopted.... Returning lawmakers have lost their security clearances to get private briefings from the military and the intelligence agencies because, having not been sworn in, they are not officially members of Congress.... Representative Mike Gallagher, Republican of Wisconsin and a former Marine, was supposed to become chairman of a select committee scrutinizing Chinese aggression, but on Wednesday he was not allowed in a scheduled meeting with top military brass in a secure facility -- known as a SCIF -- because he has yet to be sworn in as a member of the new Congress.... ~~~
~~~ "Law and precedents state that the House must elect a speaker before lawmakers take any other action.... For more than 200 years, the House has used provisions from the Constitution and from a 1789 law to form the basis for its order. According to the Revised Statutes of the United States, at the first session of Congress, the body must first swear in a speaker who then administers the oath of office to all members present,'previous to entering on any other business.' This statute, along with a precedent from March 4, 1869, provides that the election of a speaker is the first and highest priority of the House." A related AP story is here.
The Irrelevance of the Trumpster. Ashley Parker & Josh Dawsey of the Washington Post: "For the first time in recent memory..., Donald Trump found himself relegated this week to the outskirts of a humiliating Republican implosion.... In the end [of a long run-up to the speaker's race,] Trump supported [Kevin] McCarthy's candidacy -- and his party responded with a collective shrug. The former president and his endorsement, it seemed, were essentially irrelevant. The 20 Republicans who voted against McCarthy were nearly all hardcore Trump loyalists.... Even after Trump put out a statement Wednesday morning on his Truth Social platform reiterating his support for McCarthy, [Trump hanger-on Matt] Gaetz remained unmoved: 'Sad!' Gaetz told Fox News Digital in a statement. 'This changes neither my view of McCarthy, nor Trump, nor my vote.'... 'Even having my favorite president call us and tell us we need to knock this off, I think it actually needs to be reversed,' [Trumpette Lauren] Boebert said. 'The president needs to tell Kevin McCarthy that, "Sir, you do not have the votes and it's time to withdraw."'" A related NBC News story, by Jonathan Allen, is here.
Dominick Mastrangelo of the Hill: "Fox News host Sean Hannity repeatedly pressed Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Col.) about her efforts to block Rep. Kevin McCarthy's (R-Calif.) bid to claim the Speakership this week during a tense interview on his nightly program on Wednesday.... After Boebert suggested she might nominate former President Trump, who has urged all Republicans to support McCarthy, Hannity scoffed, saying, 'Is this a game show? Like we're gonna pick [Rep.] Jim Jordan [R-Ohio] one day, Trump the other day?'" ~~~
~~~ BUT. Steve M.: TuKKKer & Cancun Ted want you to know that chaos in the House is a good thing: democracy in action or something. MB: Yes, because a small group of terrorists holding hostage the federal government is mighty democratic. On the upside, this is a bloodless insurrection: ~~~
~~~ Marie: Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a second-term Democratic Congressman from New York (that is, once he's sworn in), appearing on MSNBC, said he was an optimistic person: "The first time I came to Congress, there was a bloody insurrection. So what's going on now, even though it's bad, is an improvement." (Paraphrase.)
Thanks for the Handout, Kevin. Now Get Lost. Madison Fernandez of Politico: "In the 2022 election cycle alone, political groups affiliated with Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) spent over $1 million supporting Republican representatives who have now voted against him for speaker, according to a review of federal campaign finance records."
Except where indicated, from the New York Times' liveblog of developments Wednesday in the Race to Defeat My Kevin, also linked yesterday afternoon, with entries running into the evening: ~~~
~~~ Stephanie Lai: "Victoria Spartz, Republican of Indiana, voted present, leaving McCarthy with one less vote than yesterday. She previously voted for McCarthy three times.... The 20 dissenters who voted for Jim Jordan in the third vote yesterday have all voted for Byron Donalds in the fourth vote." ~~~
~~~ Michael Gold: "... George Santos has spent most of the vote in the Republican cloakroom, away from cameras and reporters. He came out briefly to vote for McCarthy."
~~~ Oh, Lordie. Maggie Astor: "We're heading for a fifth vote...." ~~~
~~~ MB: The outcome of the fifth vote looks just like the fourth: 212 for Jeffries, 201 for My Kevin, 20 for Donalds & 1 voting present.
After three undeciding votes, no member can lay claim to [the speaker's] office. How long will he remain there before he is considered a squatter? -- Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), letter to the Architect of the Capitol
~~~ Marie: Moving right along on this demonstration of the definition of insanity, the House takes its sixth vote, with no particular reason to expect a change. ~~~
~~~ Stephanie Lai: "Representative Kat Cammack, Republican of Florida, nominated McCarthy but was repeatedly disrupted by Democrats who took offense to her speech, which accused them of lacking sportsmanship and bringing alcohol and popcorn to the vote series." ~~~
~~~ Michael Gold: "At one point, Kat Cammack rhetorically asked Republicans, 'Are we the party of Reagan?' A chorus of Democrats called back, 'No.'"
I have to give props to the Democrats. They find ways to work together. -- Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Outer Space) ~~~
~~~ Marie: The matinee is over. But don't worry; there will be an evening show. The House is to reconvene at 8 pm Wednesday. ~~~
~~~ Catie Edmondson: "In a sign of McCarthy's determination to appease his critics, his political action committee cut a deal with the Club for Growth, a conservative anti-tax group that has opposed McCarthy's bid for speaker, agreeing not to spend money to support candidates in open primaries in safe Republican seats.... It was unclear if the pledge would be enough to win over any of the rebels."
~~~ Marie: After convening, a pro-McCarthy Republican immediately called for adjournment, so McCarthy would not be embarrassed by a 7th loser result. The final vote on the motion was close, with 4 Republicans voting with all Democrats against adjournment, and the whole thing ended in a shouting match as Democrats urged the clerk to allow a few stragglers to vote & protested the fact that she allowed Republicans to change their votes to "yea" after the clock ran out, allowing the majority vote to switch from nay to yea about a half-minute after time ran out. Don't worry, they'll be back tomorrow, folks. ~~~
~~~ Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: "Representative Kevin McCarthy of California grasped on Wednesday for the votes he needs to become speaker after failing three times to win the post, as Republicans began their second day in control of the House without a leader and deadlocked about how to move forward amid a hard-right rebellion.... 'Some really good conversations took place last night, and it's now time for all of our GREAT Republican House Members to VOTE FOR KEVIN,' [Donald] Trump wrote in a social media post on Wednesday. He beseeched Republicans not to 'TURN A GREAT TRIUMPH INTO A GIANT & EMBARRASSING DEFEAT.'" (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ The Washington Post's live updates of the House hoohah on Wednesday are here. NBC News live updates are here. (Also linked yesterday.)
There is so much unnecessary turmoil in the Republican Party, in large part do to people like the Old Broken Crow, Mitch McConnell. -- Donald Trump, in a Liars Social post Tuesday (yes, he really wrote "do to" & he really blamed Mitch for the Woes of Kevin) ~~~
~~~ Marie: Sorry, Donald, looks as if there are 20-some GOP deadenders, most of whom were in your fake election-denial caucus, who are no longer sufficiently askeert of you. And that doesn't count the GOP senators who paid no attention to you & re-elected Mitch as their leader.
Marie: BTW, as long as there's no speaker of the House, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), now the President Pro Tem of the Senate, is second-in-line to the presidency, after Vice President Harris.
MEANWHILE. While House Republicans fight to the death in Washington, D.C., President Joe & the Turtle will be honeymooning in Kentucky, inaugurating repair of a notoriously-dilapidated but key bridge between Kentucky & Ohio. ~~~
~~~ Dan Horn & Scott Wartman of the Cincinnati Enquirer: "President Joe Biden came to Greater Cincinnati Wednesday to tout a long-awaited Brent Spence Bridge project that he said proves Americans can still get things done if they work together. Speaking in Covington, not far from the 60-year-old bridge that had for years been a symbol of partisan gridlock, Biden praised Republicans and Democrats in Ohio, Kentucky and Washington for setting aside their differences to fix one of the nation's most vital pieces of infrastructure.... The president was joined by several Republicans and Democrats who were instrumental in passing the new, $550 billion federal infrastructure law that will help pay for the Brent Spence Bridge project. He singled out Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican and frequent political foe, for his help in gathering enough GOP support to pass the law.... For Biden, the visit was something of a victory lap. He vowed during a town hall here in July 2021 to 'fix that damn bridge,' despite several failed attempts by his Democratic and Republican predecessors to muster bipartisan support for the project." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) CNN's report is here. ~~~
Nick Miroff & Tyler Pager of the Washington Post: "President Biden told reporters he will deliver a speech on border security on Thursday and is planning to visit the U.S. southern border as part of an upcoming trip to Mexico City for a regional summit. Biden said he wanted to see 'peace and security' at the border and is 'going to see what's going on' in comments made to reporters Wednesday after traveling to Kentucky for an event ... to tout federal infrastructure funding." CNN's report is here.
Peter Baker of the New York Times: "The Biden administration asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to uphold its decision to forgive hundreds of billions of dollars of student loan debt for tens of millions of Americans, arguing that it was acting within its executive authority and did not need new congressional authorization. In a brief filed with the justices, the Justice Department rejected legal challenges mounted by a half-dozen Republican-led states and maintained that the states did not have a basis for contesting the decision in court in the first place. The administration's response to the challenges came a month after the court agreed to hear the matter and put the case on an expedited timetable. The justices plan to hear arguments in February and left in place an injunction issued by a lower court blocking the administration from proceeding with the program until the legal questions have been resolved." Politico's report is here. ~~~
~~~ Marie: Other than as an expression of cruelty, I don't see why Republican state officials want to insist that the federal government enforce repayment of these loans. As I've noted before, the forgiveness program is essentially a transfer of the cost of higher education from the states to the federal government, inasmuch as states used to provide -- at state expense, of course -- free or nearly-free college tuition to in-state students.
Kinzinger Gets a Job. CNN Press Release: "Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) is joining CNN as a Senior Political Commentator, the network announced today."
Shayna Jacobs of the Washington Post: "FTX founder and fallen cryptocurrency guru Sam Bankman-Fried pleaded not guilty through his attorney at his arraignment Tuesday on charges he misappropriated billions of dollars, defrauding customers and investors in companies he controlled while allegedly concealing his illegal handling of funds. A trial date was also scheduled for later this year.... [U.S. District Court Judge Lewis] Kaplan scheduled Bankman-Fried's trial for Oct. 2 but noted the start date could change minimally before then."
Anemona Hartocollis of the New York Times: "After dozens of convictions of parents and coaches, Operation Varsity Blues reached something of a final chapter on Wednesday when William Singer, the mastermind of the college admissions cheating scheme, was sentenced in federal court in Boston to three and a half years in prison. Federal prosecutors identified Mr. Singer, known as Rick, as the ringleader of a $25 million criminal enterprise that 'massively corrupted the integrity of the college admissions process.' He became a government informant after prosecutors began investigating his scheme in 2018 and pleaded guilty in 2019 to racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction of justice."
Catherine Thorbecke of CNN: "Amazon says it plans to lay off more than 18,000 employees as the global economic outlook continues to worsen.... Amazon and other tech firms significantly ramped up hiring over the past couple of years as the pandemic shifted consumers' habits toward e-commerce. Now, many of these seemingly untouchable tech companies are experiencing whiplash and laying off thousands of workers as people return to pre-pandemic habits and macroeconomic conditions deteriorate."
Joseph Menn of the Washington Post: "Records of 235 million Twitter accounts and the email addresses used to register them have been posted to an online hacking forum, setting the stage for anonymous handles to be linked to real-world identities. That poses threats of exposure, arrest or violence against people who used Twitter to criticize governments or powerful individuals, and it could open up others to extortion, security experts said. Hackers could also use the email addresses to attempt to reset passwords and take control of accounts, especially those not protected by two-factor authentication.... The records were probably compiled in late 2021.... In July, hackers were spotted selling a set of 5.4 million Twitter account handles and associated emails and phone numbers, which Twitter said was the first it learned that someone had taken advantage of [a] flaw [in a code update].
Hannah Sampson & Andrea Sachs of the Washington Post: "While Southwest [Airlines] returned to operating its typical schedule on Friday, an untold number of checked bags -- many of which took the trips that passengers could not -- remain missing. The airline could not provide figures on how many bags had been returned to owners or how many were still outstanding, but social media is teeming with complaints.... In interviews with The Washington Post, frustrated travelers recounted spending hours in line, returning to airports multiple times, calling customer service repeatedly, hunting around baggage areas to no avail and filing claims into the void -- and still, no luggage.... Southwest's policy allowing passengers a pair of free checked bags likely contributed to the pileup of missing luggage, travel industry experts say." Some passengers haven't seen their luggage since before Christmas.
Beyond the Beltway
Colorado, et al. Joe Anuta of Politico: "For the second day in a row, New York City Mayor Eric Adams laced into the federal government and the governor of Colorado, a fellow Democrat, over busloads of asylum seekers who continue to arrive at the city's doorstep.... In an interview with Politico..., Colorado governor [Jared Polis] said that around 70 percent of migrants arriving in Denver have final destinations elsewhere in the country, including New York, and that his office was working with Denver officials to help them on their way. The process has been going on for weeks, he added, but last month's winter storm caused a backlog of asylum seekers who have been stuck in the Mile High City and only now able to leave.... [New York] City Hall Spokesperson Fabien Levy said Adams only learned about the extent of the arrivals Monday during a call with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.... On Tuesday, Lightfoot called Colorado's move 'inhumane' -- an assessment Adams said he shared.... A spokesperson for Polis, however, said that Colorado was honoring the wishes of asylum seekers...." ~~~
~~~ Marie: I know you all don't agree with me, but I still think Polis' policy sucks, & I'm unconvinced that he's simply honoring the wishes of the immigrants. Maybe Polis will come out smelling like a rose (and that would be great), but I think his actions deserve as much investigation as DeSantis' and Abbotts' stunts. In the meantime, the way he has gone about sneaking these hapless people into big-city asylum centers still seems cruel & stupid, IMO.
Ohio & Pennsylvania. Aaron Blake of the Washington Post: In both Ohio & Pennsylvania, Republican & Democratic state House members compromised & collaborated to jointly elect new leaders. (Also linked yesterday.)
Way Beyond
Ukraine, et al.
The New York Times' live updates of developments Thursday in Russia's war on Ukraine are here. ~~~
~~~ The Washington Post's live briefing for Thursday is here: "The United States and France are expected to send Ukraine armored fighting vehicles and light tanks, respectively, in a major shift after months of turning down such requests. President Biden on Wednesday confirmed that the United States was considering sending Bradley Fighting Vehicles. Earlier the same day, France said it would send light tanks to Ukraine for the first time, according to statements from the French and Ukrainian governments.... [President] Zelensky advocated his 'peace formula' in calls to leaders of Denmark and Romania on Wednesday, reiterating the demand for the complete withdrawal of Russian troops and compensation and justice for war crimes."
Sex Crime as a Weapon of War. Carlotta Gall of the New York Times: Ukrainian prosecutors have accumulated "evidence that Russian forces [have] used sexual crimes as a weapon of war in the places they once ruled.... After months of bureaucratic and political delays, Ukrainian officials are gathering pace in documenting sexual crimes, which are prevalent and devastating in times of war but often remain hidden under layers of shame, stigma and fear.... Iryna Didenko, who leads the prosecutor's department investigating such crimes, has already opened 154 cases of conflict-related sexual violence. The real number, she said, is 'much, much more.'... After investigating some areas Russia retreated from, an independent international commission reported to the United Nations in October that 'an array of war crimes committed in Ukraine' included cases of sexual violence against women and girls."
Vatican. Nicole Winfield, et al., of the AP: "With bells tolling, tens of thousands of faithful, political leaders and the pope himself mourned Benedict XVI, the German theologian who made history by resigning the papacy, at a rare requiem Mass Thursday for a dead pontiff presided over by a living one. The crowd applauded as pallbearers carried Benedict's cypress coffin out of the fog-shrouded St. Peter's Basilica and rested it before the altar in the vast square outside. Pope Francis, wearing the crimson vestments typical of papal funerals, then opened the service with a prayer and closed it by solemnly blessing the simple casket -- decorated only with the former pope's coat of arms. It was later entombed in the basilica grotto." ~~~
~~~ The New York Times is liveblogging the funeral of Pope Benedict XVI. The Washington Post's live updates are here.
News Ledes
Washington Post: "Walter Cunningham, the last surviving crew member of Apollo 7, a mission that renewed the American space program after the deaths of three astronauts in a launchpad accident and helped lead the way to the moon landing in 1969, died Jan. 3 at a hospital in Houston. He was 90."
New York Times: "The man accused of killing four University of Idaho college students received a new license plate for his car five days after the murders, according to records released Wednesday." ~~~
~~~ Update: The New York Times is liveblogging developments in the case: "In court records released Thursday, investigators say they linked the suspect to the crime by analyzing surveillance footage and DNA on an empty knife sheath that was found at the scene. The records include a statement from a roommate who said she saw a black-clad figure in their house on the night of the murders." ~~~
~~~ Washington Post: "Here are the top five things we learned from the affidavit, which lays out allegations authorities used to charge Kohberger with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. The claims in the affidavit have not been proven in court."
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Reader Comments (22)
As a basic lesson in civics, could there be a more obvious difference between a government run by Democrats vs. a government run into the ground by traitors?
Or how about a House controlled by Democrats and Nancy Pelosi, and the House with Republicans and…🤡?
@Akhilleus: No doubt Democratic House members have views as diverse as those of Republican House members, and we know for a fact Democrats who voted for Pelosi & her leadership team in 2021 weren't all delighted with her & her team. But the Democrats did their bickering behind closed doors, for the most part, and they presented a mostly-united front on January 3, 2021, when they selected the Pelosi team on the first ballot. Moreover, the margin of error they had then was about the same as the margin Republicans have now.
But Democrats have a different motivation than do Republicans. Democrats unify because they know they have to if they want to get something done, even when the something isn't nearly close to what they wanted. Those 20 or so anti-McCarthy Republicans, on the other hand, are among many House Republicans who just want to blow up the government. Chaos is not the means to an end; it is the end they seek.
And it looks to me as if the Chaos Caucus has already won. Whoever becomes speaker, as long as that person becomes speaker with only Republican votes, s/he will have to agree to all the concessions McCarthy has already made to the little terrorists, At least one of those concessions includes the ability to figuratively blow up the House every time they don't get the legislation they want.
Happy National Bird Day (Jan 5th) everyone.
There's a derogatory word, bird-brain, that comes to mind on this
holiday and looks like there are a lot of bird-brained politicians in
Washington DC. Were they elected by bird-brained voters?
Something doesn't add up.
Looks like Kevin has spent all his money and is even borrowing more from predatory lenders in his quest to get rich.
Can a suit get any emptier?
Marie,
Quite. Several things are going on here. First, as Paul Krugman pointed out years ago, Republicans (now the Party of Traitors) don’t believe that anyone (ie Democrats) should be allowed to run the country but them.
A corollary of this tenet is that it doesn’t matter if they’re in the minority. They still get whatever they want. Boehner was chased out of town because he dared to talk to Democrats in occasion. Lyin’ Ryan was similarly dispatched. Now that they have a chance once more to rule the House, they want someone who is just as wild-eyed, batshit crazy as they are (the 20 twits).
It’s interesting that for a party that, at least nominally, worships the sainted Founders, they solidly reject THE core principle of governance set up in the Federalist Papers and codified in the Constitution, a government designed to share power.
The 20 twits, along with a vast swath of their voters and media hack supporters, would rather stick needles in their eyes than compromise with Democrats, find some middle ground where everyone gets something but no one gets everything. It has become a brick wall requirement that they get everything and Democrats get nothing. Even if the Democrats control the White House and the Senate. They even insisted on this idiotic bullshit when Democrats controlled the Presidency AND both legislative bodies.
The fact that they don’t always get what they want (in large part because the stuff they clamor most loudly for is fucking cuckoo) only pisses them off even more.
Have you read the demands of the 20 twits? Holy shit! With a couple of exceptions (more time to review pending legislation and more input from rank and file House members), it’s the sort of stuff you see in totalitarian states. And as for actually reading and studying bills up for a vote, everyone knows that any legislation proposed by Democrats will be rejected sight unseen. So much for “studying”.
What these traitors are proposing is a complete restructuring of government of the people, for the people, and by the people. Just think of how unbalanced the polls are on the R’s hot topics based on fascism, racism, no taxes for the wealthy, guns for everyone, and rank misogyny. The public hates their ideas. But they don’t care. They want what they want. Screw the public. Screw the Founders. Screw the Constitution.
Blow it all up.
Great plan. Now let’s see if the MSM ever picks up on this, or will we get the usual “But Democrats….blah, blah, blah..?”
Forrest,
I didn’t know we had a National Bird Day. This is so cool. At least it’s a reasonable thing to celebrate, being not quite as outré as weird ass stuff like National Bubble Wrap Day, Gorilla Suit Day, or International Nose Picking Day (how is that even a thing?). Then, of course, there’s my personal favorite: National Talk Like a Pirate Day. “Arrgh, maties!”
Is there a National Talk Like a Republican Day? Plenty of monosyllabic mutterings I’ll bet. I’ll be staying at home that day.
But back to the birds…as a gentleman of horticultural and landscaping pursuits, I’m sure you see plenty of sharp birds. The birds in my yard tend to be quite smart (I think they must lean up against the wall and listen in when we’re watching Nova). Crows in particular. It’s a tad unnerving sometimes when I’m out in the yard and a couple of crows crook their heads and fix those black eyes on me. It’s like they’re thinking “Hmm..look at this guy. Easy pickings.” Crows are the PhD’s of the bird world, I’m guessing.
A couple of years ago, while watering the hanging plants on the front porch, I found a nest with three itty bitty chicks ensconced among the flowers. Their momma, a tufted titmouse, found herself an excellent hiding place. Plenty of cover, up off the ground, and a daily ration of water even in the hottest days of a southern summer. Pretty dang smart.
Not many bird brains on the right side of the aisle in Washington. Birds are way smarter than those idiots.
Well, I can hear our red bellied woodpecker pal banging away like Charlie Watts on the tree next to the house. He’s doing his thing. And at least he’s not a traitor.
AK: Remember that cartoon video called the "Screw You"party which ended with "and they will kill your puppy! I look at these loons as spoiled children who always got their way or conversely, seldom got their way––-both manifest themselves later as adults.
Poor My Kevin–-the once popular guy in college, wishy washy but oh, so popular because he could change colors, just like that, depending on whom he was addressing. The "young gun" doth shot his wad!
Since the discussion the other day about what to call the Repugnicans when "conservative" and "confederate" don't seem to be appropriate. They have been referred to as petulant and/or spoiled children, so why not another descriptor for that type of child - Brats! Short, simple and recognizable.
As you read through the text above, just do an easy word replacement:
"...the conservatives in Congress..." becomes "...the Brats in Congress..."
"...the Club for Growth, a conservative anti-tax group..." becomes "...the Club for Growth, a bratty anti-tax group..."
"...the ultraconservative lawmakers..." becomes "...the ultrabratty lawmakers..."
It works for me.
Interesting to read that My Kevin handed out a million bucks to help get some of these 20 twits elected, the same ones who now vote against him.
More interesting is that one of the demands of these twits is that McCarthy, or Howdy Doody or whichever moron finally becomes Speaker, agrees to never fund or support any candidate who might go up against them in a primary, thus guaranteeing that they will never be seriously challenged in the primaries.
In other words, they get money and support but no one else.
How very democratic of them.
I think it was Lincoln who said "a house divided against itself cannot
stand".
He cribbed that from Jesus, but changed Kingdom to house.
Just sayin'.
Forrest,
I’ve always agreed with the idea once offered by (I think) Joyce, that mediocre writers borrow; good writers steal.
Do you think it is just a coincidence that the not-Kevins chose to nominate Donalds from Florida? These suckups have the subtlety of a sledgehammer.
@RAS: Yeah, the funniest part was when Dan Bishop stood up to nominated Byron Daniels: Michael Gold; NYT liveblog: "Dan Bishop said the House had an opportunity to elect the first Black speaker yesterday, referring to Byron Donalds. A chorus of Democrats rose and started to chant 'Hakeem,' since he just as easily could have been talking about Jeffries, whom Democrats have consistently united behind for two days."
The crooked timber of inhumanity
The quote originates in Kant’s famous observation that out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made. Empirically I’d say our kitchen table looks pretty straight…but enough with the smart-assery.
My thinking of Kant came in a roundabout way as I read Isaiah Berlin’s book “The Crooked Timber of Humanity”. Kant’s original thought arose from his rather dyspeptic disappointment with how fucked up humans can be. I think he wasn’t feeling very well that day.
Berlin, however, is perfectly okay with crooked timber. In fact, he thinks it’s great. A quick digression…
A major point of Berlin’s thinking about political philosophy and philosophy in general (hang on, we’re getting somewhere) involved his problem with Enlightenment philosophy. When I first started reading his stuff, many years ago, this bit brought me up short. “Whaddaya mean the Enlightenment guys were full of shit? You mean guys like Locke and Rousseau and Hobbes and Montesquieu? The guys who influenced Jefferson and other Founders? Blasphemy!”
It took me a while, but Berlin’s rationale is perfectly in line with the insanity we’re seeing this minute play out in the House as the 20 twits attempt to force that body, and by extension, the nation, to buy into and to submit to their philosophy, such as it is.
For Berlin, and if you read them carefully, you’ll see his point, Enlightenment thinkers saw the advances science was making and thought “Hmmm…maybe we should be more like those guys, like scientists and mathematicians, for whom every question has a single correct answer, whether that’s 2+2 or Fermat’s Last Theorem.”
For Berlin this was very bad. The idea that there is one, and only one answer, a process he calls monism, led to some terrible outcomes in the 20th century: Fascism, Russian communism, late stage capitalism. All theories that tried to use “science” to create a deterministic society based on the idea that there was one and only one way to construct order and provide answers to every question.
Berlin looked at the Counter-Enlightenment thinkers who recognized that one size does not fit all, thinking that in fact often results in varying forms of authoritarianism, of the sort that our current crop of monists, the Party of Traitors, seeks to impose, as we speak.
Berlin favors the concept of pluralism, the idea that two people may look at the same problem but come up with two very different, but entirely rational solutions. I realize this can sound like a form of relativism, but it’s not. Berlin recognizes that all humans have basic needs, wants, and desires. What he’s saying is that there are different ways to achieve those ends and forcing everyone to bend to a single way of being and thinking, the primary goal of what conservatives/confederates/traitors are working tirelessly to arrive at, is not only wrong, but dangerous.
And inhuman.
Sorry for going on so long. It’s just hard not to read Berlin and realize that were he alive today, he’d be thinking “Christ! This shit again? Don’t we ever learn? Did the 20th century teach us nothing?”
But it did, Izzy. It offered a blueprint for those who fervently wish to go back to times and places where no one could question them. Where there’s only one way and there’s no room for compromise with some other way. See: Party of Traitors, January 5, 2023.
About Byron Daniels. No doubt this was just another cynical ploy to own the libs: See? We’re not racist. We have our very own black guy.
But Daniels has only been in the House for two years. Wake Nancy Pelosi up from a three day drunk and in ten seconds she could rattle a half dozen moves of legislative jiu jitsu to achieve a specific outcome, none of which Daniels has likely ever heard of.
Just another indication that these assholes have no interest in actual governing. They want what they want and they don’t think they should have to play by the rules to get it.
How much longer before the Pubs go to Plurality and gamble tha six won't vote for Jeffries over McCarthy?
Seven shots at the target so far and it's still out there standing.
@Bobby Lee: An intriguing idea. There's nothing but "tradition" that says the speaker must win a majority. The idea of Jeffries as speaker might just knock some sense into the never-Kevins. And, if not, I don't care.
Plurality strikes me as a last chance move. It would be a gamble; "Put it on one cast, to win, or lose it all".
McCarthy has now been rejected more times than Elizabeth Taylor
was married.
Forrest,
Your connection of the humiliating losses of My Kevin with the number of Liz Taylor’s divorces makes me wonder if, given his DOA endorsement, that makes Trump a Fatty on a Hot Tin Roof?
Just wondering…
When and if the Party of Traitors succeeds in deciding on a speaker, will the MSM regale us with headlines declaring “Republicans in charge! Ready to take on Biden!” as if this cluster fuck of treasonous idiocy never happened?
My guess? Of course.
@unwashed. Perhaps BRATS stands for Brainless Republicans Always Trashing Stuff.