Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Someone should tell Republicans that violence is the last refuge of the incompetent, or possibly the first.

Trump should be leading, not lying.

Celebrate the fucking wins.

… gradually, and then suddenly.

Good lord, these people are nuts.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

We will not go back.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

Polls are now a reliable indicator of what corporate Republicans want us to think.

Cancel the cowardly Times and Post and set up an equivalent monthly donation to ProPublica.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

Disappointing to see gov. newsom with his finger to the wind.

The worst democrat is better than the best republican.

You can’t attract Republican voters. You can only out organize them.

You cannot shame the shameless.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires Republicans to act in good faith.

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

Of course you can have champagne before noon. That’s why orange juice was invented.

Republicans do not trust women.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

People are complicated. Love is not.

White supremacy is terrorism.

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147Comments

  2. 2.

    Brachiator

    The House vote on Speaker John Boehner’s (R-OH) debt limit plan has been postponed. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s (R-VA) office suggests they will try for a vote this evening, possibly around 7 p.m. ET

    Ha ha ha ha ha!

    What a bunch of tools. What’s worse is that a vote won’t matter except to provide a propaganda vote for the GOP faithful.

    The only real question is whether the Congress will agree to do something reasonable, and when they will do it.

    I’m betting that there will be some agreement after the Sunday pundit shows, but Obama will only get a 6 month extension on a raised debt limit, since the Republicans are intent on getting spending cuts by any means necessary.

  3. 3.

    General Stuck

    The teatards ain’t into “Hooverism” it don’t look like, favoring the more strident “Genghis Khanism”

  5. 5.

    dmsilev

    It’s interesting that things happened so abruptly. I wonder whether they knew all day that the votes weren’t there and waited until after the stock market closed to make that announcement.

    In any event, it’s going to be an amusing hour or so for Boehner’s vote-counting people.

  7. 7.

    pragmatism

    true story–the Great Orange Boner’s skin secretes a mixture of baby oil and grain alcohol. so he just licks himself discreetly.

  8. 8.

    cathyx

    I think it’s time for Boehner to turn on the waterworks. He must be very sad right now. He hasn’t cried for a few days and it’s got to be building up.

  10. 10.

    batgirl

    The damage is already likely done whatever happens on out. It is likely that the US debt will be downgraded increasing our interest payments. Probably just all part of Norquist’s plan to drown government and everyone but the top 1% down the bathtub.

  11. 11.

    joes527

    Any guesses what the tea party members asked for at the last second?

    My guess is that they wanted a child support amnesty day and tricorns for everyone.

  12. 12.

    Chuck Butcher

    This is all “sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

    We’ll get to know what is done to us when it is done to us. This is still at the posturing bullshit point, not the resolution point. If it is something other than a clean bill you can be pretty assured that we, the general populous, get screwed.

  16. 16.

    geg6

    Ha ha ha.

    Damn, I’m offline all day and we’re right where we are when I checked out the blogs before work this morning. What a bunch of incompetent tools.

  17. 17.

    C.J.

    Post offices. Pure theatre.

    Also I’d love to be informed of why Boehner is a drunk now, didn’t know that was a meme.

  19. 19.

    BGinCHI

    Can’t we invade the ratings agencies with our gigantic military?

    Get Petraeus on the com!

  20. 20.

    scav

    I need help here Don’t watch enough ads. The basic idea:

    If you can’t maintain a caucus for 4 hours, have you considered . . .

    and there may be a few choking on the fact that it’s a little blue pill.

  21. 21.

    Yevgraf

    BGinCHI

    Any guesses what the tea party members asked for at the last second?

    Repeal of the Civil Rights Act in the name of Free Association, repeal of the 14th Amendment, and a statute limiting attorney fees for enforcing 13th Amendment rights to $10.00 and a NASCAR sticker….

  23. 23.

    joeyess

    This is embarrassing. This country is so dysfunctional that it can’t even agree on how to feed cat food to the elderly.

    Canned or dry? We can’t agree!

  24. 24.

    Lol

    Bachmann is town today and tomorrow but she has events in Iowa all day Saturday, Sunday and early Monday.

  25. 25.

    eponymous_coward

    So, if Allen West is going to drive the car, does this mean they forgot to check if there was any gas in the tank?

  27. 27.

    joes527

    Speakerin’ is hard.

    He won’t have that problem much longer. If magic doesn’t happen tonight, then stick a fork in him*

    *I am using a common phrase to indicate that I believe that his time as speaker is coming to an end. I do not advocate, and would not support anyone actually sticking a fork in John Boehner

  28. 28.

    Ash Can

    @Wag: I’m sure Boehner wishes she would. She’s stated publicly, in no uncertain terms, that she’s not going to vote for his bill or any measure that raises the debt ceiling.

  29. 29.

    Yevgraf

    Moving on to the post office naming debate. Love. It.

    Aren’t they all just supposed to be named after Reagan?

  31. 31.

    joes527

    Golly. I betcha Mr. Speaker wasn’t planning that.

    Dude. It is all 11 dimensional tic-tac-toe.

  32. 32.

    Martin

    Any guesses what the tea party members asked for at the last second?

    Asked for? Nothing. They want us to default. They’ve been pretty clear and consistent on that point.

  33. 33.

    Davis X. Machina

    It’s sort of tragic — worked his way up the GOP totem pole, kissed appropriate ass, kept his nose clean, until it was his turn, and as soon as he gets the gavel, the job turns to shit.

    I am sorely tempted to repeat Humperdinck’s Rugen’s speech to Iñigo Montoya…except we know how that turned out.

  34. 34.

    joeyess

    *I am using a common phrase to indicate that I believe that his time as speaker is coming to an end. I do not advocate, and would not support anyone actually sticking a fork in John Boehner

    I agree. The release of gas would be horrendous.

  35. 35.

    dollared

    I’m thinkin’ that perhaps Team GOP didn’t win the day (TM) today….

    This really hurts their positioning that they are being blocked by – er, somebody, anybody…

  37. 37.

    lamh34

    I’m assuming that’s 7pm EST right? Boner is really a horrible speaker.

    I’m not really sure what this means though.

  38. 38.

    MazeDancer

    If the scuttle butt that there are 26 no’s is true, then Boehner only needs 2 to flip.

    Imagining that big time, serious, Rich Repub campaign cash is being offered. And that 2 of those wingers could pretty much ask for anything they want.

  40. 40.

    Chuck Butcher

    I’m a tad doubtful about the demise of Boehner, he’s a useful tool for the posturing Teatype as a scapegoat and link to the rest of the GOP, he’s shit to the ‘truebelievers’ but they’re not that numerous.

  41. 41.

    MBunge

    If the scuttle butt that there are 26 no’s is true, then Boehner only needs 2 to flip.

    Yes, but what are the chances those 2 are even rational enough to be bribed or threatened?

    Mike

  43. 43.

    Violet

    @Chuck Butcher:
    But he can’t control his party in the House. That should be a basic requirement to be Speaker. I just can’t see how he’ll hold on to power.

    Can a Speaker be “overthrown” in the middle of a term? Or does he get to keep the job until the next election? How does that work?

  44. 44.

    Martin

    And that 2 of those wingers could pretty much ask for anything they want.

    Assuming that the others don’t get wind of the play and put their yes votes back up for auction. It’s hard to keep so many arms twisted for such a long time.

  45. 45.

    Joseph Nobles

    Reports on the Twitter that Louie Gohmert is still a no.

    Boehner is asking Louie Gohmert.

    Mother of God, is this the end of Little Johnny?

  46. 46.

    John O

    If it’s 2 to flip, the money boys will be in full flight. It’ll pass.

    Like it matters except to the droolers.

  48. 48.

    tulip

    He doesn’t have the votes.

    Not that it really matters because his plan was going to die in the Senate, but we do not have time for this foolishness.

    Clowns. Idiots.

  49. 49.

    Zach

    If I were a members of the House GOP, I wouldn’t vote for this till Boehner cuts me a check. He already set the precedent with the prescription drug bill — if Boehner’s gonna push politics over conservative priorities, I’d want to get paid for it.

    Edit: Also I guarantee Allen West and Mike Kelly got real paid to give Boehner their support on this. It’s not a coincidence that two of the most visible Tea Party members in the House stood up and came up with extemporaneous, newsworthy comments at caucus meetings that happened to be the only bits of information leaked from those meetings to the press.

  50. 50.

    Brachiator

    The Onion on Bachmann:

    Bachmann Says Unexplained Blackouts From Which She Wakes Up Covered In Blood Won’t Affect Ability To Lead “This is a complete nonissue—who among us hasn’t gotten the occasional blinding headache only to wake up totally nude two days later in an abandoned church, covered from head to toe in someone else’s blood and with absolutely no recollection of what happened in the intervening time?” said Bachmann, later adding that she is otherwise healthy and, in fact, is fairly certain she gets a significant amount of aerobic exercise during her prolonged fugue states.

    At least she’s not a witch….

  52. 52.

    Ash Can

    @joes527: I have a sneaking suspicion that having Cantor as speaker could have some distinct entertainment benefits. He’ll go into the job convinced that he’s been ordained by God to put that uppity Democratic president in his place, and will start right off with the bullying. Obama will just wait for the right moment, then cut the guy’s head off at the shoelaces. The House of Reps will get precisely dick accomplished between now and January 2013, but at least we’ll be able to watch Obama go to town on that little putz.

  53. 53.

    Martin

    @Violet:

    But he can’t control his party in the House.

    Honestly, nobody can. He might be doing the best job possible.

  54. 54.

    BGinCHI

    But Gomert was really terrific as Gollum in the Lord of the Rings movies.

    So natural.

  55. 55.

    Tonal Crow

    I think the sticking point is that the teatards have demanded a Constitutional Amendment outlawing the practice of science and establishing a witchscientist-dunking panel to try suspected violators. Boehner thinks that suspects should be executed on the spot, but teatards are insisting on the torture.

  56. 56.

    Dennis SGMM

    Boehner’s Lament:

    First they came for the Democrats.
    But I said nothing because I’m not a Democrat…

  57. 57.

    hildebrand

    Where is Reality Check? We need someone to stop by and tell us how this shows that the Republicans are in a great position, how this is the toll of doom for all soshulist-Kenyan usurpers and knaves.

    Oh, that’s right, he is otherwise — engaged. We shall have to give him a moment to tidy up so as to be presentable to respectable company.

  59. 59.

    dmsilev

    @ Brachiator: My local rag quoted, apparently in all seriousness, The Onion this morning. Specifically, their story “Emergency Team Of 8th-Grade Civics Teachers Dispatched To Washington”.

  60. 60.

    JPL

    arguingwithsignposts @ 1
    He keeps a flask in his pocket.

    What are the odds that tears will be shed?

  61. 61.

    BGinCHI

    Dennis:

    Boehner’s Lament:

    First they came for the Democrats I had a scotch and water.
    But I said nothing because I’m not a Democrat that was too weak so then I just had scotch…

    Fixed’d

  62. 62.

    Chuck Butcher

    @Violet
    Sure, they can have a Speaker vote – they won’t. Cantor can see that he doesn’t want to be the next BONER and as I said, he’s useful in political calculations. The posuers can go to their teatard base and blame the boner and still have a connection to the monied sector. There is a difference between calculated assholery and suicidal assholery and the GOP isn’t all suicidal assholery.

  63. 63.

    Martin

    @John O:

    If it’s 2 to flip, the money boys will be in full flight. It’ll pass.

    I suspect so, too, but if it’s this tight now, there’s no way the GOP backs a bill reconciled with Reids. It’d either have to pass with Dems carrying them over, or the GOP backs out entirely and it fails.

  64. 64.

    Tom Q

    I’ve always believed in the GOP’s ability to pull together even if just to go over a cliff, but this crowd is putting that precept to the test. This is all so pointless anyway, given the Dem letter of commitment to kill the bill, but it’s a nice extra layer of humiliation if they can’t even get it to the Senate.

    It’s looking like Boehner will be one of those historical footnotes only remembered by the most attentive — alongside Lady Jane Grey or Pope John Paul I. And if Cantor actually succeeds hum…every day he’s on TV will amount to an in-kind contribution to Obama’s re-election.

  65. 65.

    Poopyman

    Yes, this bill was going to go nowhere in the Senate. This vote is all about who’s in control of the House Republicans.

    It ain’t Boehner.

  66. 66.

    Bruce S

    There’s an incredibly simple solution to this for Boehner – hold the vote open and hand out checks from the financial sector to congressional campaign chests in exchange for their assent to his slimy little scheme.

    It worked with the prescription drug bill. Where are those corporations corrupting the legislative process when we need them? Or is Boehner’s bill too short-sighted and gimmick-ridden even for the Wall St. boys?

  68. 68.

    joes527

    I have a sneaking suspicion that having Cantor as speaker could have some distinct entertainment benefits

    If it wasn’t for that whole “we are actively flushing the country down the toilet” thing, I’d be getting the popcorn.

  69. 69.

    J.A.F. Rusty Shackleford

    Ash Can – July 28, 2011 | 6:05 pm · Link

    @joes527: I have a sneaking suspicion that having Cantor as speaker could have some distinct entertainment benefits. He’ll go into the job convinced that he’s been ordained by God to put that uppity Democratic president in his place, and will start right off with the bullying. Obama will just wait for the right moment, then cut the guy’s head off at the shoelaces. The House of Reps will get precisely dick accomplished between now and January 2013, but at least we’ll be able to watch Obama go to town on that little putz.

    You have to fantasize about the President we have, not the President we wish we had.

  70. 70.

    Geoduck

    Also I’d love to be informed of why Boehner is a drunk now, didn’t know that was a meme.

    I gather it’s one of those “everybody but the rubes back home knows about it” things. What might have brought to the surface now was his performance during one of his recent Obama-rebuttals.

  71. 71.

    scav

    Wasn’t there a TV show that everybody watched and there was emphatically no coherent plot but everyone watched it? I think there was a plane crash.. Yes, go ahead and mock: I fail pop culture.

  72. 72.

    Loneoak

    @ joe527:

    I do not advocate, and would not support anyone actually sticking a fork in John Boehner

    Because it would stain your fok orange.

  73. 73.

    Dennis SGMM

    @Ash Can:

    The House of Reps will get precisely dick accomplished between now and January 2013, but at least we’ll be able to watch Obama go to town on that little putz.

    Oh they’ll get plenty accomplished. They’ll investigate the OMB, the CBO, the CFPB, the FCC, the AMA, the ASPCA, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the EPA, the SEC, the White House Travel Office…

  74. 74.

    General Stuck

    The media is going to have to do conduct some SuperFluffing ops to put lipstick on this wingnut pig. And we aren’t even near the election yet, and the crazy fuckers can’t even pass a leader led bill to prevent certain chaos in a fragile economy.

    When the GOP base nominates Rick Perry for their prez candidate, how are they gonna come close to making that nutbag presentable to anyone outside the tea tard dungeon?

  75. 75.

    John O

    Martin:

    I think you’re right, but I’ve always found it weird that both parties call a 90%-10% vote, “bipartisan.” So I guess I wasn’t thinking.

    And I think Reid’s bill sucks too. Keynes sort of just matches up with my eyeballs over 50 years.

    But it’s great political theater.

  77. 77.

    Dexter

    Boner wanted pass the blame to the Democrats and Obama. It looks like that little plan is going nowhere. I bet a few democrats at the Capitol are laughing their asses off. Probably at the White House too.

  78. 78.

    phillygirl

    Hey, y’all with teabagger congresscritters, how about calling them and urging them to stand firm against the soshulist Boehner plan? Would that be wrong?

  79. 79.

    Midnight Marauder

    Martin:

    But he can’t control his party in the House.

    Honestly, nobody can. He might be doing the best job possible.

    This is probably the most depressing thing I’ve read all year.

  81. 81.

    joes527

    If it’s 2 to flip, the money boys will be in full flight. It’ll pass.

    I dunno. All the remaining no’s have got to be pretty hard at this point, and it sounds like some of the yes’s are only on board by the skin of their teeth.

    I’ve gotta think that all possible arguments have been used already. If it comes down to openly buying off 2 more no’s, I would expect the wavering yes’s would stampede to get themselves some of that and the whole house of cards will fall.

    But this exact situation wasn’t covered by America Rock, so my understanding is limited.

  82. 82.

    Yevgraf

    Boehner is asking Louie Gohmert.

    We really need a “rolling around on the floor and maniacally laughing ourselves into a mouth foaming fit” smilie. We have to rely on Louie “Terror Baby” Gohmert for the sort of calm necessary to avert disaster? A man so feckless that he now has an entry (courtesy of me) in the Urban Dictionary? THAT Louie Gohmert?

    http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Gohmert

  83. 83.

    Violet

    @Tom Q:

    I’ve always believed in the GOP’s ability to pull together

    The phrase used to be “Democrats fall in love, Republicans fall in line.” But these days it seems like that’s starting to turn on its head. Democrats are much more disciplined about falling in line than are the Republicans.

  84. 84.

    Reality Check

    Looks like the TEA Party wants more spending cuts. And as I said before what the TEA Party wants, the TEA Party gets!

  85. 85.

    Dexter

    Or is Boehner’s bill too short-sighted and gimmick-ridden even for the Wall St. boys?

    Wall St. probably told Boner that first get the debt ceiling raised and only then we will pay you.

  87. 87.

    kjazz

    Could this all be a ploy? I would think that Boehner would want to wait until the very last second with his bill making it all-but-impossible for the Senate to modify and send back, which means it’s either that plan or nothing. At that point, I have to think the Senate and Obama will blink and get the bill through.

  88. 88.

    MazeDancer

    @General Stuck:

    …and the crazy fuckers can’t even pass a leader led bill to prevent certain chaos in a fragile economy.

    Both sides do that, don’t you know…

    Good point about the heavy lipsticking making this “balanced and equal” is going to take.

  89. 89.

    Midnight Marauder

    J.A.F. Rusty Shackleford

    You have to fantasize about the President we have, not the President we wish we had.

    Rep. Paul D. Ryan, architect of a Medicare overhaul aimed at slashing the cost of the popular entitlement program by reducing the government’s open-ended commitment to seniors, accused Obama of “mis-describing” his plan and implored the president to ease up on the “demagoguery.”
    __
    In reply, Obama said he was no stranger to cartoonish depictions, reeling off a list of conservatives’ favorite attack points: “I’m the death-panel-supporting, socialist, may-not-have-been-born-here president,” Obama said, according to people familiar with his remarks.

    Come on now.

  91. 91.

    Lol

    It’d be funny if some teatards told Boehner they’d vote for it and then voted against it on the floor to humiliate him and drive him out.

  94. 94.

    Ash Can

    @J.A.F. Rusty Shackleford: The president we have already showed his ability to crack on Cantor quite effectively, on national TV, during the ACA talks. The debt negotiation reports weren’t half bad either. Sorry you missed them.

  96. 96.

    DonkeyKong

    They’re watching another movie to get fired up, Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom is a long movie.

  97. 97.

    Bokonon

    Limbaugh is against it … and is demanding that the plan include some TAX CUTS. To raise revenue, of course.

    What a helpful suggestion.

    Sounds like Limbaugh is sandbagging ol’ Boner.

    And actively promoting dysfunction. Sounds like Limbaugh wants an actual process breakdown and a default.

    And the sad thing is that the House GOP listens to Limbaugh, and disregards economists, bankers, the Chairman of the Fed, the Secretary of the Treasury, their own Speaker ….

  98. 98.

    Brachiator

    @dmsilev:

    My local rag quoted, apparently in all seriousness, The Onion this morning. Specifically, their story “Emergency Team Of 8th-Grade Civics Teachers Dispatched To Washington”.

    Oh, yeah. Funny stuff.

    With lawmakers still at an impasse over increasing the debt ceiling, a special team of 40 eighth-grade civics teachers was air-dropped into Washington earlier today in a last-ditch effort to teach congressional leaders how the government’s legislative process works.
    __
    “We started them off with the basics, like the difference between a senator and a representative, and then moved on to more complex concepts, like what a resolution is,” Bozeman, MT social studies teacher Heidi Rossmiller told reporters as all 535 members of Congress copied down the definition of “checks and balances” from a whiteboard in the House chamber.
    __
    “It’s been a bit of an uphill battle, since most of them seemed to have no real sense of how or why a bill is passed, and Sen. [Harry] Reid [D-NV] had to come up to me during a break and ask, ‘Ms. Rossmiller, what happens if Congress can’t reach a compromise?’

  99. 99.

    MazeDancer

    But isn’t the math on passing the Reid returning bill not that bad if Nancy smashes all the Dems in line?

    192 Dems + 24 not crazy soon to be very rich in campaign contributions from Wall Street Repubs = 216 votes. Number needed to pass.

  100. 100.

    Samara Morgan

    quit with the endzone dance you dimwitted cudlips.
    if the teabaggers cant crash the economy with default, they are going to try for WWIII in september.

  101. 101.

    lamh34

    I know it may be bad for the country, but right now all I can say is BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! Even if Boner somehow gets this vote later and it “Barely” passes the meme has already been set. CNN & MSNBC are already saying if “Boehner can’t control his caucus, then the House becomes ungovernable”

    So even if it all works out for Boehner in the end, karma IS a bitch!

  102. 102.

    Martin

    And I think Reid’s bill sucks too. Keynes sort of just matches up with my eyeballs over 50 years.

    Meh. Excess defense spending as economic stimulus works, but I’d just as soon do without it. Long term it costs dearly for what it gains short term. That plus the debt service savings on that borrowing is something like 2/3 of his bill. I’ll take some additional spending cuts to get rid of that. It can all be remedied in the budget that we start discussing, oh look: next month.

  103. 103.

    JCT

    @90 trollhattan

    Hey, where’s the Drive-By Reality Check Wisdom Person/Thing to tell us how Boehner’s made Obama his be-atch?

    He’s busy struggling to give his Limbaugh blow-up doll a reach-around.

  105. 105.

    Danny

    I got this feeling. NOTW/Murdoch, Breivik, this here tonight, Chris Christie to the hospital, Joe Walsh defaulting on his child support…

  106. 106.

    Linda Featheringill

    @Midnight Marauder: #79

    This is probably the most depressing thing I’ve read all year.

    It is scary. European history is littered with parliaments that failed to function and so were replaced by tyrants. You don’t even have to go Godwin if you don’t want to. Several countries, several eras.

  107. 107.

    Martin

    192 Dems + 24 not crazy soon to be very rich in campaign contributions from Wall Street Repubs = 216 votes. Number needed to pass.

    If Dems sign on en-masse, expect those 24 Republicans to become pariahs. If the tea party can only back 24 primary challenges, it’ll be those 24 races. Those 24 might be remarkably hard to get.

  108. 108.

    joes527

    192 Dems + 24 not crazy soon to be very rich in campaign contributions from Wall Street Repubs = 216 votes. Number needed to pass.

    ROFLMAO

    Wall Street is not the house Lanister. The way it works with Wall Street is first you carry their water, and then they cut you.

    Like I said in the other thread. 24 Republicans willing to accept everything that they asked for while giving the Democrats nothing?

    Not. Gonna. Happen.

  109. 109.

    MazeDancer

    @Martin:

    It can all be remedied in the budget that we start discussing, oh look: next month.

    Been wondering if Reid took revenues out for two reasons. 1) Couldn’t pass with it. 2) Better place to get it now. That tax changes can be tied to budget, or jobs bills, or something. That, finally, the public understands more about “raising taxes” means that the Repubs are protecting the rich. And people want “Shared sacrifice” and that richies gotta give up something, too.

  110. 110.

    Gustopher

    I hope Reid is keeping the Senate open, ready to vote this piece of shit down 15 minutes after Boehner fellates his last two votes.

  111. 111.

    Martin

    @Linda Featheringill:

    It is scary. European history is littered with parliaments that failed to function and so were replaced by tyrants.

    Eh. It’ll be fine. There’ll be realignment. All will be well again, eventually.

  112. 112.

    hildebrand

    Gotta have pretty long arms to give even a Limbaugh blow-up a reach-around.

    That said – I think Reality Check must actually be an ironic-troll. No one, and I mean no one, could possibly be that much of a Tea Party supporter and have the ability to read.

  114. 114.

    FDRLincoln

    Look, as enjoyable as watching Boehner squirm might be, I’m not going to laugh about this. If he has no control over his caucus, that does not necessarily follow that he will push a clean bill, or at least a not-as-bad-as-it-could-be bill through at the last second with Pelosi’s help.

    It is entirely possible that the entire thing will blow up, we’ll default, and my wife (a Federal contract worker) will lose her job next week, in which case we could lose our house.

    Just because it is irrational to blow up the world doesn’t mean that someone won’t do it, even if they don’t mean to.

  116. 116.

    Brachiator

    @Martin:

    re: It is scary. European history is littered with parliaments that failed to function and so were replaced by tyrants.

    Eh. It’ll be fine. There’ll be realignment. All will be well again, eventually.

    I don’t know. There are a number of worst case scenarios.

    Belgium has not had a government for over a year.

    One year after Belgians went to the polls to elect a new government, the suggestion that Belgium is boring has taken on new meaning. Failed coalition talks and political deadlock have become synonymous with the country, and an end to the impasse looks further away than ever.

    Sound familiar?

  117. 117.

    scav

    92 Dems + 24 not crazy soon to be very rich in campaign contributions from Wall Street Repubs = 216 votes. Number needed to pass.

    why not just 24 people that just want to get the hell out of Dodge because of all the crazy people and this one vote leverages them into a cushy high-end job elsewhere on a street we shall not name?

  118. 118.

    Linda Featheringill

    @lamh34: #99

    CNN & MSNBC are already saying if “Boehner can’t control his caucus, then the House becomes ungovernable”

    Are they really? Wow. Have they been drinking truth serum or something?

  119. 119.

    Dennis SGMM

    @Brachiator:

    I don’t know. There are a number of worst case scenarios.

    And most of them begin with the words “temporary” or “interim.”

  120. 120.

    Samara Morgan

    well…..sry for being so harsh….this is actually pretty sweet.
    i just sent my old frenemy Allahpundit one word….
    waterloo!

  121. 121.

    gex

    FDRLincoln I’m sorry to hear. I do not wish this fate on you or anyone else.

    That said, when my TeaTard brother in law who works for a defense contractor stops getting paid, I will point and laugh at him until I pee myself. “Well, we’re not spending too much now, are we?!”

  124. 124.

    MazeDancer

    @scav:

    …why not just 24 people that just want to get the hell out of Dodge because of all the crazy people and this one vote leverages them into a cushy high-end job elsewhere on a street we shall not name?

    Will take them, too. Just can’t believe that all 242 Republicans want default. There have to be 24 of them willing to take the deal of lots of things they want in exchange for no default.

    Hope so.

  125. 125.

    Brachiator

    RE: Sound familiar?

    Not in any actually related way, no.

    Nah.

    Both sides have refused to give in to specific demands.
    __
    Outgoing Prime Minister Yves Leterme and his caretaker government have kept the country afloat since June 13, 2010, but the political uncertainty has unsettled investors who fear the lack of progress in government formation talks will prevent the country from reducing its debts.
    __
    Although the caretaker government has committed to reducing the budget deficit in 2011, bond markets are keen to see a permanent resolution to the crisis.

  126. 126.

    TenguPhule

    Not just spending cuts, now TAX CUTS must be passed to.

    When Obama unzips his pants and tells Boner to drop and give him twenty in response to that, I am going to have lots of popcorn ready.

  128. 128.

    TenguPhule

    There have to be 24 of them willing to take the deal of lots of things they want in exchange for no default.

    The Pods were too through. There are no humans left there.

  129. 129.

    Calouste

    @Brachiator:

    At least in Belgium noone is actively trying to run their economy into a ditch. Granted, some might be actively trying to get the country to split, but that is a different matter.

  130. 130.

    ThatLeftTurnInABQ

    @105 Martin:

    If Dems sign on en-masse, expect those 24 Republicans to become pariahs.

    The dead-men-walking-24 could always try the Arlen Specter route and switch parties to become Blue Dog Dems. It didn’t work for Arlen but it might work for them, especially if 2012 looks better for generic Dems than 2010 did.

  131. 131.

    Samara Morgan

    AllahP says Boner will still hold the vote.

    Update: Why on earth would Boehner do this?
    __
    One lawmaker tells me that Speaker Boehner may have the vote in about an hour, whether he has the votes or not
    __
    If the outcome’s in doubt, just pull the bill and announce that your hand was forced by Reid’s ultimatum to shoot it down in the Senate. Say you’re acting in the interest of the public good because there’s not much time until the deadline and obviously a compromise bill is the only thing capable of passing both houses. By holding a vote when he doesn’t know the outcome, he’s gambling that the holdouts will blink and hand him a victory under intense pressure. But if he’s wrong, his credibility as a power-broker will be shattered and the vote will enable precisely the sort of Democratic outcome I described in the last update. I don’t get it.
    __
    A note of hope from NRO’s Andrew Stiles: “Paul Ryan tells me they’re gonna pass this thing. Says he’s confident.”

    waterloo!
    btw, that is the pony Boner promised Cantor for throwin’ in with him.

  132. 132.

    Corner Stone

    @TenguPhule:

    When Obama unzips his pants and tells Boner to drop and give him twenty in response to that, I am going to have lots of popcorn ready.

    Are you kidding me? Obama will sign any package that comes to his desk.

  134. 134.

    Corner Stone

    @Brachiator: If you want to make the case that Belgium is on par with the world’s reserve currency and the largest, most powerful military in the world…please go ahead.
    I mean, I guess you could make some parallels to Somalia too while you’re shooting for it. Or Greece, or Ireland or…

  135. 135.

    4jkb4ia

    Tim Scott is No #20 according to the WSJ team. He was seen listening to Christian music, and said, “I think divine inspiration already happened. I was a lean no. Now I’m a no.” Two other SC representatives said they would have to pray on it.
    Earthly leadership is of limited effect with these folks :)

  136. 136.

    Samara Morgan

    That’s not teabaggers angling for WWIII, that’s a different brigade of wingnut crazy.

    LOL
    they are ALL teabaggers.
    libertarians are just teabaggers with a four year lib arts degree.

  139. 139.

    gwangung

    It really doesn’t matter what you call yourself; your grasp of nuance in politics reality is always missing.

    ANd most run of the mill bigots make more sense…

  143. 143.

    jinxtigr

    I do not want Cantor to be the speaker.

    If he’s speaker, and Obama and Biden die, the Tea Party immediately gets their guy in as President, without an election.

    I really, really don’t want to see Cantor as the speaker.

  146. 146.

    Lysana

    Y’know, the only problem with the pie filter is I can’t eat that much sugar and starch. But my, my, my, do I adore it at times like this. (adds two more names)

  147. 147.

    Rome Again

    Apparently I seem to understand more about the Tea Party Caucus than Boehner ever did just by reading the rantings of that crazy faction. I wonder if he’s truly shocked right now that they refuse to capitulate? Could he really not see this coming? The Republicans in the House are embarrassing themselves.

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