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Sahil Kapur, at TPM, on the House GOP’s “new budget predicament“:
For most observers, the biggest question about the House Republicans’ forthcoming budget is how they’ll handle the issue of Medicare. Will they readopt the same phase-out and privatize policy that got them into political trouble last year? Or will they, at least to some extent, scale back their vision?
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But the bigger question has nothing to do with Medicare. The bigger question is whether House Republicans can pass a budget at all.
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The dilemma, first noted by Daniel Newhauser of Roll Call, is a straightforward outgrowth of the self-governance problem the GOP’s dealt with since it reclaimed the majority last year. A sizable faction of the party wants to make a big statement with the budget, and, perhaps, use it as a tool to cut further into domestic federal programs. But others in the party — including some in the leadership — want to avoid an election year clash that threatens a government shutdown. They want to hew to the spending levels they agreed upon with Democrats last year when they resolved the debt limit standoff…
Your modern Republican legislators in action: Do we stand by the promises we’ve made, and maybe even do the job we’ve campaigned so hard to get paid for? Or do we further beclown ourselves with “big statements” funneled straight from the corporations-are-people plutocrats who own our shriveled souls?
Look at the expression on Paul Ryan there — the sorrowful, abashed incomprehension of a dog getting yelled at for raiding the trashcan, again. But that happened in the dead past — minutes and minutes ago! pleads the Zombie-Eyed Granny Starver* (h/t Charlie Pierce). And besides, rooting in stink for leftover garbage is in my nature!
Paul Ryan and his fellows are never going to stop trying. We can’t afford to stop fighting them.
cathyx
This is so easy to solve. Just blame the democrats for keeping them from doing what they want to do. Works every time.
Evolving Deep Southerner
Hey, Raven. You got your ears on? Some person with the handle “The Raven” was here the other night confusing the fuck out of people. S/he was a nihilistic dumbass. To your credit, you are seldom so, and people noticed. Just letting you know if nobody else has yet.
How are things in the Classic City? Is the air crackling with Newtyness?
I just got back in from there (ETA: “There” being Toccoa, not Athens, unfortunately.) I didn’t feel anything, but I’m not nearly as in tune with the redneck zeitgeist as I used to be. Living in the Triangle has made me soft, I guess.
geg6
I can’t see a picture of this asshole without thinking “zombie-eyed granny starver.” That fucking Pierce really can turn a phrase.
quannlace
That face is straight from the old ‘Davy and Goliath’ cartoons.
“Ooohhh, Davy,”
General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero)
Yep, that’s the classic Paul Ryan look, true belief. It just screams out, THEY JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND, THE PEASANTS WILL NEVER LOVE US UNTIL WE STARVE THEM A LITTLE.
Mark S.
They couldn’t possibly be that stupid, could they?
Litlebritdifrnt
Just saw a tweet from Ben Smith, Obama in an uncontested primary in OH got more votes 100K than all of the republican candidates combined. Gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling.
WereBear (itouch)
6 @Mark S.: Of course they can be that stupid!
Lolis
@Litlebritdifrnt:
Awesome news! I have a hard time thinking this will be a nailbiter come November. I still plan on volunteering and donating before you all get worked up about my lack of concern.
lamh35
@Litlebritdifrnt:
Ben Smith @BuzzFeedBen
Egg Berry
@Mark S.:
You’re here, and you ask that?
demimondian
This November is going to be *very* close. Obama is still running with an unemployment rate of 8+%, remember.
And, besides, he’s *beige*! Did you notice that he’s *not white*? That is *beige*!
geg6
@lamh35:
I’ll just cut and paste what I said below:
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! For real?
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Baud
@lamh35 #10: ACORN LIVES!!
Egg Berry
@demimondian: Are you saying VICTORY!
The Dangerman
Go ahead and shut the government down right before the election. Go for it. Sack up (those with the right equipment).
Assholes.
lamh35
Wait is it against Palin’s contract to appear on CNN? She was at a caucus in Alaska and CNN is actually covering it and Palin actually had an extended interview on CNN.
BWHAHAHA.
Even Greta Van Susteren tweeted “Gov Palin on CNN???”
Short Bus Bully
Their backs are against the wall, they need to do something. Chances are good that stepping on their own collective dicks is high on the agenda.
/popcorn
Gravenstone
Appropriate note, given the appearance of little Eddy Munster above. Wisconsin republicans just hit a wee roadblock in their voter suppression efforts. Judge issues temporary stay, effective through the 4/3 WI primaries on voter ID law.
jgaugust
Watching the Gingrich speech. Guy standing right behind him has the same burnt orange skin tone as his tie. I’m actually transfixed by it.
Soonergrunt
Breaking–Constant Contact has ended their association with the Rush Limbaugh Show.
Gex
@The Dangerman: This reminds me of a thread where a guy friend of mine defended my GF in a thread about rape jokes. He was gentle about it, and later told my GF he would have gone at the other guys harder, but he’s “too much of a pussy.” So very close to getting it.
muddy
@jgaugust: The guy at his other shoulder is pretty damn creepy as well.
jgaugust
Also, I’m not crazy in thinking that Newt’s wife’s nose looks like a chicken’s beak, right? Her nose looks crazy pointy.
David Koch
I don’t care if Romney ends Medicare.
This election is about payback!
This time we get even with Barry for stealing the nomination from Hillary.
MariedeGourany
Something about the ‘nice clean cut young man’ look he has just unnerves me. Like if pulled his nose his face would rip off and there’d be a cockroach head staring back at you…hungry and dripping.
Calouste
WOW: Limbaugh taken to the woodshed in the WaPo
Turning Limbaugh’s own guns against him.
JPL
@David Koch: Most Hillary supporters are quite proud of her role as Secretary of State. Normally I can laugh at your sarcasm but this one doesn’t cut it.
BTW ..Wouldn’t it be lovely if she were appointed to the Supreme CT. That’s what I want to see.
David Koch
@lamh35: Ben Smith must have choked typing those words.
David Koch
@JPL: 3 weeks ago, I encounter a PUMA (in person) who told me she wasn’t voted for Obama because of the way he’s treated Hillary. I wish I was joking, but I’m not.
SiubhanDuinne
I’m glad this is an open thread so I don’t have to go off-topic. Because I have a Cute Thing here:
http://www.slothster.com/3005-Worker-At-L%20ion-Park-Gets-Hugs-From-Sweet-Lion-Cubs.h%20tml
Disclaimer: if you don’t think adorable baby lion cubs are the cutest things ever, you probably won’t care much for this.
geg6
@Calouste:
Holy shit! Who wrote that? I might actually have to click on a WaPo link, something I haven’t done in about 2 years.
SiubhanDuinne
@David Koch:
You mean the way he totally dissed and insulted her by appointing her Secretary of State, arguably the most powerful woman in the world right now? What a cad.
muddy
@Calouste: This was my favorite part:
Roger Moore
In case nobody else has mentioned it, Mad Magazine has come out with a helpful “Who said it? Mitt Romney or Mr. Burns?” quiz. It isn’t that hard for somebody who has been paying attention to Romney’s gaffes, but it’s scary how similar they are.
rikyrah
you all can really turn a phrase..
you crack me up.
one of the best descriptions of Goober Ryan EVAH
Jay in Oregon
@Roger Moore:
I suspect the person who programs the dialogue into Romney’s speech synthesizer is a Simpsons fan.
SiubhanDuinne
@Calouste:
Holy crap, Gene Fucking WEINgarten?? I stopped reading him years ago, his schtick was so lame and predictable. I may need to reconsider. That was righteous.
@muddy:
“Weather balloon filled with tapioca pudding and snot.” LOL. If he keeps this up he could understudy for Charlie Pierce’s Esquire gig.
SiubhanDuinne
@JPL:
She would be a great Supreme.
Mike G
@SiubhanDuinne:
I’m amazed to see something that snarky in the pablum-establishment Washington Pest. Weingarten obviously put some pent-up personal animus into that column.
SarahT
@Calouste: Wow. Just wow. Crying laughing. Thanks for this !
wenchacha
Casual glance made me think it was Gabe from The Office.
Evolving Deep Southerner
@Calouste: That fucker will be unemployed by this time tomorrow. And that’s a shame, because that post was a thing of beauty.
Scamp Dog
@geg6: Gene Weingarten, who may be the only smart person working at the WaPo. Or at least the only smart person who writes for the Post: there’s a copy editor he works with who took over the Style Invitational (a humor contest) from him.