• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • About Us
  • Lexicon
  • Contact Us
  • Our Store
  • ↑
  • ↓
  • ←
  • →

Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Tick tock motherfuckers!

Republicans in disarray!

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

The GOP couldn’t organize an orgy in a whorehouse with a fist full of 50s.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

Just because you believe it, that doesn’t make it true.

This fight is for everything.

You come for women, you’re gonna get your ass kicked.

Fani Willis claps back at Trump chihuahua, Jim Jordan.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

If you are still in the GOP, you are an extremist.

When do the post office & the dmv weigh in on the wuhan virus?

Republicans: slavery is when you own me. freedom is when I own you.

Bark louder, little dog.

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

… among the most cringeworthy communications in the history of the alphabet!

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

Battle won, war still ongoing.

A lot of Dems talk about what the media tells them to talk about. Not helpful.

He wakes up lying, and he lies all day.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

Mobile Menu

  • Winnable VA House Races
  • Donate with Venmo, Zelle & PayPal
  • Site Feedback
  • War in Ukraine
  • Submit Photos to On the Road
  • Politics
  • On The Road
  • Open Threads
  • Topics
  • COVID-19 Coronavirus
  • Authors
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Lexicon
  • Our Store
  • Politics
  • Open Threads
  • War in Ukraine
  • Garden Chats
  • On The Road
  • 2021-22 Fundraising!
You are here: Home / Is this the GOP?

Is this the GOP?

by DougJ|  September 12, 20139:57 am| 129 Comments

This post is in: We Are All Mayans Now

FacebookTweetEmail

I’ve been too busy counting the Katrinas and Watergates to follow what’s going on in the House with, you know, funding the government. Jon Chait has a good run-down on what the sons of anarchy are up to this week:

Debt-ceiling threats now appear more likely, too. One of the things the ultraconservatives are demanding, in addition to their plan to shut down the government over Obamacare, is that the leadership go along with a backup plan to default on the national debt over Obamacare. And the more House leaders have had to wrangle votes for its fake-Obamacare-defunding plan to not shut down the government, the more they’ve had to pledge to use the debt ceiling instead.

Of course, defaulting on the debt would be far more dangerous than shutting down the government. House leaders don’t want to do that, but they don’t seem to have any plan beyond getting past the next obstacle in front of their face. As Jake Sherman and John Bresnahan report, “In private discussions, GOP leadership aides acknowledge they have absolutely no idea how they’ll lift the $16.7 trillion debt ceiling.”

If anything bad happens, it will be the fault of both sides. Why can’t Obama charm John Boehner the way the Gipper did with Tip? As if that would fucking matter. I’d like to see Zombie Reagan try talking Steve King and Louie Gohmert off the ledge.

Update. Sorry for the two near-simultaneous posts. I’m not rescheduling it since we usually have three or four up by these time of day!

FacebookTweetEmail
Previous Post: « Open Thread: New GOP “Spirit Guide”?
Next Post: Open thread »

Reader Interactions

129Comments

  1. 1.

    GregB

    September 12, 2013 at 9:59 am

    If only Obama invited the GOP to more movie nights this could all be avoided.

  2. 2.

    Redshirt

    September 12, 2013 at 10:00 am

    Perhaps it’s time for a real crisis to break us out of this stalemate of a small percentage of crazy people holding everyone else hostage? We’re not supposed to negotiate with terrorists, after all, right? Only encourages them to make further demands.

  3. 3.

    schrodinger's cat

    September 12, 2013 at 10:03 am

    I don’t know what is worse, the GOP or our media clown parade of FAIL.

  4. 4.

    Waspuppet

    September 12, 2013 at 10:03 am

    Notice how, in these Tip & Ronnie scenarios, everyone complains that Obama doesn’t act more like Ronnie but no one ever, an I mean ever, says Boehner should act more like Tip?

    I wonder why that is. No, I don’t really.

  5. 5.

    Baud

    September 12, 2013 at 10:04 am

    GOP leadership aides acknowledge they have absolutely no idea how they’ll lift the $16.7 trillion debt ceiling.”

    I have a plan. Put it for an up or down vote in the House.

    Or maybe that’s too complex for Boehner.

  6. 6.

    dmsilev

    September 12, 2013 at 10:06 am

    It’s like watching an overstressed and somewhat clueless parent trying to deal with a three-year-old in the middle of a full-fledged screaming tantrum. “Do you want your blanket symbolic Obamacare repeal bill?” “I DONT WANNA BLANKET !1! I WANNA REPEAL BAMACARE!11!”

    It’s a wonder that Boehner (R-OompaLoompaStan) hasn’t decided to just quit and become a full time lobbyist-golfer.

  7. 7.

    dmsilev

    September 12, 2013 at 10:09 am

    @Baud: The downside of that, from the POV of Boehner, is that he’d be inviting a coup. For reasons that continue to mystify me, he seems to want to keep his Speakership despite the fact that he’s not really doing much of anything with it.

  8. 8.

    Baud

    September 12, 2013 at 10:11 am

    @dmsilev:

    Boehner’s job is worth a global economic meltdown.

  9. 9.

    Napoleon

    September 12, 2013 at 10:12 am

    @dmsilev:

    The downside of that, from the POV of Boehner, is that he’d be inviting a coup.

    But can they actually remove him? I understand he may not win if he seeks reelection (though I bet a majority of his conference have his back) but is there something like a no confidence vote?

  10. 10.

    piratedan

    September 12, 2013 at 10:13 am

    @dmsilev: it pays better and for a guy who was virtually a complete nonentity before Obama’s election, I imagine it hasn’t hurt his skimming off of the pile of sweet 1% cash that is floating around in various and sundry slush funds, plus it means a better pick of the lucrative lobbying gigs when he does finally walk/stagger.

  11. 11.

    dmsilev

    September 12, 2013 at 10:16 am

    @Napoleon: I think it’s possible. Looking back at Newt Gingrich, Wikipedia has this to say:

    In the summer of 1997 several House Republicans attempted to replace him as Speaker, claiming Gingrich’s public image was a liability. The attempted “coup” began July 9 with a meeting of Republican conference chairman John Boehner of Ohio and Republican leadership chairman Bill Paxon of New York. According to their plan, House Majority Leader Dick Armey, House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, Boehner and Paxon were to present Gingrich with an ultimatum: resign, or be voted out. However, Armey balked at the proposal to make Paxon the new Speaker, and told his chief of staff to warn Gingrich.[83] On July 11, Gingrich met with senior Republican leadership to assess the situation. He explained that under no circumstance would he step down. If he was voted out, there would be a new election for Speaker. This would allow for the possibility that Democrats, along with dissenting Republicans, would vote in Democrat Dick Gephardt as Speaker. On July 16, Paxon offered to resign his post, feeling that he had not handled the situation correctly, as the only member of the leadership who had been appointed to his position—by Gingrich—instead of elected.[84]

    So they, and in a lovely bit of irony ‘they’ includes John Boehner’, certainly believed it was possible to vote out Gingrich if he didn’t step down willingly.

  12. 12.

    scav

    September 12, 2013 at 10:18 am

    @dmsilev: All the parent’s other children being thus left unattended while parent deals with screamer.
    Problem is, the highway they’re walking along is actually rather large and busy. Big trucks.

  13. 13.

    Linda Featheringill

    September 12, 2013 at 10:19 am

    I haven’t been keeping up with this issue. Are we really to the point where we’ll default on our debts if the House Republicans don’t come to our rescue?

    Isn’t there some other way to handle the situation?

    Interest rates for federal debt are really low right now. Maybe we could do some form of “refinancing”?

  14. 14.

    MattF

    September 12, 2013 at 10:19 am

    I wouldn’t be surprised by a ‘Boehnercare’ coup, followed by a House of Representatives resolution affirming its sacred patriotic duty to fling feces at the White House.

  15. 15.

    Botsplainer

    September 12, 2013 at 10:21 am

    @Baud:

    I have a plan. Put it for an up or down vote in the House.

    Or maybe that’s too complex for Boehner.

    Wonder how many times a day Boehner is tempted to go to Hastert’s house in order to kick his ass over the Hastert Rule?

  16. 16.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    September 12, 2013 at 10:21 am

    @dmsilev:

    The downside of that, from the POV of Boehner, is that he’d be inviting a coup.

    They tried after the election and it failed. Apparently there is no one in the GOP house who can replace Boehner.

  17. 17.

    Alex S.

    September 12, 2013 at 10:22 am

    I really try to keep up with the latest developments on the wingnut front. I also try to get a basic understanding of current policy debates despite some other things that occasionally keep me occupied. But this time, with this House GOP scheme with the test vote to defund Obamacare with the intention of not defunding Obamacare or something like that, and the debt ceiling/government shutdown scenarios in the background, I say, go ahead, do what you want, I don’t care. I will not follow them into their madness this time.

  18. 18.

    SatanicPanic

    September 12, 2013 at 10:28 am

    This reeks of desperation. Next they’ll be trying to levitate the Pentagon.

  19. 19.

    Chyron HR

    September 12, 2013 at 10:28 am

    Don’t worry, the debt ceiling will be raised somehow, it always is. Then the MSM/FDL axis of derp can declare that the great Boehner saved Obama from his own stupidity.

  20. 20.

    MattF

    September 12, 2013 at 10:28 am

    @Alex S.: I think the wingers have lost whatever political ‘mojo’ they might have had. If they’d made good on any of their threats over the past three years, it might be worth following. But these days, after forty pointless votes to undo Obamacare, it’s all clown car– and I think they know it.

  21. 21.

    PeakVT

    September 12, 2013 at 10:29 am

    This is the GOP. Also, this, though the latter also supports whorish Dems.

  22. 22.

    Napoleon

    September 12, 2013 at 10:29 am

    @dmsilev:

    Interesting.

    I agree with Enhanced Voting Techniques that I don’t think they have someone who they can agree on replacing him with. It would also be interesting to see what the Dems do. No reason to believe they don’t get to vote as well, right, and why assume that 100% of them would vote under those conditions against Boehner.

  23. 23.

    Baud

    September 12, 2013 at 10:29 am

    @Chyron HR:

    Boehner/Putin 2016!

  24. 24.

    azlib

    September 12, 2013 at 10:30 am

    It is interesting the markets seem to be blissfully unaware of this impending catastrophe.

  25. 25.

    Gene108

    September 12, 2013 at 10:32 am

    Default on debt. Trigger recession in 2014. Blame it on Obamacare = GOP win.

  26. 26.

    Linda Featheringill

    September 12, 2013 at 10:33 am

    @azlib:

    Thank you! The markets seem to be driven by nervous Nellies and if they aren’t worried, then perhaps the danger is being over-hyped.

  27. 27.

    The Moar You Know

    September 12, 2013 at 10:35 am

    @Linda Featheringill:

    I haven’t been keeping up with this issue. Are we really to the point where we’ll default on our debts if the House Republicans don’t come to our rescue?

    Yes.

    Isn’t there some other way to handle the situation?

    No.

    Interest rates for federal debt are really low right now. Maybe we could do some form of “refinancing”?

    We already did that, and I think we may still be doing it. It’s not enough.

    I should also add that forcing a government shutdown or debt default now – when the economy has at least stabilized – will have dire consequences for the Republican party, and I suspect would result in a formal split between pro-business Republicans and the Teahadi wing.

  28. 28.

    Baud

    September 12, 2013 at 10:36 am

    The real problem Boehner has is, say you default, then what? The Democrats aren’t giving in on Obamacare, so the question is not whether the Republicans will cave on a debt-limit increase, but whether they will destroy the world economy before they do. Boehner understands this and so do the money men who finance the Republican Party.

  29. 29.

    MattF

    September 12, 2013 at 10:36 am

    @Linda Featheringill: Well, markets are calm until they aren’t. My free advice for the next several months is keep your eyes shut and hold on to your chapeau.

  30. 30.

    CaseyL

    September 12, 2013 at 10:36 am

    @Gene108: People* are dumb, but I doubt they’re that dumb.

    * This category does not include the MSM, which not only is “that dumb,” but makes a bag of hair look downright brilliant.

  31. 31.

    Chyron HR

    September 12, 2013 at 10:38 am

    @SatanicPanic:

    Next they’ll be trying to levitate the Pentagon.

    If it’s anything like spoon bending, the trick is to select the Pentagon that was already levitating before the show.

  32. 32.

    The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik

    September 12, 2013 at 10:38 am

    Remember, folks, Both Sides, Same Thing, except Dems are worse and the real super-mega-ultra evil in this Country and to blame for EVERYTHING.

    Bleh…..GOP is really not going to play a price for this bullshit brinksmanship, are they? They’ve established too much of a solid floor that they can pull this shit over and over and fucking over again and still remain ‘competitive’ nationally and outright dominant on the state level down.

  33. 33.

    chopper

    September 12, 2013 at 10:41 am

    welp, time for the yearly hostage situation.

  34. 34.

    J

    September 12, 2013 at 10:44 am

    “I’d like to see Zombie Reagan try talking Steve King and Louie Gohmert off the ledge.”

    There is an attractive ambiguity in talk of these characters being talked “off the ledge”.

  35. 35.

    piratedan

    September 12, 2013 at 10:46 am

    @J: yup, so nice to see that the debt ceiling thing is just a political ploy and that the R’s are coming clean about it. Our deficit is dropping as fast as the credibility of the MSM and these guys are still willing to hold the nation hostage simply because they can.

  36. 36.

    chopper

    September 12, 2013 at 10:47 am

    @chopper:

    GOP is really not going to play a price for this bullshit brinksmanship, are they?

    the more times they pull this shit and take us right to the edge, the more associated they become with it.

  37. 37.

    Betty Cracker

    September 12, 2013 at 10:50 am

    @The Moar You Know:

    I should also add that forcing a government shutdown or debt default now – when the economy has at least stabilized – will have dire consequences for the Republican party, and I suspect would result in a formal split between pro-business Republicans and the Teahadi wing.

    That would be poetic justice on par with a vicious fighting dog turning on and mauling its trainer since the Chamber of Commerce types created and empowered the Teahadis as cover so they could loot the Treasury and return the US to the Gilded Age.

  38. 38.

    The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik

    September 12, 2013 at 10:52 am

    @chopper:

    But is associating them with it still enough to actually make them pay a price at this point? Like I said, they seem to have such a solid minimum of support that they can pull this shit without any real consequence once short-term memory kicks over for elections. They do this because they can and avoid the worse of the damage from national self-sabotage, while the adults in the room get shat on for not accommodating to the other side in the grand spirit of bipartisanship.

  39. 39.

    feebog

    September 12, 2013 at 10:56 am

    Currently there are 201 Democrats in the house. Democrats need to pick up 17 seats net in 2014 to regain the majority. The Boner is not only worried about a coup, if his party shuts down the government, or even worse, defaults on the debt, even gerrymandered districts may not save him.

  40. 40.

    chopper

    September 12, 2013 at 10:57 am

    @The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik:

    dunno. I would hope the GOP eats shit for generations but that assumes that Americans give a shit about things.

  41. 41.

    Baud

    September 12, 2013 at 11:00 am

    @The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik:

    Except for 2010, the GOP has badly lost every election since 2006. They only reason they still control the House is because of extreme gerrymandering.

  42. 42.

    Fair Economist

    September 12, 2013 at 11:05 am

    Boehner’s speakership is safe, because with a badly divided Republican caucus, another speakership election will make Pelosi kingmaker. No congressional Republican wants that. IMO she’d probably have the Dems vote to keep him in in return for some concession like easier discharge petitions. At the same time Boehner doesn’t want to be even less popular with his caucus so he really doesn’t want to hold a vote on the debt ceiling against the will of his caucus. He’ll give in at the 11th hour if he absolutely has to, but not before.

  43. 43.

    Suffern ACE

    September 12, 2013 at 11:06 am

    @Baud: Yeah, but unfortunately extreme gerrymandering elects real Congressmen who have real actual seats in Congress. And unfortunately, if the businemen were actually in control, they would find different candidates.

    Our businessmen aren’t really all that saavy and in fact some of them are kind of freaky. What the GOP represents is that our business class if full of freaks.

  44. 44.

    schrodinger's cat

    September 12, 2013 at 11:08 am

    OT from the NYT’s Dealbook
    The British Government is privatizing its Postal Service.

  45. 45.

    Redshirt

    September 12, 2013 at 11:08 am

    Furthermore, I don’t see why the Wingnuts won’t burn it all down. Why not? The people who elect them won’t hold them responsible; the MSM will do their “both sides” dance and split the middle; and there will be dedicated, non-stop propaganda from Fox and the rest shouting that it’s all Obama’s fault.

    The rich people will stay rich, and all the rest of us will suffer.

    Where’s the downside for a Teabagger? In fact, there’s probably a big upside, as they can prove to their constituents that they stood up to that evil Obama.

  46. 46.

    Baud

    September 12, 2013 at 11:11 am

    @Redshirt:

    GOP political power depends on maintaining the perception that the war on liberals is being fought “over there.” If their own constituents start feeling like they’re being affected by it, they’re going to lose a lot of support.

  47. 47.

    Frankensteinbeck

    September 12, 2013 at 11:12 am

    @The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik:
    Yes, they will pay, but because they’re short term thinkers they pay over the long term – and it’s hard to see the long term while it’s happening. They’re paying in demographics. With every election, there’s a percentage point less Angry Old White People. Because of their insane partisanship, they don’t have a core of Angry Young Multiracial Bigots to replace them. It’s a slow process, but as @Baud just pointed out, they’re already on the edge of the cliff. Remember Reagan’s 1984 victory? They’ve fallen a long, long, long way.

  48. 48.

    eldorado

    September 12, 2013 at 11:20 am

    mint the damn coin

  49. 49.

    MomSense

    September 12, 2013 at 11:21 am

    Oh, this reminds me that Chuck Todd (I think but they are all starting to blur together) was talking about either ObamaCare or Syria (they are both starting to blur together) and complaining that the President hadn’t just explained it carefully like a teacher to the American public.

    Of course if he did do that he would be too “professorial” and “aloof” because all the very serious people understand that all the president needs to do is schmooz and drink and have dinner with the Republicans and all would be black and white Pleasantville again.

  50. 50.

    The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik

    September 12, 2013 at 11:27 am

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    This would make me feel more at ease if not for the fact that their power in the short term looks to have serious and excessive long-term ramifications, some of which seem set to negate their problems such as said demographic death spiral (after all, it doesn’t matter if you can keep said demographics from voting). Not to mention their nigh dominance on the state level and lower.

  51. 51.

    ? Martin

    September 12, 2013 at 11:30 am

    @Redshirt:

    Furthermore, I don’t see why the Wingnuts won’t burn it all down.

    I don’t either. They’ve already come to terms with secession – this is just a mile marker down that same road.

  52. 52.

    Belafon

    September 12, 2013 at 11:30 am

    @eldorado: Making sure to get it in early, huh?

    ETA: I saw on the news this morning that KMart already has a Christmas ad out.

  53. 53.

    Shrillhouse

    September 12, 2013 at 11:31 am

    @Suffern ACE:

    Our businessmen aren’t really all that saavy and in fact some of them are kind of freaky.

    I’ve got three numbers for you, and they are all 9s.

  54. 54.

    ? Martin

    September 12, 2013 at 11:32 am

    @Suffern ACE:

    Yeah, but unfortunately extreme gerrymandering elects real Congressmen who have real actual seats in Congress.

    It’s a bad crutch. They get an inflated sense of what the public wants and go even harder against public opinion. Eventually the backlash is so strong that the gerrymandering can’t contain it, they lose complete control, the gerrymandering is undone, and they find themselves so far in the weeds that they practically have to start over. NC is looking like a perfect model of that.

  55. 55.

    Redshirt

    September 12, 2013 at 11:33 am

    @Baud: True, in theory. In practice, they’ll blame Obama.

    I listen to sports radio exclusively, but they do a brief current news blurb. This morning they referred to federal spending cuts as “Obama’s Sequester”.

    That’s our world now. Filled to the brim with lies and propaganda.

  56. 56.

    Redshirt

    September 12, 2013 at 11:34 am

    @? Martin: I’m glad you mentioned secession, because what this really is is a “Cold” Civil War. If you think of current politics in that light, then it’s war, and all bets are off.

  57. 57.

    Belafon

    September 12, 2013 at 11:35 am

    @MomSense: Actually, if he did try to explain, which he has on multiple occasions, they either won’t carry it, or will just start talking over him after three minutes about why he’s not really explaining anything to the American people.

  58. 58.

    Baud

    September 12, 2013 at 11:35 am

    @Redshirt:

    True, in theory. In practice, they’ll blame Obama.

    I don’t disagree. But blaming Obama is an order of magnitude different from encouraging Republicans to maintain a war with Obama that is hurting their bottom line. General Lee did eventually surrender, after all.

  59. 59.

    Redshirt

    September 12, 2013 at 11:38 am

    @Baud: The CSA version of Fox news was nowhere near as effective. Who was the Confederate Rush? The Rebel Drudge?

  60. 60.

    MomSense

    September 12, 2013 at 11:41 am

    @Belafon:

    Exactly what always happens. My hatred of our failed media experiment is at guillotine levels.

  61. 61.

    The Moar You Know

    September 12, 2013 at 11:41 am

    what this really is is a “Cold” Civil War. If you think of current politics in that light, then it’s war, and all bets are off.

    @Redshirt: Sadly, only one of the sides involved realizes that it’s a war.

  62. 62.

    ? Martin

    September 12, 2013 at 11:42 am

    @Redshirt: Agreed.

  63. 63.

    Baud

    September 12, 2013 at 11:43 am

    @Redshirt:

    C’mon. They were there, in the form of newspapers and pamphleteers, not to mention public officials. I don’t know their names, but their rhetoric was no less divisive.

  64. 64.

    kindness

    September 12, 2013 at 11:46 am

    The GOP not getting anything done is a feature not a bug.

  65. 65.

    The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik

    September 12, 2013 at 11:49 am

    @kindness:

    Especially when they can blame it on the ‘intractability’ and ‘hyper-partisanship’ of the Dems and Obama. Projection may have diminishing returns, but it still works far more often than not, and far more often than it should.

  66. 66.

    muddy

    September 12, 2013 at 11:54 am

    I’m assuming he still has the speakership because no one else wants it.

  67. 67.

    Ted & Hellen

    September 12, 2013 at 11:56 am

    What’s great though is how Obama has been using the nonexistent bully pulpit to endlessly beat the Republicans over the head with their bullshit over the debt and upcoming potential crisis, you know, making prime time speeches about how important this is, having his cabinet members and advisers make prominent, daily speeches and have press conferences, etc. etc, etc.to make sure it is at the top of the front pages day after day…

    …oh wait. He’s been doing that to show us his big, massive war dick instead.

    Because there is no bully pulpit. Well, there is, but only when there’s war to be had and threats to be made at a country half a world away.

    But again: There is no bully pulpit. Remember that.

  68. 68.

    Suffern ACE

    September 12, 2013 at 11:58 am

    @? Martin: @MomSense: It’s funny. The president can explain. Kessler will issue two pinnochios. Chuck Todd will worry about tone and decide that it’s not his job to explain what is going on to his viewers while a panel of four pundits will agree that that tone should change and that it is not the job of the media to offer analysis of policy.

  69. 69.

    muddy

    September 12, 2013 at 12:00 pm

    Bully pulpit does not mean bully people over to your point of view. TR’s slang meant differently.

    For pity’s sake, why does it have to be about the big swinging war dick all the time with you? I realize you have an interest in this direction, but damn man. I will at least thank you for changing the imagery from the helicoptering of the giant war dick and now just saying “showing” it.

  70. 70.

    A Humble Lurker

    September 12, 2013 at 12:01 pm

    @Ted & Hellen:

    But again: There is no bully pulpit. Remember that.

    That’s right. Huh, sort of a first for you.

  71. 71.

    Belafon

    September 12, 2013 at 12:01 pm

    @Ted & Hellen: What’s great T&H, is how often you have missed his speeches about these issues. Part of it’s not your fault, Fox doesn’t run Obama stuff unless it’s about war, but, as stated earlier, he makes these speeches, but they are boring, and the media doesn’t like boring.

  72. 72.

    SFAW

    September 12, 2013 at 12:02 pm

    @Redshirt:

    I’m glad you mentioned secession, because what this really is is a “Cold” Civil War.

    So charge the latter-day Jeff Davises, et al., with Treason. Throw in a charge or two of “economic terrorism” and you’re all set. Chuck and Dave Koch might find their influence decreases, the closer they get to the end of a rope. If they had a few of their Teabagger acolytes swinging with them, so much the better.

    What, you don’t think they’re giving “aid and comfort” to the Enemy? Hell, they ARE the Enemy, because they’re actively trying to destroy a functional US Government.

    Five years ago, I would have said this as a joke. Now, not so much.

  73. 73.

    SFAW

    September 12, 2013 at 12:04 pm

    @The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik:

    Projection may have diminishing returns, but it still works far more often than not, and far more often than it should.

    Well, when your supporters have the collective IQ of a bed of kelp, it’s not hard to get that shit to work.

  74. 74.

    SFAW

    September 12, 2013 at 12:06 pm

    @Belafon:

    he makes these speeches, but they are boring,

    It’s not the “boring” part that’s the problem, it’s the “big words” part.

  75. 75.

    MomSense

    September 12, 2013 at 12:07 pm

    @Suffern ACE:

    Sad, depressing, and true.

  76. 76.

    muddy

    September 12, 2013 at 12:07 pm

    I just had a good laugh looking over the headlines in the WaPo email, and here I see Ted Cruz, bravely saying he’s somewhere in between Rand Paul (supposed libertarian) and John McCain (usually in favor of bombing everyone).

    Does that cover the entire range of Republican views, why yes it does! And that brave Ted Cruz has staked a firm position! Of somewhere, somewhen, between alpha and omega. Whatta man.

  77. 77.

    Belafon

    September 12, 2013 at 12:09 pm

    @SFAW: Very true. If it’s any longer or has more syllables than paycheck, they aren’t inclined to listen.

  78. 78.

    IowaOldLady

    September 12, 2013 at 12:12 pm

    A young guy I know works at a golf course where Boehner recently played. This guy was raised in an ACORN terrified southern household and his brief exposure to Boehner led him to say Boehner is an “A-hole.” I wouldn’t invite him over for tea either.

  79. 79.

    VOR

    September 12, 2013 at 12:12 pm

    Tip O’Neill cared about keeping the government running. He was willing to compromise and was an experienced politician who understood deal-making. Not even in the same category as Steve King or Louie Gohmert.

  80. 80.

    SFAW

    September 12, 2013 at 12:13 pm

    @Belafon:

    they aren’t inclined to listen.

    Either that, or talk about the Kenyan Mooslim Bocialist Fascist Usurper, etc. etc. (although that contains two words of three syllables).

  81. 81.

    SFAW

    September 12, 2013 at 12:15 pm

    @VOR:

    Not even in the same category as Steve King or Louie Gohmert.

    Oh, bullshit. Both sides do it.

  82. 82.

    NotMax

    September 12, 2013 at 12:15 pm

    @muddy

    And that brave Ted Cruz has staked a firm position!

    Somewhat to the north, south, east and west of Screwball.

  83. 83.

    The Moar You Know

    September 12, 2013 at 12:15 pm

    Well, when your supporters have the collective IQ of a bed of kelp, it’s not hard to get that shit to work.

    @SFAW: Don’t slander kelp, unlike teatards, kelp is really very useful.

  84. 84.

    Redshirt

    September 12, 2013 at 12:15 pm

    @SFAW: I agree, but that’s not on the political table as of now. That’s why I said perhaps its time for a real crisis to force these issues to some form of resolution. Much like the period 1800-1860, American politics was about compromising with slaveholding authoritarians, which led to war. Which would have resolved the issue if Reconstruction were not handled as it were – and thus, we continue fighting that very same war. On a very different battleground today.

  85. 85.

    SFAW

    September 12, 2013 at 12:17 pm

    @The Moar You Know:

    Sorry, I hadn’t really considered kelp’s feelings. My ‘umblest apologies to you kelpic friends.

  86. 86.

    Punchy

    September 12, 2013 at 12:17 pm

    Nothing says “Party of Personal Responsibilty” like whelching on yer debts….

  87. 87.

    PurpleGirl

    September 12, 2013 at 12:20 pm

    @Belafon: Oh yeah, it’s been on the TV a couple of days now — a gingerbread man stalking a woman in an office. It’s for their lay-a-way program.

  88. 88.

    Sir Nose'D

    September 12, 2013 at 12:22 pm

    CREAM, baby.

    I do recall the last time there was a threat of default, a number of GOP congressthings took short positions on U.S. Treasury ETFs, and then proceeded to vote for defaulting. In other words, they bet real money that the value of treasury bills would go down (as they will in the case of a default), and then proceeded to vote for default.

    Assholes, one and all, and I have no doubt they will do that again.

  89. 89.

    SFAW

    September 12, 2013 at 12:23 pm

    @Redshirt:

    I agree, but that’s not on the political table as of now.

    Agreed. But remember: before Obama became “alleged commander-in-chief” (thanks, Rummy, you fucking war criminal!), default on the debt wasn’t on the table either. All it takes is a few committed souls to effect change.

    Charge ’em with Treason/Terrorism, convict them, execute a few of the bigger mofos, and you’ll be amazed at how much stuff gets done, all of a sudden.

    And Mark Kessler will declare War on the Federal Government, with predictable results.

  90. 90.

    muddy

    September 12, 2013 at 12:31 pm

    @Sir Nose’D: Treason.

  91. 91.

    Anoniminous

    September 12, 2013 at 12:37 pm

    After another round of Kabuki for the rubes Congress will raise the debt ceiling. If they don’t it will set off a round of derivative induced global financial panic, trash the global economy, and collapse US’s ability to import oil.

  92. 92.

    SFAW

    September 12, 2013 at 12:38 pm

    @muddy:
    What do you have against capitalism, you commie? They saw an opportunity, plus the chance to make a little pocket change for their efforts, so what’s the problem?

    It’s not as if they were trying to damage the government or country or anything. It’s certainly not as un-American as point-shaving.

    You’re just jealous because you didn’t think quickly enough to make some money yerself. Looser.

  93. 93.

    boatboy_srq

    September 12, 2013 at 12:38 pm

    @? Martin: Another reason why eviction should be part of the debate. The Confederates Teahadists want “out” – well fine: propose that any state costing the federal government 120% of its tax receipts should be “outsourced” as a cost-savings measure. If they truly think that running the US is like running a family budget and/or a business, then they’ll be all in favor of liquidating states – um, assets – and selling off unprofitable constituencies – er, divisions to help offset all the spending. I’m sure there’s an Emirate or OPEC member who’d love to snap up Texa$ or Loui$iana.

    The trouble with these volk has always been that they have problems racking up bills they don’t think they owe: once the federal largesse ends, we’ll start to see their real thoughts on Big Gubmint.

  94. 94.

    muddy

    September 12, 2013 at 12:40 pm

    @SFAW: I don’t even want that dirty money, so there! That’s how pink I am.

  95. 95.

    Chyron HR

    September 12, 2013 at 12:42 pm

    @Ted & Hellen:

    Help, help, Obama is slapping me in the face with his giant dick!

    I’m genuinely impressed how you manage to hide all those pills under your tongue without the nurse noticing.

  96. 96.

    SFAW

    September 12, 2013 at 12:49 pm

    @muddy:

    Well, as long as we got that straightened out.

  97. 97.

    muddy

    September 12, 2013 at 12:56 pm

    @SFAW: Not as though I don’t like money, mind you, just not the kind dripping with treason.

    My dad used to say that he would be happy to have his Social Security checks means tested and taken away. But he said he would not do it voluntarily until the Republican assholes had to do it too, and in the meanwhile spent the money opposing them.

  98. 98.

    bemused

    September 12, 2013 at 1:08 pm

    Teapartiers crave destruction.

  99. 99.

    muddy

    September 12, 2013 at 1:18 pm

    @bemused: Whip that tablecloth away!

  100. 100.

    Another Holocene Human

    September 12, 2013 at 1:20 pm

    @schrodinger’s cat: Wow, and right about the time it seems like British public sentiment has turned against privatized rail since the mask has been ripped off as to just how deeply the public is subsidizing private profit.

    What makes sense: regulating a monopoly and guaranteeing a certain profit (no more, no less) supported by ratepayers. (Exceptions: when said monopoly builds power plants that were never needed and ratepayers are stuck with the bill.)

    What doesn’t make sense: paying a management company to run a service that cannot make money and always loses money. Unless you’re the management company.

    Veolia. Keolis. RATP. FirstGroup. MV. Virgin.

    Remember the names. They’ll be back.

  101. 101.

    Another Holocene Human

    September 12, 2013 at 1:27 pm

    @The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik:

    This would make me feel more at ease if not for the fact that their power in the short term looks to have serious and excessive long-term ramifications, some of which seem set to negate their problems such as said demographic death spiral (after all, it doesn’t matter if you can keep said demographics from voting). Not to mention their nigh dominance on the state level and lower.

    I’ve got good news for you then.

    http://colorlines.com/archives/2013/09/university_of_alabama_sororities_bar_black_pledges.html

    (although it’s weird, looks like thegrio.com where I read this took the article down?)

    http://cw.ua.edu/2013/09/11/the-final-barrier-50-years-later-segregation-still-exists/

    (original stories)

    The kids are alright.

  102. 102.

    bemused

    September 12, 2013 at 1:29 pm

    @muddy:

    Yup, and that image would be a great cartoon.

  103. 103.

    Another Holocene Human

    September 12, 2013 at 1:30 pm

    @Belafon: Fox doesn’t run Obama stuff unless it’s about war,

    I believe you mean the New England Cable News.

  104. 104.

    NR

    September 12, 2013 at 1:31 pm

    The sequester has been so awesome, I can’t wait for Obama’s next victory over the Republicans!

  105. 105.

    muddy

    September 12, 2013 at 1:39 pm

    @bemused: After whipping the tablecloth out and their tea cups shattered they would all commence to shrieking that it was Obama’s fault. They wouldn’t have had to break all that shit if he were not just standing there making them feel inadequate.

  106. 106.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    September 12, 2013 at 1:52 pm

    House leaders don’t want to do that, but they don’t seem to have any plan beyond getting past the next obstacle in front of their face.

    “It’s FrankenstEEN…”

  107. 107.

    Neldob

    September 12, 2013 at 1:56 pm

    One thing these people are not is conservative.

  108. 108.

    patroclus

    September 12, 2013 at 2:01 pm

    @NR: Do you follow politics? The sequester was the Republicans’ idea and they got it because of the blackmail over the last debt ceiling “crisis.”

  109. 109.

    Frankensteinbeck

    September 12, 2013 at 2:31 pm

    @patroclus:
    To be fair, hardly anyone here or anywhere thought it would go through. Both houses (but especially the GOP) have a long history of viewing defense spending as the holiest of sacred cows. It is a sign of just how insane the GOP have gone that a large portion of their caucus is happy to cut defense if they can cut even the smallest amount of social services in the process.

  110. 110.

    Cain

    September 12, 2013 at 2:48 pm

    The Chait link lead me to some fun articles. Boehner’s frustration with his own party is quite amusing to me. He can’t get any solution in. If he was a true leader, he would have told those those guys to suck an egg and work with the Democrats and ignore the ultraconservatives.

    Boehner’s problem is that he kisses ultra conservative ass, and trying to please them because of all the money’d interests. Maybe he and the others might get kicked out, but eventually the entire thing is going to run it’s course. There is only so much profit right wing ideology is going to bring you.

  111. 111.

    jl

    September 12, 2013 at 3:06 pm

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    The leadership is trying to talk some sense ino the crazy base they nurtured for so long, and the base won’t listen.

    So now they are trying to sell the ridiculous and dangerous idea to threaten default to DELAY health care reform ONE stinking year (not repeal it, not defund it, just delay it, one stinking year).

    That is going to go over like a lead balloon, both with the base and the other 60-65 percent of the voting public, but for different reasons.

    Talk about desperation.

    Cantor: If We Can’t Defund Obamacare, Let’s Delay It
    http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/09/eric-cantor-obamacare-debt-ceiling-shutdown-default.php

  112. 112.

    muddy

    September 12, 2013 at 3:07 pm

    @jl: Cantor: Yes We Can’t !!!

  113. 113.

    danielx

    September 12, 2013 at 3:19 pm

    House GOP:

    If you don’t do what I want, I’ll be forced to shoot you and then it will be your fault I murdered you because you didn’t do what i want.

    Oh, and I’ll stamp my feet too.

    Also, too – both sides do it so why blame us? We’re just doing what our nutball constituents want us to do.

  114. 114.

    fuckwit

    September 12, 2013 at 3:27 pm

    This is the best President we’ve ever had at winning battles against terrorists. He’s running operations to fight them everywhere, not just in caves in Pakistan, in the palaces of rogue states like Syria, but even in the Congress of his own country.

    There, I’ve said it, and I’ll say it again: the Rethugs are terrorists. They are nihilists at best, traitors at worst. They are deliberately trying to destroy the government of the United States of America. They might not using violence, but they clearly are attempting to destroy the federal government by whatever means they can find. I don’t think their choice of tactics makes their goals or their motivations any less reprehensible.

    I’m very proud of how the President deals with those clowns. He’s gotten so much practice he’s becoming the best I’ve ever seen at it.

  115. 115.

    Suffern ACE

    September 12, 2013 at 3:30 pm

    @Cain: If only Obama weren’t a weak-kneed liberal who no one really likes. Then Boehner would be a true leader that even a Dowd could follow.

  116. 116.

    NR

    September 12, 2013 at 3:40 pm

    @patroclus: That can’t possibly be true. Right after the sequester happened, everyone in the comments here was talking about how it was a huge win for Obama and he absolutely ate the Republicans’ lunch in the negotiations. Since commenters here are never wrong about politics, I suggest you adjust your view of the situation.

  117. 117.

    Another Holocene Human

    September 12, 2013 at 3:47 pm

    @Punchy: whelking on your debts sounds vaguely nautical

  118. 118.

    fuckwit

    September 12, 2013 at 3:49 pm

    Hmm, and I just thought of another thing. The reason they oppose Obamacare so viciously is because it would remove the biggest terror hanging over all of us: the threat that if we get fired, we (and our kids) will not be able to get medical care, and die.

    It’s just terrorism, rule by fear. The Rethugs want us to be terrorized, afraid, terrified of getting fired, compliant, cowed. If we all had free or even just affordable medical care we wouldn’t be so afraid, we’d be stronger.

    The use of fear in Rethug ideology and tactics is more widespread than I thought. From Orange Alerts and “terror terror terror” of the Bush years, to the constant economic terror of having no safety net in this country, to the fire-and-brimstone preachers of the fundamentalist stripe, it’s amazing to me how widely the ruling classes in this supposedly sunnily optimistic land of opportunity use terror to keep us all afraid and in line– a rule by terror.

    It’s a theme with them, really.

  119. 119.

    Another Holocene Human

    September 12, 2013 at 3:53 pm

    @muddy: Cantor: Yes, We Can’t, Or Else?

  120. 120.

    celticdragonchick

    September 12, 2013 at 3:53 pm

    @Redshirt:

    I’m glad you mentioned secession, because what this really is is a “Cold” Civil War. If you think of current politics in that light, then it’s war, and all bets are off.

    This.

  121. 121.

    Another Holocene Human

    September 12, 2013 at 3:54 pm

    @fuckwit: Ding ding ding

  122. 122.

    Ben Cisco

    September 12, 2013 at 4:02 pm

    @fuckwit:

    This is the best President we’ve ever had at winning battles against terrorists. He’s running operations to fight them everywhere, not just in caves in Pakistan, in the palaces of rogue states like Syria, but even in the Congress of his own country.

    I’m so stealing this.

  123. 123.

    muddy

    September 12, 2013 at 4:22 pm

    @fuckwit: I was in conversation with a couple of Republicans-call-themselves-Libertarian guys, and when I thought I found we had found an area of agreement they suddenly turned it into something really abusive and ugly.

    We had agreed that too many people are incarcerated and what a waste of money. I said, jokingly, that for what it costs I would be happy to host a couple of the prisoners in my basement, and I bet the prisoners would prefer it as well, thus being happier and doing better when they got done.

    These guys instantly turned it into the prisoners being shackled just long enough to enable you to slave them good and proper. I said they don’t need to pay their way with labor, the gov’t in this scenario has already paid their way. They are just supposed to sit there, like in prison.

    Nope, did not compute. They want no part of that, the best part to them was enslaving the people and making it really miserable for them. I said I thought society would prefer the prisoners getting out of my prison than theirs. Said I would make deals with the prisoners that they would get a portion of the big bucks the gov’t paid me to keep them in the basement if they completed their terms without causing me problems, get them started on a new life.

    These guys thought they should just be slaved and punished and when they got out penniless and abused they would probably fuck up and then go back to prison. I could not reconcile this with their desire to have less people in prison because money+freedom. But I am a silly libtard, what do I know with my idiotic pipe dreams of better outcomes.

  124. 124.

    Chris

    September 12, 2013 at 4:51 pm

    @muddy:

    There’s a streak running through that entire side of the aisle that’s difficult to explain as anything other than sadism.

    They want to watch people suffer, so they go out in search of guilty people that they can make suffer without it troubling their conscience. (And if they can’t find any guilty people, they’ll make them up).

  125. 125.

    jl

    September 12, 2013 at 4:51 pm

    @fuckwit:

    Maybe so. Now that health reform has passed, their other very conscious fear is that it will work. And voters in the deep red states that have tried to mess it up will look over the border to smarter states and put one and one together.

    What will the GOP say? That Teddy Roosevelt (ex-R at the time) campaigned for it but they couldn’t follow the lead of one of their greatest presidents for over one hundred years. Or that Nixon considered it but thought ripping off people with lousy HMOs was a better idea for business, but not patients?

    They’ve been digging themselves into a box (edit” meant deep hole) ever since Clinton drove them crazy, since they fell in love with messes like Bush II, and especially ever since the fiendish Dr. evil mastermind time traveler / inadequate in-over-his-head blah Obama drove them batshit insane.

  126. 126.

    muddy

    September 12, 2013 at 4:56 pm

    @Chris: Such projection, as they are generally the guilty ones, but nothing should ever come down on them. It really is a startling lack of natural empathy.

  127. 127.

    boatboy_srq

    September 12, 2013 at 5:01 pm

    @fuckwit: @muddy: Randian Libertarianism seems to translate to “it’s all your own fault for [insert misfortune that could have been prevented by proper oversight or freedom from corporate malfeasance here] (which BTW makes me better than you because it hasn’t happened to me yet) because nobody is miserable enough.” It’s Catholic Guilt squared with a dollop of unhelpfulness for good measure, all in the name of Personal Responsibility™ and the Blessedness of Teh Elect™. These volk are truly nasty. They read Dickens not as critique but as instruction, and watch Les Mis to root for Javert not Valjean. If there’s ever a Bureau for the Prevention of Vice and Promotion of Virtue they’ll be the first Inquisitors Agents to sign up.

    Death Penalty? Check. Penury for economic/medical misfortune? Check. Are there no workhouses? Are there no prisons?

  128. 128.

    jl

    September 12, 2013 at 5:05 pm

    @jl: I was a little unfair to Nixon, since I’ve red liberal Dems scuttled Nixon’s first proposal. On other hand, Nixon didn’t make it a priority and keep at it like Obama, and he sure jumped on the HMOs designed to make more money and deliver less care quick, as soon as it was proposed to him.

  129. 129.

    mclaren

    September 15, 2013 at 12:18 am

    Republicans are now crazed hostage-takers with bombs strapped to their bodies screaming threats and making insane demands.

    Time to declare the Republicans enemy combatants and take ’em out with Delta Force.

Comments are closed.

Primary Sidebar

VA Purple House Delegates

Donate

Political Action

Postcard Writing Information

Recent Comments

  • MomSense on Burying the Lede (Oct 1, 2023 @ 2:02am)
  • rikyrah on Burying the Lede (Oct 1, 2023 @ 1:41am)
  • John Revolta on Burying the Lede (Oct 1, 2023 @ 1:33am)
  • Thor Heyerdahl on Burying the Lede (Oct 1, 2023 @ 1:27am)
  • tobie on Burying the Lede (Oct 1, 2023 @ 1:27am)

🎈Keep Balloon Juice Ad Free

Become a Balloon Juice Patreon
Donate with Venmo, Zelle or PayPal

Balloon Juice Posts

View by Topic
View by Author
View by Month & Year
View by Past Author

Featuring

Medium Cool
Artists in Our Midst
Authors in Our Midst
We All Need A Little Kindness
What Has Biden Done for You Lately?

Balloon Juice Meetups!

All Meetups
Talk of Meetups – Meetup Planning

Fundraising 2023-24

Wis*Dems Supreme Court + SD-8

Calling All Jackals

Site Feedback
Nominate a Rotating Tag
Submit Photos to On the Road
Balloon Juice Mailing List Signup
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Links)
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Posts)

Twitter / Spoutible

Balloon Juice (Spoutible)
WaterGirl (Spoutible)
TaMara (Spoutible)
John Cole
DougJ (aka NYT Pitchbot)
Betty Cracker
Tom Levenson
TaMara
David Anderson
Major Major Major Major
ActualCitizensUnited

Join the Fight!

Join the Fight Signup Form
All Join the Fight Posts

Balloon Juice for Ukraine

Donate

Cole & Friends Learn Español

Introductory Post
Cole & Friends Learn Español

Site Footer

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Comment Policy
  • Our Authors
  • Blogroll
  • Our Artists
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Dev Balloon Juice · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!