CONGRESS: The president must listen to the will of the voters!
PRESIDENT: Okay, what is that?
CONGRESS: Well, [spills coffee on crotch]
— Simon Maloy (@SimonMaloy) February 28, 2015
Several members of the Freedom Caucus are on the House floor preventing a bill from passing by unanimous consent
— Daniel Newhauser (@dnewhauser) February 28, 2015
ISIS comes, kills us all in our beds? MT @ezraklein: Here's what happens if DHS actually shuts down: http://t.co/7xDHSifMlv
— Billmon (@billmon1) February 28, 2015
House Republicans have the biggest GOP majority since before the New Deal. But they can't pass a 3-week punt without Nancy Pelosi.
— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) February 27, 2015
Or even one week, as it turns out. From Roll Call, news of the fking Mole People:
Just two hours before the Department of Homeland Security was set to run out of funding, the House delivered a bill to float the agency for one more week.
But last-minute maneuvering almost put a snag in that plan.
Shortly after learning that GOP leaders intended to bring the stopgap measure to the floor after Senate passage earlier in the evening, a band of conservatives huddled in the chamber to plot their next move.
Earlier in the day, 50 of them helped sink the House’s proposed three-week continuing resolution because it did not include language blocking President Barack Obama’s executive actions on immigration.
At around 9:30 p.m., close to 20 members who hailed largely from the newly formed House Freedom Caucus appeared to be consulting the House rules on a laptop belonging to Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C.
Republican votes were critical to passing this one-week patch, especially since leadership chose to expedite consideration of the measure by bringing it up under “suspension of the rules.”
Typically reserved for noncontroversial measures, bringing a bill up under suspension requires a minimum of two-thirds of those present and voting to vote in the affirmative.
That meant leaders were relying on a lot of Republicans to vote “yes” — and a lot of Democrats, too. Members of the minority party earlier in the day held out all but 12 of their votes over the GOP’s refusal to bring up the other bill passed by the Senate on Friday morning, to fund the DHS for the remainder of the fiscal year without conditions.
Luckily for Republicans, Democrats agreed to help out with the seven-day stopgap. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to her members asking them to support the latest effort, saying that it would ensure passage of the longer-term DHS funding bill in the next seven days…
Cherry on the shite sundae:
… A senior House Democratic aide clarified to CQ Roll Call that Speaker John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, gave Pelosi and other House Democratic leaders his commitment to bringing up the six-month bill next week, once the Senate inevitably blocks the House’s motion to form a conference committee to resolve differences between the two chambers.
Michael Steel, Boehner’s spokesman, denied that such a conversation had taken place: “There was no such promise made,” he said…
So we all get to do this again next week. Cheers!
— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) February 28, 2015
***********
Speaking of whiny clowns, before anyone complains about too many tweets, I’ve been fighting a nasty cold & the spindizzies (labyrinthitis) all week. One hundred forty characters is about as much attention as I can muster, right now.
Anne Laurie
Just saw your comment below — best of Jeopardy luck to EFGoldmanDaughter!
Little Boots
we are this amazingly silly country. seriously, well not seriously, just, wow.
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: Going to be soon, but here.*
*There is a way it fits the modern GOP.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
they do have a pattern.
Oh, I think they’ll lose, ultimately, but it’s gonna be an annoying, pain in the ass, long, twilight struggle.
and thanks for the music. you know what I love.
BruinKid
Um, so the opposition leader in Russia has just been shot dead in Moscow.
Little Boots
@BruinKid:
damn, so not dicking around apparently. so, there is a czar. got it.
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: T-step to this.
Little Boots
@efgoldman:
that is so true. boner cannot count votes for shit. damn. this is seriously the most inept congress in history. and nothing matters, cause people will keep voting them in for the hell of it.
can we blame omnes?
Omnes Omnibus
@efgoldman: Bourbon and Orange can count votes. He just can’t control any bit of his caucus.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
in fairness, I only attacked you before I realized you posted this.
Hal
@BruinKid:
So are conservatives in America going to be on TV all next week asking why Obama doesn’t handle his enemies like, um, whoever might have had this guy killed. Not saying it was Putin or anything.
wasabi gasp
Get well soon, Anne Laurie. You rock.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4VCUbL7jsc
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: Blame away, Bitchez! I am following a Temps path and I am happy.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
temps. is this some cult. cause, not surprised.
can you post music now?
Bill E Pilgrim
Speaking of clown shows, in the new season of House of Cards, the script has Claire Underwood in a hearing announce proudly that she’s devoted herself during the past year to “sexual assault reform”. Note to show producers: I think it’s only called “reform” when it’s something that you want to keep, but improve. It would be like talking about “drug abuse reform”, just bizarre, and wrong.
The show is entertaining as hell, but at times it seems like it was written by someone with the political IQ of a turnip.
Present Frank Underwood spent a lot of the previous episode ranting about how social security is “bankrupting us”, and he’s a Democrat.
Little Boots
@efgoldman:
actually, you got the best. the really best.
Omnes Omnibus
Also, in this, the guy in the double breasted suit with the cig wins.
Morzer
@Bill E Pilgrim:
Max Baucus, Joe Lieberman and Zell Miller see nothing contradictory in those positions.
Bill E Pilgrim
@Morzer: Joe Lieberman’s a Democrat?
Yeah I know, but I mean this guy is the freaking President, and otherwise not being portrayed as a Zell Miller.
I think the show basically just regurgitates “centrist”-to-right gobbledygook that it thinks sounds good, that was just one of many examples. It should just stick to the intrigue and dastardly stuff.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
yes, awesomeness.
Omnes Omnibus
@efgoldman: Oh, he is is sad, sad caricature. Or maybe a figurehead. I haven’t decided which.
@Little Boots: I did post music. Also, my dad can T-step like you wouldn’t believe. He’s now about 5’10” and 250, but he can still do those dance moves – with a grace and smoothness I could never manage. Listening to late night music stations that he could catch from Memphis and NOLA had an effect.
Little Boots
everyone’s yelling at me at that other site.
why?
lamh36
Lol, this may be the most gangsta cat ever…lol.
Check out the video here: https://instagram.com/p/zohAACOuCt/
Love it.
Morzer
@Bill E Pilgrim:
You’ll love President Harold Ford. You know, the one found in a helicopter woven out of bullshit-rushes on the banks of the financial district.
Little Boots
and omnes, your dad sounds awesome.
I just wanted more and more and more music. is that too much to ask. cause I can do it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM7-PYtXtJM
Anya
I’ve been offline all day to day so I am so behind on today’s news. Please tell me this is not true!
Grand Bargain
Omnes Omnibus
Interesting thing from Stax.
Bill E Pilgrim
@Morzer: My God does he still exist? A mythical figure seen only on conservative morning talk shows.
I imagine Joe Scarborough thinks Ford could be President. And that’s about it.
Omnes Omnibus
@Anya: How many times have you heard Grand Bargain rumors about Obama? How many times have they come true?
rikyrah
@efgoldman:
Good luck for your daughter.
Little Boots
for omnes, the beatles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAJRBIHkQFs
Anya
@Omnes Omnibus: I know, but I give Josh Marshal a little bit more credibility than other sources. This rumor sounds ridiculous and very harmful if it happens. How can POTUS allow a foreign leader that kind of leverage over him. It doesn’t make sense at all.
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: Professor Longhair.
Hey, lamh36, can I get a little backing here?
Citizen Alan
Honestly, I genuinely believe at this point that the Republicans WANT a terrorist attack so they can blame Obama and the Democrats for it. Hell, I think most of them would actively facilitate a terrorist attack if they thought they could hide their involvement. Traitors, every god-damned one of them.
Mnemosyne
So my job interview today went strangely well. Strangely, because they’re not sure they want me for the exact position I interviewed for, but they want to put me in the running for a couple of positions that haven’t been posted yet that could eventually (meaning in about 5 years) lead to actual TV writing jobs. Um, yes please! Plus I think a friend of mine would be good for the actual position, so when I sent over my updated resume, I asked if it was okay for me to send them her resume as well.
I hadn’t quite realized that the person interviewing me would recognize my name from regular emails I exchange with her team members (though I probably should have since I have an unusual name) so she was prepared to like me and want me to work for her department. So, yay to having been polite and professional via email!
sharl
@Anya: That’s actually setting off my snark alarm, i.e., I think Josh is just funnin’ us.
Little Boots
@Citizen Alan:
oh, they do. it’s sad, and it won’t work, but they do.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
wow.
Mnemosyne
@efgoldman:
Make sure to tell her to sign the paperwork authorizing the show to withhold income taxes from any winnings, even if it seems like they’re withholding almost half. I knew someone who didn’t bother to do that and ended up having to go on a payment plan with the IRS because, of course, she had spent most of the money by the time her taxes came do.
(She spent it responsibly by paying off a chunk of her student loans, but the IRS doesn’t care how you spent it, they just want their share.)
Little Boots
what is life, after all?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2oFESUMWhU
mdblanche
@Little Boots: Strong words coming from a man represented in the Senate by his horse. But we deserve them.
@Omnes Omnibus: In “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” doesn’t a wolf finally show up at the end?
Little Boots
tell me who am I
Anya
@sharl:That’s what I thought initially then I realized that I can’t tell the difference between The Onion and real headlines anymore.
Little Boots
@mdblanche:
seriously, was that not a better choice than mcconnell? even, in kentucy, don’t they care about their horses more?
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: A bit Beatley, aren’t you? I get the feel that there rest of the folks around tonight aren’t feeling musical. Perhaps it’s time for some Nyquil and sleep.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
they are in a mood.
what mood are you in?
Omnes Omnibus
@mdblanche: I root for wolves in most stories involving them. They know how to run a comparatively decent society.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Omnes Omnibus: Me like that song.
@Omnes Omnibus: The wife remembers the third of September(1983), there was a good deal of pain involved.
Violet
@efgoldman: Wow! Your daughter made it on Jeopardy!? That’s really cool. Hope she goes far!
Little Boots
oh yay, billinglendale is here.
mdblanche
@Little Boots: No argument there.
@Omnes Omnibus: Or there.
sharl
@Anya: Yeah, especially with this extra nutty Congress, Poe’s law definitely applies here.
Little Boots
and now, for omnes, once again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwqhdRs4jyA
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: This mood.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
i want my willberries first. before your anger.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Little Boots: I think the Beatles did that song live on the TVmachine, so there should be footage of it. I swear I’ve seen it.
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: This has Beatles.
Mnemosyne
@efgoldman:
My friend thought she was being sensible by using the money to pay off her student loans, but the IRS Does Not Care.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
fine. that’s not horrible.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Omnes Omnibus: I infected Boots with the Beatles last week :).
Little Boots
@BillinGlendaleCA:
you totally did, and now … I can’t stop.
workworkwork
@Bill E Pilgrim:
To be fair, his character is *supposed* to be an evil, scheming son-of-a-bitch.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
this is a bit pretentious.
Little Boots
damn what’s that song I want to post? omnes?
Little Boots
it’s not this, but it’s like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR4vE9xL3yk
BillinGlendaleCA
@Little Boots: I’m hungry, how about a little Breakfast in America?
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: It is about a girl wanting to be the prettiest at the dance. Not pretentious in the least. Rather universal, I would think. Maybe this from Francoise Hardy will help….
Or this, which is perfect.
Little Boots
dammit omnes, you know what I want. what the hell do I want?
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
actually, that second one, that is pretty damn close.
are you a witch?
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: Which one?
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
staple singers. damn, you are kind of amazing sometimes.
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: I have ancestors here on this continent who were convicted of witchcraft. One of whom was hanged for it.
OTOH, something from Hi Records in Memphis will fix it all.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
well, I hope you are not hanged. cause, damn.
Little Boots
still, and I still like billinglendale, but at any rate:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwqhdRs4jyA
BillinGlendaleCA
In honor of Leonard Nimoy’s passing; a bit of a mind meld of Supertramp and the Beatles The Logical Song(the drummer in the white coat is Mr. Starkey).
The mom of one of my bosses, back when I worked for Satan, dated Lenny(as she called him) back in high school.
wasabi gasp
@Omnes Omnibus: Wizz blop pow, man. Shebam, shebam, shebam.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OefMhv71MP8
Betty Cracker
Feel better, Anne Laurie. I’m still shaking off a rotten cold. I hates it, I does!
@sharl: I think you’re right. God, I hope so, anyway. If we have to involve foreign governments to swing a funding deal, we might as well admit this experiment has failed and petition the Queen for readmission to the kingdom.
Little Boots
@BillinGlendaleCA:
oh, fine, I dunno.
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: To be fair, I also have ancestors who were accusers and judges at the witch trials. I prefer to mention the convicted and the ones you protested and opposed from the beginning.
@efgoldman: Yep.
Violet
AL, hope you feel better soon.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
I oppose nobody.
I just ask for music.
all I ever do.
and steeplejack, and billinglendale.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Betty Cracker: Maybe that’s who the nakid(except for 1 black sock) guy that was lowered out of Buckingham Palace on bed sheets tied together was.
Omnes Omnibus
@wasabi gasp: why not this one?
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
fine. can I have steeplejack?
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: I have no control over Steep. Mais, I am off to bed. Cheers.
ETA: Ute Lemper.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
what about the music?
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: I left you with some.
Little Boots
fine, I will:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbxxkwBQk_o
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
or you could stay.
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: Okay, that’s brilliant.
@Little Boots: I have obligations tomorrow morning.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
see, now you have to stay.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
okay, fine.
BillinGlendaleCA
Orangeman needs this song for his caucus:Give a Little Bit.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Little Boots: Should I stay or Should I Go
Little Boots
love you, not quite so much as that other guy, but love you.
wasabi gasp
@Omnes Omnibus: Maybe because this one.
BillinGlendaleCA
Southern California weather for the next 4(or 5) days: It’s Raining Again.
Omnes Omnibus
@BillinGlendaleCA: Death or Glory.
Little Boots
@BillinGlendaleCA:
you are the best, almost the best. damn, you are wonderful.
Little Boots
oh, damn, you are just the best, except for this other guy.
Little Boots
bill, you are not pissed at me are you. don’t be.
you know I have this whole thing with omnes.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Little Boots: Bloody Well Right.
Omnes Omnibus
@BillinGlendaleCA: Please, for the love of all that is good and right, stop posting Supertramp songs.
Little Boots
oh dammit.
Little Boots
@BillinGlendaleCA:
oh, love you all over again.
Little Boots
ignore omnes, he gets so moody.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Omnes Omnibus: Ah, Omnes, what’s wrong with Supertramp? But here’s something different, Brothers in Arms.
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: Since the Nyquil hasn’t kicked in yet, I’ll start with original versions of Brecht/Weill songs – just because I can.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
what, now?
Omnes Omnibus
@BillinGlendaleCA: Me like.
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: This.
ETA: Lotte Lenya was never beautiful, but she was sexy as hell.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Little Boots: Here, try this for size. Walk away Renee.
Little Boots
okay, love dire straits.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Omnes Omnibus: Nyquil, heh, that’s some Heavy Fuel. Hope it does the trick.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
seriously?
BillinGlendaleCA
@BillinGlendaleCA: Hope you don’t have Industrial Disease.
Little Boots
@BillinGlendaleCA:
see, you are too much.
Omnes Omnibus
@BillinGlendaleCA: Two versions of Different Drum. One. Two.
Little Boots
is it wrong that I kinda love billinglendale right now?
BillinGlendaleCA
@Omnes Omnibus: When I was in college the Governor of my state was dating her(video #1).
Little Boots
fine.
everyone loves the omnes.
Little Boots
I kinda don’t mind that.
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: Just go for a walk in the wild west end. Source.
Omnes Omnibus
@BillinGlendaleCA: The current gov?
BillinGlendaleCA
@Omnes Omnibus: The same.
Little Boots
now that’s not the wild side. this is the wild side:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wNknGIKkoA
BillinGlendaleCA
@Little Boots: For personal reasons, I’d go with this Reed classic: Sweet Jane. It’s the kid’s ringtone.
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: Seriously? You want to pull the Lou Reed card on me? Who is the hiptster/punk/alternative guy in this twisted relationship?
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
apparently billin
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: You just better check yourself before you wreck yourself.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
I know it. you know I’m going to do it. so fine, here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjCw3-YTffo
BillinGlendaleCA
@Little Boots: There’s a relationship between ‘Papa was a Rolling Stone’ and ‘Sweet Jane’ for me.
Little Boots
I cannot help myself, dammit.
Little Boots
I DO NOT blame billin. others I do blame.
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: Still not the best version of the song. Yeah, I am a music snob.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
no kidding.
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: Still not the best version of the song. Yeah, I am a music snob.
Little Boots
okay fine, what about this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QR4vE9xL3yk
Omnes Omnibus
@Omnes Omnibus: Weird.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
fine, you’re the best.
wait, weren’t you going to sleep?
BillinGlendaleCA
Per California law, I’m required to post this: Good Vibrations.
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: I am right now. Cheers.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Little Boots: Nyquil hasn’t kicked in.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
no, now it’s fun. here is petulia:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=petula+clark+downtown+
BillinGlendaleCA
A related video.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Little Boots: I prefer this one: Don’t sleep in the Subway.
Little Boots
@BillinGlendaleCA:
actually love that.
NotMax
@BillinGlendaleCA
Puke-a-riffic alternate from East Coast.
BillinGlendaleCA
@NotMax: I just lost my dinner. This should help, from the boys from the next town over playing some Kinks.
opiejeanne
@efgoldman: We’re flying on sunday. could be interesting.
Good luck to your daughter.
Little Boots
@BillinGlendaleCA:
wow.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Little Boots: Big hair on Dave there, eh?
BillinGlendaleCA
A brief interlude from my fellow alums: Alabama Song.
Villago Delenda Est
“Freedom Caucus” = fascist pigs
Morzer
Second Amendment remedies still failing to help anyone:
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/feb/27/missouri-shootings-multiple-crime-scenes
BillinGlendaleCA
@Morzer: I think you’re viewing this in a much too limited framework. It’s FREEDOM, in this case freedom from life for these poor souls.
When I saw this report earlier in the day, Texas county rang a bell. My aunt lived there about 40 years ago(we visited in 1969 and 1975), about(per teh google maps) 15 miles from where this ‘freedom’ took place.
Morzer
@BillinGlendaleCA:
Freedom is just another word for no life left to lose?
That would certainly fit with the NRA’s paranoid nihilism.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Morzer: This is the part of America where real folk live, not people like you and I, Morzer.
PaulW
Just remember, the Republicans keep campaigning on their belief that government is broken or wasteful, and then they spend every day in power sabotaging everything to prove themselves correct.
This is what you get, registered Democrats, when you fail to turn out to vote during midterms.
This is what you get, independent voters, when you fail to turn out to vote for Democrats during midterms.
This is what you get, Democratic Party, when you fail to even challenge more than half of all Congressional Districts during midterms and fail to stir up voter interest in progressive candidates who will protect and improve our schools, hold businesses accountable, and make government as efficient as possible.
SRW1
@Anya
I take that as pure, unadulterated snark.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
and here is what the GOP “wave” was really about – the Republicans are really three or four political parties with conflicting agendas all using the same name