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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Wednesday Evening Open Thread: Repubs Still in Disarray!

Wednesday Evening Open Thread: Repubs Still in Disarray!

by Anne Laurie|  October 7, 20155:39 pm| 138 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Republican Stupidity, Assholes, Ever Get The Feeling You've Been Cheated?

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"Freedom Caucus" leader has bad news for McCarthy: We plan to vote as one http://t.co/qjWUvET1A6 pic.twitter.com/wXeXVaLHhF

— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) October 7, 2015

Doug Neidermeyer's revenge https://t.co/jIwx0aprQG

— Bob Schooley (@Rschooley) October 7, 2015

Per the company town’s industry newspaper, the Washington Post:

In a move that threatens to upend the Republican race to succeed outgoing House Speaker John A. Boehner, a group of hard-line conservatives said Wednesday it will throw its support behind a little known Florida member to become the next speaker.

The House Freedom Caucus announced its support for Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.) after emerging from an afternoon meeting in the Capitol complex.

The endorsement deeply complicates Majority Leader Kevin O. McCarthy’s bid to succeed Boehner as speaker. But in an opening for the California Republican, caucus members said Wednesday that the endorsement is binding on members only for Thursday’s internal party vote and would not necessarily apply to the Oct. 29 floor vote.

But the endorsement Wednesday gives the caucus tremendous leverage to force McCarthy or any other candidate into adopting rules changes and policy positions favored by conservatives ahead of the decisive floor vote…

The WaPo article does not mention Jason Chaffetz, nor yet a certain Repub presidential candidate of Cuban-Canadian extraction (h/t commentor Rikyrah)…

***********
Apart from cheering confusion to our enemies, what’s on the agenda for the evening?

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Reader Interactions

138Comments

  1. 1.

    jayboat

    October 7, 2015 at 5:42 pm

    Popcorn futures.

  2. 2.

    Jim Faith

    October 7, 2015 at 5:49 pm

    Alan Grayson calls him ‘Taliban Dan’ Webster.

  3. 3.

    David Koch

    October 7, 2015 at 5:49 pm

    Sean Sullivan @WaPoSean

    Jeb on whether we should go to gold standard: “I don’t know. I don’t think so. I don’t know for sure.”

    Retweets
    16
    Favorites
    6

    11:10 AM – 7 Oct 2015

    Vacillating over the gold standard?

    ¿Jeb? isn’t good at this

  4. 4.

    Baud

    October 7, 2015 at 5:50 pm

    Apparently, the so-called “Democratic” Party won’t let a candidate into the debate unless they appear “in person” and use their “real name.”

    Hey Dems, how’d those rules work out for you in 2014?

    The establishment is scared.

  5. 5.

    David Koch

    October 7, 2015 at 5:51 pm

    Quinnipac Poll Sept 25 – Oct 5

    “Those who were waiting for Donald Trump’s campaign to collapse will need to wait longer, at least in the three key states of Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.

    Florida

    Trump…………..28%
    Carson………….16%
    Rubio……………14%
    ¿Jeb?……………12%◄
    Fiorina…………….7%
    Cruz……………….6%

    Note: ¿Jeb? is a former 2 term Governor of Florida

    Ohio

    Trump…………..23%
    Carson………….18%
    Kasich…………..13%
    Cruz………………11%
    Fiorina……………10%
    Rubio……………..7%
    ¿Jeb?…………….4%◄

    Note: Kasich is the sitting Governor of Ohio

    Pennsylvania

    Trump…………..23%
    Carson………….17%
    Rubio……………12%
    Fiorina…………….8%
    Cruz……………….6%
    Christie…………..5%
    ¿Jeb?…………….4%◄

    Note: ¿Jeb? isn’t good at this

  6. 6.

    Calouste

    October 7, 2015 at 5:51 pm

    So… what if Pelosi whips the Democrats to vote for the Freedom Fascism Caucus candidate, or any other lunatic that throws his hat in the ring? Would they have enough votes to get him the speakership? Would he immediately become a RINO because Democrats vote for him? Would the Republicans start voting against their own candidate? Specially of course if there have been a few rounds of voting without a winner.

  7. 7.

    David Koch

    October 7, 2015 at 5:51 pm

    Quinnipac Poll Sept 25 – Oct 5

    Florida

    Clinton…………43%
    Biden…………..19%
    Sanders……….19%

    Ohio

    Clinton………….40%
    Biden……………21%
    Sanders………..19%

    Pennsylvania

    Clinton………….36%
    Biden……………25%
    Sanders………..19%

  8. 8.

    Calouste

    October 7, 2015 at 5:53 pm

    @David Koch: Also, Rubio is a sitting Senator in Florida and a former State House Speaker. Together they poll less in a Confederate state than a Yankee. Must be all those snowbirds.

  9. 9.

    dedc79

    October 7, 2015 at 5:54 pm

    19th Century Daniel Webster is rolling in his grave.

  10. 10.

    Arm The Homeless

    October 7, 2015 at 5:55 pm

    @David Koch:

    Wow, I expected more dynamism from Sanders. That’s interesting he seems pegged at 19% of the Dem electorate.

  11. 11.

    Baud

    October 7, 2015 at 6:00 pm

    @Arm The Homeless:

    He’s extremely consistent.

  12. 12.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    October 7, 2015 at 6:00 pm

    The neb-liberals of twitter (I’m looking at you, Jonathan Chait) are tsk-tsking that Dems are “caving to the teachers’ unions” and not attending Campbell Brown’s ‘education summit’. My question: Who the fuck is failed, fired CNN anchor and Mrs Dan Senor Campbell Brown, and why the fuck would anyone feel compelled to attend her “education summit” in the first place?

  13. 13.

    JPL

    October 7, 2015 at 6:00 pm

    @Calouste: What would they offer her? I assume she would want the Debt Ceiling debate to end and would want at least one committee chair.

  14. 14.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    October 7, 2015 at 6:01 pm

    @David Koch: Hillary Clinton’s double digit leads are a sure sign of a failed campaign.

  15. 15.

    David Koch

    October 7, 2015 at 6:02 pm

    According to Roger Stone, ¿Jeb? is actively pushing Rubio has a mistress and kids out of wedlock info around the media.

    Who will be the first to print.

  16. 16.

    Baud

    October 7, 2015 at 6:03 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    I’m a big fan of Booman, but that seems to be his take. Very odd.

  17. 17.

    Calouste

    October 7, 2015 at 6:03 pm

    @David Koch:

    The asshole, the lunatic, and the liar are still polling around 50% in all those 3 polls, that has been very consistent.

    Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania are key states (possibly) in the general, but far from that in the primaries. Just goes to show how far Q-Pac has fallen that they can’t even get things like that right.

    At least Gallup have realized that they suck so much at political polling these days that they won’t poll the primaries, and are undecided about polling the general.

  18. 18.

    MomSense

    October 7, 2015 at 6:04 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    I would attend if only to heckle Mrs. Dan Senor about the 6 billion in “lost cash” from the early days of Iraq. Can Dan prove he didn’t take any for himself? That is a lot of cash just sitting around unaccounted.

    It would be irresponsible not to speculate.

  19. 19.

    beltane

    October 7, 2015 at 6:04 pm

    @David Koch: Rubio may be the establishment’s choice to replace Jeb, but he doesn’t seem all that much more popular with Republican voters. Donald Trump really does satisfy the needs of the Republican base. No matter how hard the media promotes the anti-Trump du jour , the Republican voters keep returning to their man.

  20. 20.

    trollhattan

    October 7, 2015 at 6:05 pm

    @David Koch:
    Truckloads of voters. Brinks. Trucks.

    Whoops, they’re all day-ud!

    Those numbers are very encouraging–the Republicans are still swallowing and digesting themselves.

  21. 21.

    Chyron HR

    October 7, 2015 at 6:07 pm

    @trollhattan:

    It’s Xeno’s. Brinks. Trucks. Before they can back up and unload their Unlimited Corporate Cash, they have to back halfway up. And before they do that, they have to get halfway to halfway…

  22. 22.

    trollhattan

    October 7, 2015 at 6:07 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:
    Campbell Brown has some damn weird ideas and I’d steer as clear of her as I would Michelle Rhee. A proper non-attendance.

  23. 23.

    Baud

    October 7, 2015 at 6:08 pm

    @beltane:

    Every time I think Trump can’t win, I remember what the field is like and I’m not sure who defeats him.

  24. 24.

    Turgidson

    October 7, 2015 at 6:08 pm

    This is starting to get stressful. The teabaggers want a Speaker who would actually go through with a debt ceiling meltdown and be willing to shut down the government over whatever the faux outrage of the week happens to be, and Kevin McCarthy is probably too much of a spineless lollygagger to tell them to pound sand even if he disagrees with them.

    If I were Pelosi/Dem leadership, I’d be seriously considering ways to avoid either of these eventualities. I’d at least be exploring the idea of approaching one of the least-insane House GOPers left (Tom Cole? Peter King’s non-asshole equivalent? Not sure if there are any others left anymore) and offer to deliver the Dem caucus votes to that person if they can round up a large enough stump of non-insane GOPers to win the Speakership vote. But do so on the condition that he shitcan the Hastert Suggestion and use that majority to raise the debt ceiling and avert ridiculous shutdowns when necessary, at the very least, and perhaps promise to consider an infrastructure/jobs bill.

    Normally I’d be fine with grabbing the popcorn and watching the GOP’s circular firing squad do its work, but if the GOP puts a real wackjob, or someone too afraid of the wackjobs to ignore them when they have to, into the Speakership, we really might default on the debt. I’m willing to throw the less-insane remnant of the GOP a life preserver (and possibly help them electorally in the short term) to avoid this and the widespread suffering it would cause to innocent people.

  25. 25.

    trollhattan

    October 7, 2015 at 6:08 pm

    @Chyron HR:
    Heh. The only thing that arrives at the loading dock is that annoying beeping.

  26. 26.

    raven

    October 7, 2015 at 6:09 pm

    @Turgidson: It’s all bullshit.

  27. 27.

    Baud

    October 7, 2015 at 6:10 pm

    @Chyron HR:

    Maybe it’s Schroedinger’s. Brinks. Trucks. They’re simultaneously full of money and not full of money, until you open them to see how much money is in them.

  28. 28.

    JPL

    October 7, 2015 at 6:10 pm

    @Turgidson: The Debt Ceiling is key. It appears that some think that if they don’t raise the ceiling and the economy tanks, they will win. Win what, I don’t know. All I know is that I’m avoiding stock purchases for awhile.

  29. 29.

    trollhattan

    October 7, 2015 at 6:11 pm

    @Baud:
    Only Trump defeats Trump–an occurrence I was sure would happen months ago. This thing has taken on a life of its own so it seems anything is now possible.

    Honestly, he’s far from their worst candidate, which is what genuinely scares the crap out of me.

  30. 30.

    JPL

    October 7, 2015 at 6:11 pm

    @raven: It might be bullshit, but they could tank the economy.

  31. 31.

    groucho48

    October 7, 2015 at 6:11 pm

    @Calouste:

    An even better dream is that this moves Nancy Smash one step closer to being the next Speaker. Wouldn’t that be a kick in the pants!

  32. 32.

    Arm The Homeless

    October 7, 2015 at 6:12 pm

    @Baud:

    He could be your Secretary of Stability. Responsible for the collective mental calmness of the American public.

    Also, too. If we had an Amendment proposal from your administration to declare one sweet, dessert item as the Official American Dessert, what would it be, and how could it possibly be better than Kettle-corn?

  33. 33.

    Baud

    October 7, 2015 at 6:12 pm

    @trollhattan:

    Agreed on all points.

  34. 34.

    Betty Cracker

    October 7, 2015 at 6:12 pm

    The bad news: Webster is nuttier than a squirrel turd. The good news: he won’t hang onto his seat long; the FL GOP got busted for egregious gerrymandering, and he’s one of the sacrificial goats.

  35. 35.

    kindness

    October 7, 2015 at 6:13 pm

    The Freedom Caucus is what, 40 members? 40 members are going to hold the rest of the Republicans in the House hostage?

    Welcome to our world Republicans. Welcome to what we’ve faced every day Obama has had the Presidency.

  36. 36.

    Baud

    October 7, 2015 at 6:13 pm

    @Betty Cracker:

    Weird that he would be their go-to guy then.

  37. 37.

    trollhattan

    October 7, 2015 at 6:14 pm

    @David Koch:
    Oh man, reminiscent the Rovian ratfvcking of McCain with the illegitimate child push-polling.

  38. 38.

    JPL

    October 7, 2015 at 6:14 pm

    OT.. Should tax dollars be spent on South Carolina, since they didn’t spend the funds maintaining and inspecting the dams? It might have been a record rainfall, but they cut funding to inspect the dams.

  39. 39.

    Baud

    October 7, 2015 at 6:15 pm

    @Arm The Homeless:

    Tamara will obviously be my Secretary of Food, so I’ll have to run your proposal by her.

  40. 40.

    David Koch

    October 7, 2015 at 6:16 pm

    Campbell Brown has a degree in Poly Sci from Regis College in Denver.

    In her 2006 wedding announcement in the New York Times, she described “her postcollege years as a Colorado ski bum.”

    After getting off the slopes, she then spent nearly 20 years as a news reader.

    She has zero qualifications to discuss pedagogy, other than her husband is a PR rep for a charter school magnate/profiteer.

  41. 41.

    Right to Rise

    October 7, 2015 at 6:18 pm

    All of you haters out there thinking Jeb is over, the campaign/ Super PAC five little letters for you:

    R…E…L…A…X.

    Relax.

    It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and Jeb is in it for the long haul and has the cash to go the distance. This isn’t Walker’s joke of a campaign, Bush has the real pros on his side. People who have been there, done that, and have the donations to prove it.

    So just relax. It’s all about the Benjamin’s, baby.

  42. 42.

    Gimlet

    October 7, 2015 at 6:18 pm

    http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2015/oct/06/request-gods-mercy-gay-marriage-lacking-amen/329130/

    MARYVILLE, Tenn. — A resolution asking God to have mercy on a Tennessee county for issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples apparently didn’t have a prayer of being considered Tuesday.

    The sudden adjournment shocked the 150 citizens who packed into the meeting room. Some of the attendees expressed their disbelief by shouting “Cowards!” and “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

    the resolution asks state officials including the governor and attorney general to protect “natural marriage” from “lawless” court opinions and defend moral standards.

    It also appeals directly to God.

    “We adopt this resolution before God that He pass us by in His Coming Wrath and not destroy our County as He did Sodom and Gomorrah,” the resolution states.

  43. 43.

    mdblanche

    October 7, 2015 at 6:19 pm

    @Baud: Booman seems to have at least a touch of CDS.

    @Turgidson: “Peter King’s non-asshole equivalent?”

    I’m pretty sure that’s some sort of oxymoron.

  44. 44.

    Srv

    October 7, 2015 at 6:21 pm

    Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton announced Wednesday that she opposes an expansive 12-nation Pacific Rim free-trade accord

    Even Hillary believes in America first

  45. 45.

    Arm The Homeless

    October 7, 2015 at 6:21 pm

    @Baud:

    They are making a point that they don’t care about committee assignments or office real-estate. For now.

    This is their temper tantrum, to show the base they are holding the line. They need a morale boost down in the hollers.

    It’s fitting the assholes who rode in as “outsiders” and “renegades” are being systematically removed by the new Sans Culottes. It’s all very poetic.

  46. 46.

    Baud

    October 7, 2015 at 6:21 pm

    @Gimlet:

    “We adopt this resolution before God that He pass us by in His Coming Wrath and not destroy our County as He did Sodom and Gomorrah,”

    I wish this had passed, just to see what God’s response would be.

  47. 47.

    Germy Shoemangler

    October 7, 2015 at 6:23 pm

    Speaking of Repubs in disarray: Why is it every time I do business with a corporation owned or run by a RWNJ, the experience is so horrible?

    I tried calling Sears about my broken dishwasher. Got tossed around by a jovial-sounding automated robot. I kept hitting “0” until he finally conceded “Okay, you want to talk to a live operator. Please hold”

    Then I got a live operator. She couldn’t answer basic questions, transferred me to a different department who also couldn’t answer basic questions, who then transferred me to a third department, who disconnected me.

    I know that corporation is run by a RWNJ. I know Home Depot is also run by a RWNJ. Here’s something I read today by the comics curmudgeon:

    Maybe the time I was most tempted to go on a brandshaming tear was a few weeks ago, when I was trying to get a new stove delivered to our old house in Baltimore. We’re selling it and our tenants had moved out and our realtor told us that a new stove would really help make the kitchen stand out, so I ordered one from Home Depot’s website and paid the extra fee to have them install it and take the old stove away, and arranged for a friend to be there when it was going to be delivered. Easy, right? Except, haha, no, in Maryland you need a qualified plumber to do gas hookups, and so the guy who delivered it said to my friend, “Oh, no, this is a gas stove, I can’t hook this up or disconnect the old one,” as if he hadn’t known he was delivering a gas stove, and then he just left it there in the middle of the kitchen and took off. It took several phone calls to reveal that in fact a plumber contracted by Home Depot would be calling me to set up an appointment to install this thing in the next, like, 72 hours or so. And then someone else would call to make another appointment to take the old stove away. Did I mention we were having an open house in two days?

    Anyway, everyone I talked to at Home Depot was extremely nice and apologetic, as people often are when they don’t have decision-making power but have to serve as the public face of a dysfunctional institution. Several people told me that I would’ve been informed of all this if I had actually bought the stove in a store (but why couldn’t the info be included in the four auto-generated emails I had received after I bought it?) and that Maryland had overstrict laws about who could and couldn’t install gas appliances (but then why didn’t they just send a qualified person out with the delivery people, like Sears did with our gas dryer?). I ended up paying a handyman I knew to install it and take away the old stove and he was able to do it the next day, and Home Depot refunded me the amount I had paid for installation, so it all worked out in the end, but it left an extremely bad, I-will-never-buy-from-Home-Depot-again taste in my mouth, and I really wanted to complain about it to my hapless Internet followers, but I thought, nah, nobody wants to hear this.

    I also have had bad experiences with them.

    What I don’t understand is this: RWNJs are always extolling the virtues of the Free Market and Private Enterprise. Why are their customers so miserable?

    I have NEVER heard anyone complain about their rotten experience at Ben & Jerrys, or any other outfit run by progressives.

    What gives?

  48. 48.

    Brachiator

    October 7, 2015 at 6:23 pm

    @David Koch:

    According to Roger Stone, ¿Jeb? is actively pushing Rubio has a mistress and kids out of wedlock info around the media.

    Wow. I guess it makes sense that Jeb! would try to cross with this Rubio con.

    I was listening to a podcast from the 538 folks. They still don’t think that Trump can last. One of the commenters noted that back in 1996 some were touting Pat Buchanan as the plain talking outsider who was challenging the mainstream Republicans. Obviously that campaign ran out of steam.

    They also caution about the media putting too much faith in presumptive voting polls so early. However, they note that University of Chicago polls of political sentiment indicate that people who lean toward the Republicans are more conservative than the mainstream candidates, and that Rubio is more conservative than Jeb! or Kasich.

    So, if Jeb! doesn’t show some strength or loses the backing of the mainstream party hacks and the money men, they may turn to Rubio.

    And so, if Rubio can be taken out with some political dirt, now is the time. Ironically, this might help keep Trump around.

  49. 49.

    dedc79

    October 7, 2015 at 6:23 pm

    @Gimlet:

    The sudden adjournment shocked the 150 citizens who packed into the meeting room. Some of the attendees expressed their disbelief by shouting “Cowards!” and “You’ve got to be kidding me!” before suddenly transforming into pillars of salt.

  50. 50.

    p.a.

    October 7, 2015 at 6:24 pm

    The House Freedom Caucus announced its support for Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.) after emerging from an afternoon meeting in the Capitol complex.

    Henry Clay will not take this sitting down.

  51. 51.

    Thoughtful Today

    October 7, 2015 at 6:27 pm

    erm…

    Whenever I read ‘Republicans in disarray’, I assume their next ‘array’ will be farther right.

  52. 52.

    David Koch

    October 7, 2015 at 6:27 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: “Hillary winning Florida by 25 pts in a 3 way race is a sure sign of losing” ~ Orwell

  53. 53.

    beltane

    October 7, 2015 at 6:32 pm

    @David Koch: Campbell Brown is well-qualified to instruct young people in the art of the grift. On any other subject I can think of, she is well-qualified to STFU.

  54. 54.

    Pogonip

    October 7, 2015 at 6:32 pm

    @Turgidson: Curious. What happens if the most heavily armed nation on earth does default? Anything? Do they tell the Chinese, “Yup, we’ll drop your 20-megaton ‘payment’ right on ground zero’?”. Or is everybody relieved that the whole circus has finally come to an end, and we just quietly start over?

    My prediction, for what it’s worth, is that our Great Leaders would suddenly discover Scripture, declare a jubilee, then invent a new currency (“That’ll be ten Reagans and fifty-nine Rands, please”) and then start all over again.

  55. 55.

    jl

    October 7, 2015 at 6:33 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Commeter above noted HRC just came out in opposition to TPP.

    At this rate, the debate between Billary Sandon and Hermione Clinters next week will be interesting.
    I guess they can beef about their Iraqi war votes, but hope they find enough disagreements to make it interesting.
    To break up or not break up the big banks, financial transaction tax…

    So, I guess might be a good debate over foreign policy, role and structure of financial industry.
    Or maybe they should just use the questions as an excuse to give bits of their standard pitches and stump speeches.
    The moderators let the GOPers get away with saying anything they wanted, so surely will do the Dems the same favor.

  56. 56.

    Baud

    October 7, 2015 at 6:33 pm

    @David Koch:

    She’s not even qualified enough to post a comment on this blog.

  57. 57.

    Villago Delenda Est

    October 7, 2015 at 6:34 pm

    @trollhattan: The Bush Crime Family excells at vile rat-fucking politics. That’s one of the many reasons why they should be barred, forever, from seeking public office at any level ever again.

  58. 58.

    Grumpy Code Monkey

    October 7, 2015 at 6:35 pm

    @Gimlet:

    Jesus Christ.

    And I’m not being deliberately ironic. There’s just no other appropriate response.

    Sharia Law is here. It just uses a different symbol.

    My fantasy scenario is still for Trump, Jeb?, and one of the True Believers to split delegates going into the convention, but I’m starting to think Jeb? isn’t going to win any, or at least not enough to make the ballot.

    Jesus, what if he hangs on through Stupor Tuesday and comes out empty-handed? What do you tell the donors? What do you tell Bar?

    Alternately, what highly-unethical/borderline-illegal tricks are the RNC going to use to deny Trump as many victories as possible? How many of them have a hope in hell of working? How are they going to suppress the base’s votes?

  59. 59.

    jl

    October 7, 2015 at 6:37 pm

    As for Speaker vote, someone let me know when the GOP falls into so many feuding incoherent and disorganized factions, each with their own candidate that someone more qualified, like Nancy Pelosi or Michael Moore or Colbert have chance.

    Edot: Larry Wilmore would probably take the job. He could do his show from the House. That would be totally awesome.

  60. 60.

    beltane

    October 7, 2015 at 6:37 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est: As vile as Trump is, he did the country a favor by humiliating Jeb.

  61. 61.

    Calouste

    October 7, 2015 at 6:37 pm

    @Right to Rise:

    “Relax, don’t do it/When you want to suck it, do it/Relax, don’t do it/ When you want to come.”

    It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and Jeb is in it for the long haul and has the cash to go the distance. [..] Bush has the real pros on his side.

    Now combine that quote with the original video accompanying the song above…

  62. 62.

    Germy Shoemangler

    October 7, 2015 at 6:37 pm

    @Grumpy Code Monkey:

    Jesus, what if he hangs on through Stupor Tuesday and comes out empty-handed? What do you tell the donors? What do you tell Bar?

    It’ll be tough enough facing the donors, but facing Bar… I just don’t know how he’ll do it. She can wither a man’s testicles with a glance.

  63. 63.

    Brachiator

    October 7, 2015 at 6:38 pm

    @Germy Shoemangler:

    Why is it every time I do business with a corporation owned or run by a RWNJ, the experience is so horrible?

    I’m not sure that this is about corporate ownership. Sears used to have customer service down. But they are struggling, and many companies end up foolishly cutting corners by downplaying customer service.

  64. 64.

    Turgidson

    October 7, 2015 at 6:39 pm

    @mdblanche:

    Fair enough. Just meant someone who, like King (but not Steve “cantaloupe calves” King), might be wrong about almost everything, but is at least sane enough to prefer not to deliberately sabotage the world economy just to stick it to the niCLANG in the White House. But Peter King is a real piece of shit, so someone else who meets that minimum threshold would be preferable.

  65. 65.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    October 7, 2015 at 6:39 pm

    @Right to Rise: Thanks, I was really, really worried.

  66. 66.

    Villago Delenda Est

    October 7, 2015 at 6:40 pm

    @Right to Rise: Cripes, you are pathetic, just like the sack of rancid dogshit that is ¡Heb!

  67. 67.

    jl

    October 7, 2015 at 6:41 pm

    @Calouste: Problem for Jeb? is, ‘stuff happens all the time’, or ‘OK, THINGS happen all the time, is that better?’, like for example, whenever Jeb? opens his arrogant irritated ignorant mouth.

    Edit: and I forgot rude. I am biased because I find Jeb? repellent, but is any other candidate so consistently, and simply and plainly rude to people? I don’t think so. Not even Trump, who, with a few Fox News and Hispanic reporter exceptions, reserves his thin skinned bile for other GOP candidates.

  68. 68.

    Villago Delenda Est

    October 7, 2015 at 6:41 pm

    @Brachiator: They cut back on customer service because the fuckwits at the top are focused on short term profits and their bonuses, not on the long term health of the enterprise. “I’ll be gone, you’ll be gone” is how these parasites operate.

  69. 69.

    MomSense

    October 7, 2015 at 6:42 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    The Bush Crime Family excells at vile rat-fucking politics. That’s one of the many reasons why they should be barred, forever, from seeking public office at any level ever again.

    I spent my college summers watching the White House Press Corpse gush all over that fucking family.

    It is to barf.

  70. 70.

    Germy Shoemangler

    October 7, 2015 at 6:43 pm

    @Brachiator: I think the customer is an afterthought with RWNJ corporate owners. They’re all about short-term PROFIT, but it’s in their DNA to treat their underlings and customers like shit. Then when the whole thing collapses they blame liberals, unions and taxes.

    I worked for two different RWNJs in two different jobs. Both loved spouting talking points, loved bitching about “unnecessary” regulations, but ran their companies into the ground.

  71. 71.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    October 7, 2015 at 6:43 pm

    @Germy Shoemangler: They do EVERYTHING on the cheep.

  72. 72.

    Turgidson

    October 7, 2015 at 6:44 pm

    @Pogonip:

    No one knows for sure what would happen, but I’d rather not discover the amount of panic that would result from the revelation that the world’s reserve currency, which has for decades been assumed to be the closest thing to a risk-free investment that exists, is in fact far from it, and only because a bunch of know-nothing dolts in one body of Congress would rather create this panic than give B. Hussein Obama what he wants.

  73. 73.

    mdblanche

    October 7, 2015 at 6:44 pm

    @David Koch: A 3 way race that’s really a 2 way race. If Biden hasn’t gotten in by now, he’s not going to unless his goal is to become the Democratic Fred Thompson.

    And if he’s coming in 3rd to Biden I suspect rumors of Sanders-mentum to be.an exaggeration of sorts.

  74. 74.

    Russ

    October 7, 2015 at 6:45 pm

    The So Carolina flooding occurred because ALL the Christians, worldwide, did not pray hard enough. Or, you’d have to ask God, maybe not sincere enough. I think Jeb? has the answer, STUFF HAPPENS.

  75. 75.

    trollhattan

    October 7, 2015 at 6:45 pm

    @Germy Shoemangler:

    What I don’t understand is this: RWNJs are always extolling the virtues of the Free Market and Private Enterprise. Why are their customers so miserable?

    It’s brilliant in its cynicism: enter a market, do everything you need to drive out your competition–including overstaffing, offering ridiculous return policies, loss-leader sales, whatever it takes–then strip out all that unneeded service and shopping environment once it’s not needed and jack up your prices just to the point they don’t hurt revenues.

    Rinse and repeat as necessary.

  76. 76.

    Librarian

    October 7, 2015 at 6:46 pm

    @Germy Shoemangler: That’s a question that answers itself.

  77. 77.

    trollhattan

    October 7, 2015 at 6:46 pm

    @Russ:
    The SC flooding was errant California rain prayers. We’re SO sorry.

  78. 78.

    Anoniminous

    October 7, 2015 at 6:46 pm

    Trump leads nationally. Trump leads in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada, and Florida.

    I still can’t believe that dweeb is the front-runner but the data says he is.

  79. 79.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    October 7, 2015 at 6:46 pm

    apparently today:

    ‏@ TeddyDavisCNN
    Jeb Bush, beast disrupter: “I’ve never lived in Washington, never been part of Washington. I just have the skills set to disrupt the beast.”

    Jeb Bush, a couple of weeks ago

    The next president needs to foster better international relations and peace, he said.
    “I know how to do this because, yes, I am a Bush,” he said. “I happened to see two really good presidents develop relationships with other countries.”

    Every time I think, this guy’s toast, I look at the alternatives and think, maybe it’s gotta be Jeb?. See also, Li’l Marco, and Kasich.

    During a town hall campaign stop at the college campus, Kasich reportedly told a female student with a laugh, “I’m sorry, I don’t have any Taylor Swift tickets” when she “was nearly jumping out of her seat to get noticed,” The Collegian reported.
    At another point, he told another female student, “I’m sure you get invited to all
    of the parties
    ,” according to the college paper.

    No wonder he and Tweety get along so well.

  80. 80.

    Brachiator

    October 7, 2015 at 6:48 pm

    @Right to Rise:

    All of you haters out there thinking Jeb is over,

    Jeb! is a dead man walking. The Republicans will dump this loser if he can’t start performing soon.

    The heir apparent is Rubio, if Trump stumbles.

    Start trying out your new troll handle, Rubio to Rise. Come on. Say it with me.

  81. 81.

    Alex

    October 7, 2015 at 6:48 pm

    The House Freedom Caucus (FREEEEEEEEEDOM!!!!!!) has pledged support for Daniel Webster.- http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2015/10/07/freedom-caucus-backs-webster-for-house-speaker-in-blow-to-mccarthy/

    So if you were wondering what is going to happen after the votes tomorrow… everyone else is now wondering too!

  82. 82.

    jl

    October 7, 2015 at 6:48 pm

    @dedc79:

    These self-proclaimed ‘Bible believing’ Christians need to read up. Their man man, JC, said in the Gospels that old school collective punishment stuff is out.

    Tower of Siloam
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_Siloam

  83. 83.

    trollhattan

    October 7, 2015 at 6:49 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est:
    I thought it was kinda cute–like a little dog on its hind legs dressed in a tutu dancing in circles for a treat. Only problem is they starved the dog for eighteen hours to get it to EMOTE on stage. Firmware glitch.

  84. 84.

    jl

    October 7, 2015 at 6:51 pm

    @jl: Or since they are probably Dispensationalist, their main man Paul in the new model Dispensation described in the Epistles said that spiritual pride is just as bad as obscurely described sexy time sins that could be anything from The GAY, to child prostitution type activity.

  85. 85.

    Roger Moore

    October 7, 2015 at 6:54 pm

    @Pogonip:

    What happens if the most heavily armed nation on earth does default?

    My suspicion is that we get a “soft default”, where the Treasury prioritizes payments. The Chinese would still get their money, but ordinary citizens who own debt would be shafted. Social Security, also, too.

  86. 86.

    jl

    October 7, 2015 at 6:54 pm

    ” This isn’t Walker’s joke of a campaign, ”

    That is true, not as soothing and restful, not as much comfort food.
    At least with Walker there was the prospect of WI hot rolls and ham at the events.

    There are restful mild chuckle jokes, and nasty jokes. They are different, that is true.

  87. 87.

    Calouste

    October 7, 2015 at 6:54 pm

    @jl: Jeb? is an entitled aristocrat, just like Romney. He tries to put up with this farce of appealing to voters, but he thinks he should just be crowned president.

    Trump on the other hand is a populist dictator, he loves the adulation of the masses, and if he needs to dump on a few scapegoats to win that adulation, that’s just part of the deal.

  88. 88.

    TS

    October 7, 2015 at 6:55 pm

    @David Koch:

    That seems to be a plus for the current GOP brand – only negative if you are a democrat. Family values mattered until Obama.

  89. 89.

    Turgidson

    October 7, 2015 at 6:55 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    I still think Kasich is the most dangerous candidate they have in a general election, but the more I see of him, the more of an obnoxious boor he comes off as and the less scared of him I get. I’d read about his foul mouth and temper before he entered the race, but he’d seemed more even-tempered in the exposure I’d had to him, so I wasn’t sure what to think. Those who know him better are being proven right.

    Jeb actually thinks his last name is an asset when it comes to foreign relations? Does he have a head injury? Was he on Mars from 2001-2008? I mean, I guess his father’s administration was well-respected internationally, but that was a long ass time ago and the figures that earned this respect – Scowcroft, Powell, Baker – have long since been marginalized and tossed aside in favor of warmongering neocon nitwits and other assorted freaks, who the world is right to be horrified by.

  90. 90.

    David Koch

    October 7, 2015 at 6:56 pm

    Michelle Obama breaks the internet:

    mia farrow ‏@MiaFarrow Sep 26

    Just WOW

    98 retweets 260 favorites

  91. 91.

    David Koch

    October 7, 2015 at 6:58 pm

    This Biden video was trending world wide today

    Caution: It’s pretty powerful.

  92. 92.

    NotMax

    October 7, 2015 at 6:58 pm

    Baud for Speaker.

    “Admit it, you could do worse.”

    :)

  93. 93.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    October 7, 2015 at 6:59 pm

    @Turgidson: looking for that quote, he vows to rebuild American relationships with Canada, which I take to mean Keystone, and the Middle East, which I take to mean BiBi and Bandar’s cousins.

  94. 94.

    jl

    October 7, 2015 at 6:59 pm

    @David Koch: Two reactions here.

    How did that nerd dork get her?

    And, not too late for Michelle to jump in the Dem primary!

  95. 95.

    Roger Moore

    October 7, 2015 at 7:01 pm

    @Turgidson:

    Jeb actually thinks his last name is an asset when it comes to foreign relations? Does he have a head injury?

    More of a congenital defect, I think.

  96. 96.

    Calouste

    October 7, 2015 at 7:02 pm

    @Anoniminous: Trump’s been leading nationally for about 3 months now, pretty much ever since he got into the race in July. By comparison, Perry lasted 5 weeks in the lead in 2012 before the novelty wore off, he had his disastrous debate performance, and, uh, something else.

  97. 97.

    jl

    October 7, 2015 at 7:03 pm

    @Roger Moore: They are all out-of-it creepy old (regardless of calendar age, all ‘old’) white guys who repel everyone except their own kind. I could quote Shakespeare here, from Lear, “Filths savor their own” i think.

  98. 98.

    mdblanche

    October 7, 2015 at 7:03 pm

    @MomSense: Before four summers of that spectacle Maine had voted for a Republican president in every election since the Civil War save three. Since then it hasn’t voted for a Republican president in any election. And IIRC Poppy came third in Maine in 1992. Just sayin’.

  99. 99.

    SinnedBackwards

    October 7, 2015 at 7:05 pm

    @Gimlet: Many years ago, one of the Chattanooga newspapers was called the News-Free Press. I could not make this up.

    The weekend edition contained multiple pages of large ads for the Sunday church services. What the hymns would be, the sermon topic, guest speakers and singers.

    We had friends who attended the Unitarian Congregation that was shot up by the god-botherers. Southeastern Tennessee is, um, different.

  100. 100.

    Villago Delenda Est

    October 7, 2015 at 7:08 pm

    @trollhattan: The prayers were off by 2500 miles. That’s not very accurate. I’d demand a refund.

  101. 101.

    MomSense

    October 7, 2015 at 7:10 pm

    @mdblanche:

    Yes. It made an impression. Also too none of us who were around then were surprised by the secret service scandals of recent years.

  102. 102.

    Mike in NC

    October 7, 2015 at 7:12 pm

    The Bush brand remains toxic nationally. Poppy came in third behind Clinton and Perot in the state of Maine. Now JEB! is stuck in fourth place in his home state of Florida and is barely treading water. [Sad Trombone]

  103. 103.

    Villago Delenda Est

    October 7, 2015 at 7:18 pm

    @Mike in NC: Dumbfuck actually thinks that having his deserting coward war criminal economy exploding brother stump for him might help. He’s that deep in derp.

  104. 104.

    Felonius Monk

    October 7, 2015 at 7:18 pm

    @Right to Rise:

    Bush has the real pros on his side. People who have been there, done that, and have the donations to prove it.

    Of course. Bringing brother DumbYa out of exile to remind everybody how “He kept us safe” and all his other faux pas. It’s sorta like Jeb? tossing a turd in the punchbowl and telling everybody to drink up.

  105. 105.

    SRW1

    October 7, 2015 at 7:21 pm

    @Right to Rise:

    Stuff happens! Stay the course! JEB!

    In short: !!!

  106. 106.

    mdblanche

    October 7, 2015 at 7:27 pm

    @NotMax:

    Baud for Speaker.

    “Admit it, you could do worse.”

    “…and probably will.”

    (This joke dates to the 1890’s and was originally a commentary on the Republican presidential field. The more things change…)

    @Calouste:

    By comparison, Perry lasted 5 weeks in the lead in 2012 before the novelty wore off, he had his disastrous debate performance, and, uh, something else.

    Called the opponents of in-state tuition for undocumented students heartless. The Base wan’t about to let moderation like that go unpunished.

  107. 107.

    jl

    October 7, 2015 at 7:27 pm

    @Felonius Monk: Jeb?’s real pros sound like the real pros who helped HRC win in 2008! Or, maybe Jeb”‘s are not quite as good…

  108. 108.

    Anoniminous

    October 7, 2015 at 7:28 pm

    @Calouste:

    I know but I remain mind-boggled that buffoon is leading the GOP field.

  109. 109.

    mdblanche

    October 7, 2015 at 7:41 pm

    @Anoniminous: Well, somebody has to be leading. The establishment candidates make Mitt Romney look appealing by comparison, the non-establishment candidates with experience in office are odious has-beens and never-weres who are only running for grifting purposes, so why not one of the joke candidates? It’s like a high school election where the class clown wins only they’re less emotionally mature.

    The Republicans, that is.

  110. 110.

    Pogonip

    October 7, 2015 at 7:47 pm

    @Baud: I vote my brother for Secretary of Ridding the White House of Disgusting Things. He nuked my car to a fare-thee-well. Left white sheets of paper on the floors and seats; next day there were dead fleas on the papers. I’ve been in the car to sweep it and haven’t been bitten. (Note to prospective flea-nukers: you have to vacuum the treated area once a day for two weeks, then every other day for two weeks, then every third day for two weeks, and so on until you have got back to your regular vacuuming schedule with no recurrence. If you get bit again, repeat all steps as necessary. Nothing short of fire kills flea pupae, which is why you may have to treat twice.)

    Fleas delenda est!

  111. 111.

    Pogonip

    October 7, 2015 at 7:51 pm

    @Turgidson: I vote we vacuum the congress every day till all the idiots are gone.

  112. 112.

    Turgidson

    October 7, 2015 at 8:03 pm

    @Pogonip:

    Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter!

  113. 113.

    Pogonip

    October 7, 2015 at 8:09 pm

    @Turgidson: And rightly so. Very sensible of you.

    Fleas delenda est!

  114. 114.

    joel hanes

    October 7, 2015 at 8:18 pm

    @Germy Shoemangler:

    Sears service department used to be better.

    I believe that they are currently structured to discourage telephone contact and encourage making an appointment through the Web site interface.

  115. 115.

    Chet

    October 7, 2015 at 8:19 pm

    Cubs are already beating the Buccos. 1-0 in the first.

  116. 116.

    Pogonip

    October 7, 2015 at 8:22 pm

    @joel hanes: Aren’t they all?

  117. 117.

    cmorenc

    October 7, 2015 at 8:23 pm

    The increasingly chaotic disarray and infighting among the GOP house caucus would be cause for hilarity and even optimism that they could be sowing the seeds of self-destruction of their majority in Congress, despite their gerrymandered advantages – IF it wasn’t so terrifying to contemplate how destructive their plans for what amounts to a right-wing coup of the federal government would be if they succeed, and also how much closer they might get to succeeding if they don’t end up self-destructing up over the next few months.

    The fate of the republic may hinge on their intemperance and incompetence. That’s pretty scary when the future competence of the federal government depends critically on the sheer incompetence of a key part of it.

  118. 118.

    jl

    October 7, 2015 at 8:29 pm

    @Chet: How far can the Cubs make it through the playoffs before the world ends? Same as for Boston?

  119. 119.

    jl

    October 7, 2015 at 8:31 pm

    @cmorenc: Scary even that we need to attempt such arguments to understand the current GOP and its implications for our collective fate.

  120. 120.

    SiubhanDuinne

    October 7, 2015 at 8:58 pm

    @Baud:

    There is a story, almost certainly apocryphal, of a young NYT reporter who was sent to cover the Johnstown Flood.

    The first story he filed began “God sits brooding tonight on the banks of the Little Conemaugh River….”

    His editor wired back: “Forget flood. Interview God.”

  121. 121.

    SiubhanDuinne

    October 7, 2015 at 9:04 pm

    @Germy Shoemangler:

    [Bar] can wither a man’s testicles with a glance.

    Yikes. My knees just clenched up reading that, and I’m female.

  122. 122.

    SiubhanDuinne

    October 7, 2015 at 9:12 pm

    @Chet:

    CUBBIES!!!

  123. 123.

    sharl

    October 7, 2015 at 9:14 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    The neb-liberals of twitter (I’m looking at you, Jonathan Chait) are tsk-tsking that Dems are “caving to the teachers’ unions” and not attending Campbell Brown’s ‘education summit’.

    I’m waaay late in seeing this, obviously, but here is something about Mr. Chait’s opinioneratin’ on $chool “Reform”, from the man himself (Sept. 2014); bolding is mine:

    Update: Since numerous comments have complained about it, this seems like a good time to bring up in a more sustained way my wife’s work. My wife, Robin Chait, works in education. She currently works for Center City Public Charter Schools in Washington.

    Robin has worked in a number of capacities: as an analyst at the U.S. Department of Education, as a public school teacher in Washington via the D.C. Teaching Fellows program, as an analyst at the Center for American Progress and then at the Office of the State Superintendent of Education.

    Do I claim my views are independent of Robin’s? Absolutely not: My views are utterly dependent on hers. Enjoying the benefit of her deep, thoughtful knowledge of education policy is one of the smaller perks of being married to Robin Chait. I have learned more about education from Robin than anybody else, though she should not be held responsible for my writing, since, among other reasons, my grasp of the issue pales next to hers.

    It is clearly the case that Robin broadly favors education reform. As the chronology of her career demonstrates, the causal mechanism is: Robin supports education reform –> Robin works for charter schools, as opposed to the reverse.

    I have brought up her work before, and the reason I haven’t done so more often is that I’ve been reluctant to boast. If my meager attempt at modesty appears to some critics to be a form of subterfuge, this is the opposite of my intention. I am extremely proud of my association with her. If you think I am a proxy for Robin’s views on education policy, you are giving me far more credit than I deserve. I wish I knew enough about education policy for that to be true.

    Soooo…my take from this is that Mr. Chait has not studied the issue independently from his spouse, but is willing to put on the cheerleader outfit and wave the pom-poms on behalf of his missus and those who feel as she does.

    That right there serves as the basis of Mr. Chait’s quality “analysis”.

  124. 124.

    Elizabelle

    October 7, 2015 at 9:34 pm

    Andy Borowitz:

    Ben Carson: Pompeii Victims Should Have Outrun Lava

    “Most of the plaster casts we have of Pompeii victims show them basically just lying down and whatnot,” Carson said.

  125. 125.

    SiubhanDuinne

    October 7, 2015 at 9:55 pm

    @Elizabelle:

    Borowitz can sometimes be a bit heavy-handed for my taste, but most of the time he is spot-frickin-on. This is an example of the latter! Just too perfect.

  126. 126.

    jl

    October 7, 2015 at 10:05 pm

    @sharl: The first paragraph in your block quote caught my eye. Has Jonathan Chait disclosed his wife’s involvement in education and her influence on his information and views or not?

    What does ‘in a more sustained way’ mean? Did he fully disclose this before or not, or maybe he just mentioned his wife works in ‘education’ or did he really previously disclose her involvement? Anyone know?

    And does his wife work for a respectable organization, or a neoliberal hack grifter outfit? Reactionary GOPers are not the only ones who grift off the public trough, amazing as that may seem to us libs.

  127. 127.

    J R in WV

    October 7, 2015 at 10:26 pm

    @Germy Shoemangler:

    @Brachiator:

    The guy who owns Sears now is an Ayn Rand believer.

    So he has set up every different department at Sears to be competing with all the other departments, somehow. Winner gets bonus and raise, I guess.

    So the delivery guys are competing with the Appliance sales guys, who are competing with the outdoor patio guys. As if you could cook a birthday cake in your BBQ grill!!

    So no one at Sears will help anyone else at Sears, lest they fall behind in the Randian competition for a raise and annual bonus. Which means customers like you and me will always go away feeling like we have been screwed.

    SATSQ, right>?

    Not going to shop for a major appliance at Sears again. Wishing we hadn’t bought a dishwasher and fridge there a year or so ago. Sucks. The fridge doors won’t go shut unless you push them closed HARD.

    Plus the freezer always has frost in it, indicating that the seals don’t work, so that warm humid air is leaking into the coldest compartment… FYSears!

    So far the dishwasher is OK, but what if it breaks? Will the service guys help us or will that eliminate them from the race to bonus?

  128. 128.

    J R in WV

    October 7, 2015 at 10:47 pm

    @Elizabelle:

    What an asshole the Carson person is. they’re lying down because they were DEAD, dumbass. Because the gases emitted by the volcano were something like 1000 degrees, and the next breath they inhaled cooked their lungs.

    Jesus, how could this guy be any more stupid/poorly iknmformed??

    I heard Carson on Marketplace on Public Radio, where he showed that he doesn’t understand that there is a difference between the Public Dept and the Federal Budget. He’s fine with defaulting on the debt, because that will force the federal government to reduce their spending.

    The interviewer tried to spell out the difference between debt already obligated and the annual budget, and Ben wasn’t hearing any of it whatsoever!! No, no, don’t try to confuse me. I’m going to cut the spending 4% a year, and you watch, the economy will take off without that government spending loaded on its back!!

    As for the Federal Debt, what’s that? Why should the leading presidential candidate care about something like that?

    We are so screwed! Because lots of other Republican office holders are just that ignorant about how the world economy works!!! And Carson was too stupid to allow his interviewer inform him about the questions he was being asked before he stuck his foot in it. And totally ignorant about already obligated debt. What?? Debt??? Not me, boss!! @#$@#

  129. 129.

    catclub

    October 7, 2015 at 10:50 pm

    I wonder what happens to TPP if Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump come out against it? How about only Hillary?

    Is that a head fake to get it passed and then no longer be an issue in the election?

  130. 130.

    jl

    October 7, 2015 at 10:54 pm

    @catclub: you may be over thinking it.

  131. 131.

    sharl

    October 7, 2015 at 11:42 pm

    @jl: I’m not a regular Chait reader, but my impression is that he discloses his wife’s involvement in the $chool Reform movement occasionally, but not on a regular nor certainly frequent basis. His wife actually has a legitimate background in education policy, administration, and management, from what I can tell.

    What also appears to be the case is that people who genuinely care about K-12 education get really frustrated by local school systems, state budgeting and oversight – or lack thereof sometimes, in the case of charter schools, cf. Gov. Kasich of Ohio; ask Kay – and federal policy-making. The frustration is understandable, by nearly all accounts. Unfortunately, IMO this frustration often drives them to make common cause with rather skeevy characters to achieve what they hope will be quick successes.

    Regarding your last paragraph, absolutely true: as noted in the previous paragraph, a lot of well intentioned people who often self-describe as lefties (and appear to be such to outside observers as well) rather rashly sign on to the school reform movement, ignoring the warnings of experts like Diane Ravitch. She also has an opinion about Mr. Chait:

    Jersey Jazzman calls out journalist Jon Chait for being against political correctness except when it serves his purpose.

    It seems Chait was deeply offended when I said that former CNN anchor Campbell Brown is no educational expert. Her campaign to eliminate teacher tenure won’t improve education, I dared to say. We might, as a test case, compare the academic performance of states that have tenure with states that don’t, but that involves a rudimentary knowledge of actual research.

    It is highly offensive to those bashing teachers to suggest that their campaign to remove teacher tenure and to provide merit pay has no evidence behind it and is illogical. They don’t like it when you point out that VAM sounds good but doesn’t work. If they read the statement of the American Statistical Association, they would be informed, but that requires research, or if you open the link, reading.

  132. 132.

    sharl

    October 8, 2015 at 12:01 am

    Just because I still have a few open tabs ripe for linking, and because this topic really gets me riled up, I’ll note that Michelle Rhee – THIS Michelle Rhee – was once the darling of the school reform crowd, maybe more so among lefties – I cannot say for certain – but definitely among the more prosperous crowd. I think such folks are largely a subset of the crowd labeled by DougJ as totebaggers, and they like the TED Talks as well, where Ms. Rhee was once an honored speaker.

    Back when he was hosting Weekend All Things Considered on NPR, Guy Raz once did a story on Rhee that was such a loving and uncritical tongue bath that I got all pissed off and tweeted him. I’ll give him credit for at least responding rather than blocking me, although the response was the twitter equivalent of a confused, uncomprehending double blink. As the current host of NPR’s TED Radio Hour, I hope Mr. Raz, and the TED folks in general, put more effort into researching the backgrounds of people they are contemplating inviting onto their stage. There were murmurings about Rhee even way back then.

    One more link available…here’s an education blogger on Chait, from February:

    Jonathan Chait’s PC Hypocrisy

    I notice the political blogosphere is all aTwitter […] over Jon Chait’s latest hectoring of people who dare to offend his sensibilities because they loudly object to not having his privilege. All the blogging megastars are weighing in: Digby, Atrios, Crooked Timber, Gawker, and so on.

    For what it’s worth, I think Digby (as usual) has the best take:

    God knows there’s a lot of moronic discourse on the internet and it’s important to try to sort out trolls from serious critics. And nobody says that you are required to absorb whatever abuse any crank decides to lay on you. My wrecked comment section stays dormant because useful arguments have shifted to twitter and I don’t need to spend my days trying to deal with the odd assortment of misogynists and malcontents who took up residence there and chased off all the normal people. But so-called “PC Police” are among those critics who are actually making a difference, even if it is uncomfortable and frustrating to be on the receiving end. My own response to being “called out” is often anger at first just like Chait. It’s very hurtful and I’m human. But I’ve learned that when I feel that very particular kind of anger that comes from being attacked for my privilege, it is often a useful signal that I probably need to step back think a little harder about something.

    Amen. I’d only add that part of becoming a grownup in the blogosphere — even out here in the more obscure subregions — is understanding that people will, indeed, actually read what you have to say and react to it. So you’d better thicken up your skin. It also helps if you know what the hell you’re talking about.

    Unfortunately, when it comes to education, Chait doesn’t demonstrate this particular trait. As Dan Katz points out, Chait’s takes on education policy are remarkable shallow. That’s not at all unusual for neo-liberal pundits; Chait, however, has opted to cover his education ignorance with personal attacks. His favorite target? Diane Ravitch:…

    There’s more at the link.

  133. 133.

    redshirt

    October 8, 2015 at 12:10 am

    We’re doomed.

  134. 134.

    redshirt

    October 8, 2015 at 1:55 am

    I’d also like to say the photo looks like a Halloween picture. You’ve got the pasty Ghoul speaking; Hypno-Eyes to the right, and Medusa out of focus on the left.

  135. 135.

    Ted Mills

    October 8, 2015 at 2:37 am

    @David Koch: Just for comparison:
    The Quinnipiac poll from August 7, 2007: Hillary Clinton 36%, Barack Obama 21%, Al Gore 15%, John Edwards 9%,

  136. 136.

    Sherparick

    October 8, 2015 at 8:22 am

    @Jim Faith: Yep, when you google him you find out what a dangerous Christianist, white supremacist, and misogynist this guy is. Quite the character. And over 50 members of the house think he is the perfect Speaker.

  137. 137.

    David Koch

    October 8, 2015 at 8:23 am

    @Ted Mills: Just for comparison: The Gallup poll from July 26, 1988: Mike Dukakis 55%, George Bush 38%

  138. 138.

    Gavin

    October 8, 2015 at 3:29 pm

    And today, the man who can’t speak straight has stepped down: McCarthy withdrew his nomination as Speaker.. and there’s nobody left who’s ever actually considered running the House.

    As we always say when dealing with groups that are less than constructive: Don’t oppose, propose. Why did they kick out Boehner if they didn’t have somebody waiting to take his place?

    Couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of folk.

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