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You are here: Home / Politics / Republican Stupidity / And Issa Wrap!

And Issa Wrap!

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Loathesome slug and all around creep Darrell Issa is retiring, presumably to go spend more time with his money:

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) will not seek reelection this year, according to a local report on Wednesday, increasing Democrats’ chances of flipping his swing district in their favor.

Issa barely won reelection in 2016 by just over half a percentage point in a San Diego-area district that went for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton by about 7 points.

The OC Daily reported Wednesday that Issa will not be seeking reelection. Issa’s office did not immediately confirm the report.

It’s great to see him go (for a very limited primer on his awfulness, click here), and Democrats will have to really fuck things up to not win this seat anyway (DNC: HOLD MY BEER!), but I do regret not savoring his ass being beaten like a rented mule on election day.

At any rate, for one last time, go fuck yourself Darrell Issa, you piece of shit.

Reader Interactions

168Comments

  2. 2.

    Big Ole Hound

    Infamous crook got his start in the car alarm business back in the 80s and robbed customers blind then he of course shouted “Benghazi” from his bully pulpit. Maybe a lot more GOP reps will realize their plight and retire.

  3. 3.

    trollhattan

    I’m-a just enjoy the moment and let the pros pile on. This is good news indeed–turn Orange County blue!

  4. 4.

    Paula

    Really can’t find the words to describe what a scum Issa is. Here’s hoping Karma finds a way to kick his ass WHILE we’re all alive to see it.

  5. 5.

    Big Ole Hound

    In other CA news. The flu is terrible. My wife is in the overcrowded hospital on IVs recovering from it’s nastiness so stay away.

  6. 6.

    Chris

    In a movie, when you see this many rats fleeing in one direction, you don’t ask questions, you don’t turn around, you just run like hell in the same direction.

  7. 7.

    rikyrah

    Issa told me in November he fully was preparing to run again. Asked him if there was a 100% chance he runs, he said: “Yeah, I enjoy the job I’m doing.” Today, Issa: My service “will be coming to an end.”

    — Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 10, 2018

    That’s what happens when you spend a year defending Trump’s insane agenda to the extreme detriment of the people you represent. You retire, or you lose. California is coming for all of you. https://t.co/8dkkzYnHOJ

    — Ken Tremendous (@KenTremendous) January 10, 2018

  9. 9.

    Mike in DC

    Knocking off Devin Nunes should be immensely satisfying for Democrats in his district (and everywhere else).

  10. 10.

    schrodingers_cat

    The swipe at DNC is unnecessary. Are you auditioning to be a “liberal” at one of the cable news shout fests, as a BS bro? Although, I have to admit. you would be much much better than Mark fucking Shields.

  11. 11.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    (DNC: HOLD MY BEER!)

    I read today that there are already eight Democratic challengers in the Royce district, which if nothing changes opens the possibility of a Republican getting into the run-off in this historically Republican district. Maybe they’re all really strong candidates and we have an embarrassment of riches and they’ll get together and calmly sort it out, but I’d comfortably bet a hundred dollars that at least one is a middle-aged white hippie who wears patchouli and dreads and is running on an anti-Wall St and anti-vaccine platform and think Bernie would have issued a Sanders Bull banning fossil fuels and GMOs and would be at 95% popularity today, and fifty that one is a Mark Lilla type running on an anti “identity politics” program. There are a lot of things that can go wrong in races like this that have nothing to do with the “DNC”

  13. 13.

    JPL

    @Big Ole Hound: Hopefully she will feel better soon. My son sat in an emergency clinic for hours hooked up, but now is finally on the mend. It’s a slog though because your energy is zapped.

  15. 15.

    Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.)

    This is good. Issa’s one of the worst.

    Well, they’re all the worst. There aren’t any good Republicans left any longer, not really. It’s hard to believe that in my first election, I voted for a Democrat for the U.S. Senate and a Republican for governor. He was slightly more liberal than the Democrat running that year. That sure as hell doesn’t happen any longer.

  16. 16.

    Another Scott

    Good, good.

    In other news, RollCall:

    GOP leaders are working on a stopgap continuing resolution that would continue current spending levels into mid-February, and include a health care package including reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, community health center funding, extension of various Medicare provisions and other health-related measures, people with knowledge of the process say.

    Some elements of the proposal are still being worked out and it is unclear what the final package will look like. But the plan is being developed to draw bipartisan support on the floor of both chambers next week, averting a partial government shutdown after midnight next Friday, January 19, when the current stopgap expires.

    Feb. 16 appears to be the most likely end date for the stopgap, sources familiar with the discussions said. That would set up the next deadline the Friday before the weeklong Presidents’ Day recess.

    The plan could give GOP and Democratic leaders enough time to finalize a budget deal that would raise discretionary spending caps imposed by the 2011 deficit reduction law and include other Republican and Democratic priorities before the next stopgap expires.

    It would also give appropriators another month to write a fiscal 2018 omnibus package that conforms to the new spending levels, possibly without having to resort to another continuing resolution. An omnibus, if it is ready in February, also would be a likely vehicle for a debt limit suspension ahead of the expected exhaustion of extraordinary measures as early as March. It could also carry other legislation that did not make the cut in next week’s short-term stopgap.

    Democratic aides, speaking on background, pushed back against the idea, saying Democrats might oppose the plan if there is not at least an informal agreement on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, a two-year plan to raise the discretionary caps and other legislation Democrats are seeking in advance of next Friday’s deadline.

    One Democratic aide said while it may be impossible to produce a written budget agreement by Jan. 19, leaders could reach an agreement in principle by that time, paving the way for passage of the stopgap. Another person with knowledge of GOP discussions said there is still an expectation a spending caps deal will be unveiled after the next continuing resolution is passed.

    Greasing the Skids

    But a deal on including a long-term CHIP fix, among other Democratic priorities, could go a long way toward greasing the bipartisan skids for another temporary spending bill, Republicans are calculating.

    One person familiar with the planning said the logjam on CHIP was broken when the Congressional Budget Office revised its estimate of the cost of the program, finding that it was less costly than previously projected. On Tuesday, CBO told lawmakers that reauthorizing the program for a decade or more would actually save money, as much as $6 billion over 10 years, as fewer children are covered on the more costly private insurance exchanges set up under the 2010 health care law.

    At the same time, cost-sharing subsidies intended to lower premium costs for coverage on the exchanges are unlikely to be included in the next stopgap plan, according to one source, which could give some lawmakers pause. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, for instance, had conditioned her vote on the tax overhaul in part on including measures to help stabilize the insurance markets, including cost-sharing subsidies. She said she won a commitment to advance those measures on the next must-pass spending bill in 2018.

    At the same time, defense hawks on the Republican side have made noises about opposing any more short-term spending bills, particularly if they don’t yet have assurances on hefty defense increases they are seeking.

    And hard-line conservatives in the House are once again threatening defections on the floor vote, which would give Democrats even more leverage on the short-term spending bill.

    “We feel like we have given votes for several CRs at this point,” House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows, R-N.C., said Tuesday.

    “Our original position was that if we were going to do a CR, do one long CR and come back and do an appropriations process with that deadline. In hindsight that looks like that would have been the more prudent way to have addressed this,” Meadows continued. “I don’t know that there’s the votes there today for a CR, but we are in discussions on what that might look like.”

    In his weekly briefing with reporters Wednesday, House Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., said he couldn’t comment on the next stopgap because he had no information about it, even with time running short. “It’s amazing that we’re five days from that CR expiring and I can’t tell you what would be in the CR or whether or not we’re going to have” an agreement on spending caps, Hoyer said.

    Emphasis added.

    Will Susan be rolled, or will she stand up? Beuler? Beuler?

    I hope the Democrats stay strong. They have lots of leverage now.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  17. 17.

    Chris

    @Immanentize:

    I’m wondering if they’re actually coordinated. Like, a bunch of people have decided to retire, not only because they don’t want to be around if the ship goes down, but also because they figure that a slate of new/clean candidates will be the GOP’s best hope in the next couple election cycles.

  18. 18.

    balconesfault

    @Yarrow: I’m not sure how many Repubs will be left standing in Cal, NY, NJ, RI, Conn, Mass, etc … but I can’t imagine it will be many. The biggest negative impacts in a lot of these states will be felt most in the reddest districts.

  20. 20.

    Jeffro

    This is, obviously, great news.

    My only concern is that unless we fix big-donor ‘Dark Money’ donations and get Citizens United overturned, big donors are going to just pony up for a new crop of crooked GOP politicians. Perhaps every cycle. Ones who will say all the right things and perhaps even run against everything the previous scalawags voted for, then vote pro-Koch for a term or two until the public catches on again. Lather, rinse, repeat.

    Shorter version: let’s ride this wave/tsunami, then use those gains to try and fix the money problem, vote suppression problem, and gerrymandering problem in every way (and state & locality) possible.

  21. 21.

    Chris

    @Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.):

    Yeah. I basically can’t picture myself voting Republican at any point in my lifetime, which should, God willing and the creek don’t rise, still go on for quite a while. Which is highly unfortunate because there really is value in having at least two political parties active to keep each other honest; but in this case, single-party Democratic dominance would actually be the lesser evil.

  23. 23.

    trollhattan

    @Big Ole Hound:
    Glad I took the Christmas break off, as it swept through my office like headlice through a daycare. At least one cow-orker ended up in the hospital. I’m glad to be back on the bike and off the light rail today.

  25. 25.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    I think Crystal Ball is Sabato’s racket?

    CRYSTAL BALL RATINGS CHANGE: Retirement of Rep. Darrell Issa (R, CA-49) moves district from Toss-up to Leans Democratic.

  26. 26.

    Chris

    @Jeffro:

    Great minds think alike, and so do you and me!

    The whole cycle of “big money/established party machinery funding a revolving door of politicians whose only job is to sign what the big money puts in front of them” has lots of precedent in the U.S. In the golden years of political machines, this was often how it worked – the machine boss wasn’t actually the chief executive, just the power behind the throne of the person who was. (Think Taylor in “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington.”) And Republicans think those days were a golden age for politics.

  27. 27.

    Ian G.

    Democrats will have to really fuck things up to not win this seat anyway (DNC: HOLD MY BEER!)

    You know, I give the Dems a lot of crap, but did they fuck things up in Virginia? Did they fuck things up in Alabama? (Side note, ALABAMA!!!!!!)

    Issa isn’t stupid. He knows his career is over no matter what he does, so he’d rather not waste any time/money campaigning.

  28. 28.

    Immanentize

    @Chris: That doesn’t sound like what’s happening — although that could be a good plan for the GOP. It looks like everyone is getting out for their own reasons. One big one we have not discussed is that if the Dems take Congress — a LOT of GOPers will resign because they have never been in the minority and it will be no fun for them at all. For example, the Freedom Caucus will all and each have zero power on any issue. So, if the switch is imminent, many will jump rather than spend he time running a campaign to just end up in the minority.

  30. 30.

    Turgidson

    As was pointed out above, the real risk with a competitive open seat in California is that the top-two system will result in a group of Dems splitting the vote while the GOP only runs one or two candidates and they coast into the top two. In a place like issa’s district where Dems might be tripping over themselves and each other to run but the GOP is still competitive, there’s a non-zero risk that both candidates in the general are Republicans if too many halfway decent Dems run and split the vote. Unlikely but possible.

  31. 31.

    balconesfault

    Here’s hoping that “Our Revolution” doesn’t manage to push too many far left Dems to primary wins in a lot of those winnable purple districts … a centrist local voting base in a district drawn to be a safe GOP +5 is likely gonna vote for the new GOP face who doesn’t have a history of Trump complicity over a outright Bernista.

  32. 32.

    The Moar You Know

    From last thread:

    As an unwilling constituent, who has either lived in or right next to his district (depending on where the lines have been drawn – I haven’t moved) I am thrilled.

    He bankrolled Gray Davis’ recall out of his own pocket with the intent of taking the governorship himself, and then his own party fucked him good by threatening to bring up the arson convictions. They went with Arnold. He went on TV and cried. That was a great day.

    This is far better, because now he’s fucking done. Trump supporter done in by the tax bill. Republican of the very worst kind in California. FUCKING DONE.

    I am sorry that we won’t have postcards of him and his BFF Trump sucking each other’s dicks landing in my mailbox, and being able to watch him get beaten like a pinata, but you can’t have everything.

    Also:

    Democrats will have to really fuck things up to not win this seat anyway

    This is not a “leans Dem” district in the way that most people think. A reasonable, not insane Republican could walk away with it with little effort. The problem is, those don’t exist anymore, especially in my state. Regardless, Applegate and the other primary challengers are going to have to run a good, tight, no fuckups game, all the way through. And two years from now this could look very different.

    I don’t have a lot of faith in my neighbors, can you tell?

  33. 33.

    Redshift

    @Chris: I’m extremely doubtful that this bunch of bozos had anything in mind beyond pure self-interest. It’s better to be a retired congressperson than a defeated one for their wingnut welfare prospects.

  36. 36.

    Humdog

    @trollhattan: Shitstain won in.nunes district 52-42. Cook has it an R+8. A D wave of 10 points would wash Nunes away with the ashy mud. 45% Hispanics in his district so his position on DACA could be crucial. GOTV!

  37. 37.

    dmsilev

    The funny thing is that Issa actually voted against the tax bill, presumably in an attempt to save his own skin. Didn’t work.

  38. 38.

    Raoul

    Hillary +7 is a “swing district”? What were the two Obama margins? I mean, I get that an incumbent Republican won re-election last time (barely), but that’s the incumbency advantage, not swingy-ness.

  39. 39.

    Mike in NC

    Dotard has some Executive Time scheduled with UN Ambassador Nikki Haley this afternoon, but he will confuse her with the Ambassador from Mexico and yell at her about paying for The Wall.

  40. 40.

    The Moar You Know

    As was pointed out above, the real risk with a competitive open seat in California is that the top-two system will result in a group of Dems splitting the vote while the GOP only runs one or two candidates and they coast into the top two. In a place like issa’s district where Dems might be tripping over themselves and each other to run but the GOP is still competitive, there’s a non-zero risk that both candidates in the general are Republicans if too many halfway decent Dems run and split the vote. Unlikely but possible.

    @Turgidson: This is my concern. We’ve already got three Dems running to replace Issa (one of them I strongly suspect is a Republican running as a Democrat). More will jump in after today. And our local party is useless, they have no control over these guys at all. The way our primaries work, if the GOP runs two and only two candidates and the Dems run six and it splits six relatively even ways, the GOPers will be the only ones who advance to the general. I hope cool heads prevail.

  41. 41.

    Yarrow

    HAHAHAHAHAHA. What does it mean when Trump’s lost Tucker Carlson?

    The Daily Caller‏ @DailyCaller

    Tucker Rips Trump On Immigration: ‘What Was The Point Of Running For President?’ [VIDEO] https://trib.al/8A5Xiom

    7:08 PM – 9 Jan 2018

  44. 44.

    Spanky

    Trump vs. Trump, again: Judge cites presidential tweets as he blocks DACA phaseout

    To wit:

    Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!…..

    — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017

  45. 45.

    Brachiator

    @The Moar You Know:

    He bankrolled Gray Davis’ recall out of his own pocket with the intent of taking the governorship himself, and then his own party fucked him good by threatening to bring up the arson convictions. They went with Arnold. He went on TV and cried. That was a great day.

    Oh yes. I remember it well. Good times.

    @Turgidson:

    As was pointed out above, the real risk with a competitive open seat in California is that the top-two system will result in a group of Dems splitting the vote while the GOP only runs one or two candidates and they coast into the top two.

    Has this helped the Republicans at all in any California election within the last 15 years?

  47. 47.

    tobie

    @balconesfault: Here’s hoping “Our Revolution” is rapidly becoming history. Haven’t had to see Nina Turner on TV recently, and I gather Bernie himself is preoccupied with the grand jury proceedings in VT regarding Jane’s fraudulent loan guarantees.

  49. 49.

    Kay

    When the GOP took the majority we were all supposed to be terrified of Issa because he was gonna nail the Obama Administration on something or other. Be afraid!

    Then he turned out to be a ridiculous clown.

  50. 50.

    Anonymous At Work

    Issa’s retiring to spend more time with his defense attorneys. He’s skated a lot of sleazy things before but without being in Congress, I betcha he won’t be able to dodge anymore.

  52. 52.

    marcopolo

    To put this into numbers: With Issa’s announcement today there are now 30 open R house seats in 2018 due to retirement or running for higher office. We aren’t even into the primary season yet and this is the highest number of open seats going back to 1984. Pretty encouraging. Now lets do the actual work of getting Ds elected (and don’t forget state level elections–they will be harder).

  53. 53.

    MomSense

    Wow, this is getting wild.

    I was hoping we could humiliate him in November but I’ll take this as a win happily.

  54. 54.

    Turgidson

    @Brachiator:

    Yes, it’s happened at least once, relatively recently. I can’t remember which race, though. Will provide a link if I find it.

    Edit- By and large, the top two system has resulted in 2 Dems and no Republicans on the ballot, but mostly in elections where the Republican would have been toast in the general anyway.

  55. 55.

    martian

    I’m a little sad for commenter MaryG, who I believe has been relentlessly chewing Issa’s ass for literally years now. Not fair that she won’t get to see him dragged down in humiliating defeat, that fucking coward. Figures he’d bail.

    Silver lining – maybe this saves the DNC a few pennies they can put towards tougher seats.

  56. 56.

    Kay

    Child support in Ohio is all messed up because no one knows what the federal credit/deduction is for children.

    This gave me a springboard to make fun of all the Trump supporters – they were VERY grumpy about the whole thing. Right now it reads “zero” – which will enrage people :)

  57. 57.

    Jeffro

    @Immanentize: @Redshift: Not speaking for Chris here, just myself, but: I don’t think we were saying the retiring candidates are planning this out as we’ve described. Their funders/donors might well be.

  62. 62.

    Kay

    I can’t decide if they’re all retiring because the polling is bad or if they’re all so corrupt they can do much better outside Congress than in it. Maybe a mix of factors.

  63. 63.

    Yarrow

    @Kay: Lots of wide-eyed, “But I thought this is what you wanted? You voted for the Republicans, right? You got what you wanted. Republicans control the House, the Senate and the White House. These new tax changes are what they said they would do. Why are you upset?” With more wide-eyed innocent looks, as if you can’t possibly understand why they’re angry.

  65. 65.

    glory b

    @tobie: Last time I saw her, she was declaring she (or Our Revolution I guess) had no intentions of joining/working with Dems. That being the case, I don’t know what the purpose of the group is. Bernie seems to be ignoring them, maybe it was a bone he threw to Turner after she self immolated for him.

    She can’t even get a minute or two on msnbc, and she used to be a semi regular there.

  66. 66.

    Mary G

    I have vastly enjoyed watching Darrell sweat as he tried to make himself more popular by taking liberal and NIMBY positions popular in this area in a desperate attempt to hang on. He spent more time here in the last year than the 16 years before it combined.

    And all he got was demonstrations every Tuesday that got bigger and bigger despite the police closing parking farther away. Even his voting no on the tax bill just pissed people off even more because it was so hypocritical and he switched to strident attacks on Jerry Brown for raising taxes when everyone knows that he pulled the state out of the mess of the recession.

    Anyway I will keep calling him and writing postcards until he’s really gone.

  68. 68.

    Yarrow

    @Mary G: Thank you for your hard work and commitment to getting Issa out of there. His retirement may not be as satisfying as beating him in an election, but it’s because of your hard work and that of others like you that he has decided to go. Way to go, Mary G!

  70. 70.

    Kay

    @Yarrow:

    I do it all the time. The magistrate is a moderate R and she’s the one who stated the obvious- “it’s all screwed up because there’s a zero where the fed tax goes”

    You coulda heard a pin drop so I pipe up with “it’s Trump’s new tax law!” like I’m shocked and horrified. “But….where’d the three thousand GO?” the slower Trumpsters are probably still stumped.

  71. 71.

    martian

    @glory b: I thought Jane Sanders was on their board? I take them as Bernie’s mouthpiece whether he’s looking their way lately or not.

  72. 72.

    kindness

    Issa represents a very red section of California. Won’t be an easy pick up for Democrats as those Californians are consistently idiots.

  73. 73.

    Brachiator

    @Kay:

    Child support in Ohio is all messed up because no one knows what the federal credit/deduction is for children.

    Not too sure I’m clear on this. We know what the rules are for 2018 for the Earned Income Credit and the Child Tax Credit under the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

    The CTC is worth up to $2,000 per qualifying child. The age cut-off remains at 17 (the child must be under 17 at the end of the year for taxpayers to claim the credit).

    The refundable portion of the credit is limited to $1,400.

    The earned income threshold for the refundable credit is lowered to $2,500.

    The qualifying dependent child must have an SSN

    There is a $500 nonrefundable credit for certain dependents who do not qualify for the CTC.

  74. 74.

    Yarrow

    @Kay: I saw some research yesterday that indicated that Trump hasn’t been tied to Republicans very effectively. People don’t see them as the same. If you get a chance, be sure to point out that the Republican controlled Congress wrote and passed this tax abomination. Trump only signed it. It’s the Republicans’ fault.

    People are woefully uninformed about how our government works. Reminding them that Republicans control Congress, Congress writes and passes bills, and this is what Republicans do is probably important for us to do. It’s not like Trump invented this tax bill all on his own.

    Edit: Here’s a tweet on it. Click through for article.

    What do people *really* think about @realDonaldTrump & the @GOP? We analyzed almost half a million tweets and 4,000 comments from @nytimes to find out. The numbers don't lie: The #GOP is not yet viewed as The Trump Party. #TechTuesday https://t.co/vr0cqGwDQr— Parker Sewell (@parkersewell1) January 9, 2018

  76. 76.

    marcopolo

    @Mary G: Thanks so much for all your work over the years. I’m hoping to usher out 2 R congress folk here–one in the district just south of mine and one across the river in IL. Both should be on the edge of doable in a big wave.
    Maybe now jump on the bandwagon of one of the D challengers (honestly Applegate seemed to run a good campaign last time) and help them score one of the top two finishes in the primary.

  79. 79.

    tychay

    @The Moar You Know: that’s why the outgoing republican lieutenant governor pushed the jungle primary idea in the first place.

    However in practice it hasn’t worked that way in California. In practice the primary has forced candidates to the middle of their electorate in order to grab the most votes which has resulted in 1 dem, 1 rep, a moderate dem and a liberal dem (a common sight where I live in SF), or an uncontested right wing republican candidate (Central Valley).

    We’ll see if OC is the exception. I’m not betting on it. I think, given the compsition of that area, it’ll be a pretty nutso republican vs a moderate dem.

  80. 80.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @kindness: Hilly suburbs of San Diego with lots of gated communities and retired military, isn’t it? Do you know what role Issa’s very questionable past has played in these last two close elections?

  82. 82.

    kindness

    @Turgidson: – I voted against the 2 tier top vote primary to General election candidates and I voted against the Open primaries here in CA. I lost. Fundamentally a political party should be able to name it’s own candidate and have them appear on the ballot. Somehow lots of people disagreed with me there.

    @oatler.: I live in Modesto. That’s the middle of the Central Valley. Ag dominates here. Even when we voted in Democratic Congressman they were Blue Dogs who hurt my side more than they helped. We’ve had wingnut Republicans representing us since Gary Condit went down in the 90’s and I hated Gary Condit.

  83. 83.

    Elie

    @Immanentize:

    Some of these mothas want to lie low — some have criminality to hide and they know that the gig will be up pretty soon with Mueller and his gang doing what they are doing…. Some also (not this asshole, but others) may actually be purposely vacating because they do not want to support this president any longer but don’t have the stomach themselves to pull the plug (too bad — could have been patriots)

  84. 84.

    martian

    @Mary G: Your unrelenting opposition to Issa has been really inspiring to me, especially during this heinous, misbegotten year. You never gave up. I hope you’re feeling as proud as you deserve to be.

  86. 86.

    Brachiator

    @Turgidson:

    Found it. 2012, California’s 31st district. Four Democrats ran for a swing seat occupied by a Republican, as well as the incumbent and another Republican. The Republicans got 1st and 2nd in the primary and the incumbent won reelection.

    Interesting. And here the GOP incumbent squeaked out a win. So, only once, but it is a useful lesson that suggests that the Democrats might do well to try to focus on a single best candidate when vying in a primarily or previously strong GOP district.

    I also like how the link points out the dreams that open primaries would help moderates (and progressives):

    This was the first election year in which California’s Top Two Candidates Open Primary Act was in effect. Because of this, all candidates for a seat competed in one blanket primary. The two candidates who received the most votes then advanced to the general election on November 6.

    The proposition’s intent was to encourage primary competition, which backers of the act said would lead to more moderate legislators being elected. Despite this intention, only a few centrists successfully advanced to the general election. The primary results did reflect an increase in competition, with California’s percentage of contested primaries being much higher than the nationwide average.

  87. 87.

    Yarrow

    @Kay: Ugh. I edited my comment with a link and it went to moderation. Reposting.
    I saw some research yesterday that indicated that Trump hasn’t been tied to Republicans very effectively. People don’t see them as the same. If you get a chance, be sure to point out that the Republican controlled Congress wrote and passed this tax abomination. Trump only signed it. It’s the Republicans’ fault.

    People are woefully uninformed about how our government works. Reminding them that Republicans control Congress, Congress writes and passes bills, and this is what Republicans do is probably important for us to do. It’s not like Trump invented this tax bill all on his own.

  88. 88.

    Kay

    @Yarrow:

    That’s funny because I saw a poll on a 538 tweet that said they ARE starting to see him as a doctrinaire Republican, and that it will hurt him because a lot of far Right policy isn’t popular.

    Lower and middle income people are different than higher income and rich people in one vital way- they’re risk averse. They would prefer to keep what they have rather than risk something new. This makes sense. They can’t weather risk as well. They’ll be open to hating the tax bill because they will start with the assumption they will LOSE on it.

    It’s part of why Obama had so much trouble selling health care reform and why he spent so much time telling people “you can KEEP…” That’s security. It’s more important than gains to some people.

  91. 91.

    Brachiator

    @Kay:

    I don’t know but they’re putting in the ’17 numbers manually. That was the work-around.

    That’s just stupid. Were they scrambling to update whatever system they use to do these computations?

  92. 92.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Kay: a lot of speculation about what going to Davos will do to trump’s support. I think that’s pretty inside-baseball for non political junkies who are persuadable, but it is amusing to see that trump is still desperate for the approval of real billionaires and machers

  94. 94.

    Kay

    @Yarrow:

    Waves are fun to watch, 2006 was particularly good in Ohio because it went down to state level, but I’m wary. I hope so, I’m just not convinced yet. I think I feel (rightly) that if they voted for Trump I don’t know them as well as I thought I did.

  96. 96.

    marcopolo

    @Brachiator: Actually this just reinforces another complaint about the shitty tax bill. They rammed it through so fast that our legal/financial “bureaucracy” wasn’t given any time to prepare for the adjustments that are required under the new law.

  97. 97.

    Brachiator

    @Kay:

    Lower and middle income people are different than higher income and rich people in one vital way- they’re risk averse. They would prefer to keep what they have rather than risk something new. This makes sense. They can’t weather risk as well. They’ll be open to hating the tax bill because they will start with the assumption they will LOSE on it.

    Lower and middle income people know that they don’t have strong political advocates. The higher income people and the rich know that the system is rigged in their favor.

    Lobbyists can drop a bag of money on a Congress person and get the new tax bill to include all kinds of goodies for them. There ain’t many lobbyists for the poor or even middle income people.

    The new tax bill does little for the poor or the middle class compared to what it does for the wealthy. That’s just fact.

  98. 98.

    Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho

    @Mary G: You are the best. I especially enjoy that you’ll continue to remind him of your thoughts until he leaves.

  99. 99.

    randy khan

    @balconesfault:

    I think that the Republican primaries in these open districts are going to be bloodbaths, with crazy MAGA types running in all of them, and probably winning a bunch of them. That probably will help the Dems.

  100. 100.

    Kay

    @Brachiator:

    They buy two different programs from vendors so “they” aren’t scrambling – they just plug and chug into one of two. Sometimes they have to wait for something called “enabling legislation” at the state level before federal laws become operative as to a state agency like child support. They have very limited power, and that’s deliberate. They’re rule-bound.

  101. 101.

    Peale

    @Brachiator:

    Interesting. And here the GOP incumbent squeaked out a win. So, only once, but it is a useful lesson that suggests that the Democrats might do well to try to focus on a single best candidate when vying in a primarily or previously strong GOP district.

    Apparently you weren’t around two years ago when it turns out that focusing on one candidate is the worst possible thing the Democratic party can do.

  102. 102.

    CarolPW

    @Brachiator: From what I understand people paying child support could deduct that amount from their total income and therefore pay less tax, and the person getting the child support would have to claim that amount as income, and pay more tax. I have no idea if now they both sides need to claim it as income, put I believe the payer can no longer deduct it from their income. This would be affecting people now as they are trying to figure out their federal withholding. Republicans thought it wouldn’t have an impact on people’s paychecks until next year (so after the midterms) but it is affecting peoples W-2s (and salary) already.

  103. 103.

    Brachiator

    @marcopolo:

    Actually this just reinforces another complaint about the shitty tax bill. They rammed it through so fast that our legal/financial “bureaucracy” wasn’t given any time to prepare for the adjustments that are required under the new law.

    The Republicans had to give Trump his win.

    It was noted that the IRS was given time to try to get a new withholding regime set up. Old withholding law was based on the number of personal exemptions a taxpayer and his family could use. Personal exemptions are done away with in the new tax law. This creates a hole. There is even a section of the new law that still refers to dependency exemptions even though they will not exist for 2018 and future years (I think all this returns after 2025 unless the law changes again).

  107. 107.

    Brachiator

    @CarolPW:

    From what I understand people paying child support could deduct that amount from their total income and therefore pay less tax, and the person getting the child support would have to claim that amount as income, and pay more tax.

    Are you talking about some state?

    Child support is not deductible or claimed as income on a federal return. You may be confusing this with alimony.

    Also, the new rules regarding alimony do not kick in until 2019. Also, the new rules will not affect prior alimony agreements.

  108. 108.

    Kay

    @Brachiator:

    They seem to me to be risk averse across the board in my practice, though. It’s a real difference. I regularly get people who tell me their 401k is not a real thing. The up and down nature makes them think it has no real value, which makes sense in a way. If this value can change so dramatically due to forces beyond their control it isn’t “reliable” in the way a tangible, fixed asset is.

    The older I get the more I think they’re right and the more risk tolerant people are wrong. They have hit on something that is true, or “more true” than the idea they should bank on growth. I understand it.

  109. 109.

    Brachiator

    @Peale: RE: Interesting. And here the GOP incumbent squeaked out a win. So, only once, but it is a useful lesson that suggests that the Democrats might do well to try to focus on a single best candidate when vying in a primarily or previously strong GOP district.

    Apparently you weren’t around two years ago when it turns out that focusing on one candidate is the worst possible thing the Democratic party can do.

    Are you referring to any particular California state election?

  110. 110.

    Yarrow

    @CarolPW: I love that Mitch McConnell said this about the tax bill.

    McConnell dismissed the polling.

    “If we can’t sell this to the American people we ought to go into another line of work,” he said after the Senate vote. “I think it’s a little easier to sell that you have more money in your pocket than the government running the health care system.”

    Yes, yes. If you can’t sell it to the American people you really ought to go into another line of work. Looks like lots of Republicans, like Issa today, are learning that lesson.

  112. 112.

    CarolPW

    @CarolPW: And I assume the courts, in awarding child support, consider the tax impacts to ensure the net after-tax amount is what they want it to be. I wonder if people who have already had their child support payments determined will go back and ask for a recalculation.
    ETA unless I completely misunderstood the child support thing.

  113. 113.

    gene108

    @Immanentize:

    For example, the Freedom Caucus will all and each have zero power on any issue. So, if the switch is imminent, many will jump rather than spend he time running a campaign to just end up in the minority.

    If the Koch’s, Mercer’s, et. al. can bank roll another Tea Party rebranding strategy to regain Congress in a couple of cycles, they may wait it out.

    Democrats have to hold Congress for a decade or more for Republicans to really get the message and not hope their sugar daddies can bail them out.

  115. 115.

    WaterGirl

    At any rate, for one last time, go fuck yourself Darrell Issa, you piece of shit.

    I loved that so much, I just had to see it again.

  116. 116.

    Brachiator

    @Kay:

    They seem to me to be risk averse across the board in my practice, though. It’s a real difference. I regularly get people who tell me their 401k is not a real thing. The up and down nature makes them think it has no real value, which makes sense in a way. If this value can change so dramatically due to forces beyond their control it isn’t “reliable” in the way a tangible, fixed asset is.

    OK. I think I know what yo mean. Funny thing is, over time, even a conservative 401K will tend to grow, despite any ups and downs in the stock market.

    But I know people who think that a rental property or a business (even a business that could easily go bust) is more “real” than investments.

    And of course many “fixed assets” lose value relatively quickly.

  117. 117.

    Yarrow

    @JR: People who itemize are. People who work for themselves are.

    Edit: It’s probably more correct to say they’re planning at this point. They’re not yet doing their taxes. But they need to plan because first quarter is coming up quickly and they’ll need to know what to do.

  118. 118.

    Kay

    @JR:

    No, they’re not doing their taxes. They set child support every day and there are lines in the algorithm – “adjustments”- that are calculated using state and federal tax provisions that apply to dependent children.

  119. 119.

    AnotherBruce

    Maybe California should get rid of their jungle primary system. Does California have ballot initiatives? I guarantee that if California was a Republican majority state, the jungle primary would have been long gone.

  120. 120.

    Jeffro

    @gene108:

    If the Koch’s, Mercer’s, et. al. can bank roll another Tea Party rebranding strategy to regain Congress in a couple of cycles, they may wait it out.

    Democrats have to hold Congress for a decade or more for Republicans to really get the message and not hope their sugar daddies can bail them out.

    Exactly. They’ll let things go for a cycle or two – as long as they have one house of Congress or the WH, they can pretty much stymie most anything – and then come back shiny, new, and outrageously funded.

    We have to work on the ‘big three’ issues (voter suppression, campaign finance reform, and gerrymandering) in any & every way possible, in all the states and at the national level.

  122. 122.

    Immanentize

    @gene108: Yes, but the immediate future looks kinda bleak for the GOP — 2020 should go Dem, (Presidential elections and favorable Senate map — and running against Trump). That means, if 2018 House goes Dem, there would be a minimum 4 year “waiting period” for Congress. Many of these yahoos are simply too impatient and power mad to be that kind of long range waiter.

    ETA I am especially thinking about the Freedom Caucus membership

  123. 123.

    catclub

    @Yarrow:

    People who itemize are. People who work for themselves are.

    no. these people are doing their 2017 taxes. They cannot do their 2018 taxes until January 2019.

  124. 124.

    Mary G

    @martian: Thanks to everyone for your kind words. It is a bit disappointing that he bailed so soon, but there will probably be two Democrats in the final round and that’s good too.

    Now I turn my attention to CA 50, a real long shot but one I believe we could win. The incumbent, Duncan Hunter, is an unloved lump who got his seat as the son of the last incumbent and he has ethics problems too.

    He is so bad that he’s drawn three Republican challengers. There’s a bunch of Democrats too, but I love Ammar Campa-Najjar, a young Hispanic-Arab-American who’s the future of this country.

  125. 125.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Immanentize:

    Bear in mind, too, that a bunch of them are not “retiring” so much as they are planning to run for US Senate, or Governor of their state. For those who are running for higher office, it will be interesting to see if the current anti-GOP sentiment will kick them in the teeth as well. We must field good Democratic candidates at every level and rid ourselves of this pestilence once and for all.

  126. 126.

    Kay

    @Brachiator:

    I always think some clever politician could do something positive with this unmet yearning for predictability and security, but unfortunately, they always reach for the easy “let’s blame black people and immigrants!” rather than offering them some measure of economic security.

  127. 127.

    Jeffro

    In case y’all were wondering – Fox News dot com is most definitely NOT running with the Issa news at the moment (hmmm, I wonder why). Here’s what they are going with:
    – more on the “Russia rubout” (their term, not mine)…how did the Steele Dossier ‘get someone killed’??
    – Trump blasts Feinstein
    – some model who went nuts and trashed her rich date’s Warhol paintings(?)…definitely a top priority for the country…
    – some horrible species of shark was discovered…not making this up
    and
    – some young girl in Australia committed suicide after internet bullying

    Yep, that is some top 5 right there. Also on the side: Louie Gohmert says Bobby Three Sticks is “growing desperate”…oh absolutely, Louie

  128. 128.

    Jeffro

    @Immanentize: the yahoos can be given wingnut welfare jobs and a new crop brought on board, funded by the Kochs, Mercers, etc. They’re the ones who would be content to wait out a 2- or 4-year wave (while still blocking as much as possible)

  130. 130.

    marcopolo

    @AnotherBruce:Whelp, at least not in NC anymore.

    Judges order North Carolina congressional districts redrawn quickly

    (CNN)Federal judges said Tuesday that North Carolina will have to quickly redraw its 13 congressional districts because the map is unconstitutionally partisan.

    The three-judge panel rejected the previous map drawn by the Republican-controlled General Assembly, saying it violates the Equal Protection Clause, the First Amendment, and Article I of the Constitution.

    The judges gave the state about three weeks to file a new plan with the court so it will be in place before the 2018 midterms.

    According to the folks who pay attention, the redrawn districts might lead to an immediate +2 D split in elected house members. Am trying to find link for that but no luck so far.

  131. 131.

    Jeffro

    @SiubhanDuinne: Which House GOP members are leaving in order to run for higher office in 2018? I remember one – Black, was that her name? – in Tennessee, I think, but that’s about it.

  132. 132.

    marcopolo

    @Jeffro: Also McSally in AZ leaving to run for Flake’s open seat. Maybe someone in MN running for Sen or Gov. There are a few out there.

  133. 133.

    Kay

    @marcopolo:

    That’s a big win. I’ve heard people here sell this as “voters should pick their representative rather than representatives picking their voters” which seems to resonate. It sets it up as a kind of “insider” or “incumbent” protection racket.

  134. 134.

    Jeffro

    @Kay: The noodles I made for dinner Monday night were tougher than Trumpov. =) But yes, he should, and of course we know he won’t.

    He’s lucky Obama is both busy and a better man than I am – I would have tweet-trolled him into a frenzy most every day and twice on Sundays.

  135. 135.

    Jeffro

    @marcopolo: Ok, but a few out of 31 (and counting) is just a few. Most see the writing on the wall/tsunami building/choose your metaphor. They know what’s coming.

  136. 136.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Yarrow:

    Gosh, I hope that doesn’t conflict with his meeting with the Prime Minister of Normay.

    None of this is norwal.

  138. 138.

    marcopolo

    @Jeffro: Heh, wasn’t concerned with the original comment, was just trying to give accurate info in regards to which R’s were leaving to run for higher office. The vast majority of R retirements are related to the current political situation.

  144. 144.

    trollhattan

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:
    Someone inside the administration intoned on my radio this morning that he’s going to Davos in order to “advance his America-first agenda,” which he could just as easily do with three Tweets.

  146. 146.

    Ruckus

    @Chris:
    Last time I got a republican email I responded to it thusly – I will never vote fucking republican, for the rest of my life. Then I told them to remove me from any and all of their lists.
    Their seemed to understand and agreed. Let’s see how honest they are.

  148. 148.

    Brachiator

    @AnotherBruce:

    Maybe California should get rid of their jungle primary system. Does California have ballot initiatives?

    Does the pope poop in the forest? California is the freaking king of ballot initiatives.

  149. 149.

    Brachiator

    @Yarrow:

    Edit: It’s probably more correct to say they’re planning at this point. They’re not yet doing their taxes. But they need to plan because first quarter is coming up quickly and they’ll need to know what to do.

    The IRS will probably provide some relief.

    There is a considerable amount of uncertainty right now how the new rules will affect businesses and the self-employed.

    Also, the IRS is struggling with figuring out a new withholding regime. Their current statement:

    The IRS is working to develop withholding guidance to implement the tax reform bill signed into law on December 22. We anticipate issuing the initial withholding guidance in January, and employers and payroll service providers will be encouraged to implement the changes in February.

    Ain’t nuthin’ happened yet.

  150. 150.

    O. Felix Culpa

    @schrodingers_cat:

    The swipe at DNC is unnecessary.

    Agreed. The DNC has almost NOTHING to do with local elections. It’s a state and local affair. In New Mexico, the party has a pre-primary convention with elected delegates from all over the state to choose which candidates can be on the primary ballot. And, if a candidate is not selected at the convention, he/she can still get on the ballot by gathering enough petition signatures. Other states have different processes, but parties have limited control over who can run…and the DNC has virtually NO control over this process at all. Please, folks, inform yourselves about how the selection process works!

    ETA: I see in #14 that John identified his comment as a joke. I agree that it fell flat. ;-)

  151. 151.

    Fair Economist

    @Brachiator: The CA Democratic party frequently endorses one of the candidates running, which does pretty much guarantee that person will get in barring a nutso R district. I would assume the R’s do the same but in my district it wasn’t done or didn’t work last election, and the #2 of 3 democratic candidates beat all the R’s, who split the substantial R vote almost evenly, even though that D was far behind the endorsed leader.

  153. 153.

    cain

    @martian:

    I’m a little sad for commenter MaryG, who I believe has been relentlessly chewing Issa’s ass for literally years now. Not fair that she won’t get to see him dragged down in humiliating defeat, that fucking coward. Figures he’d bail.

    Why would MaryG miss it?

  155. 155.

    Ksmiami

    @gene108: or we could change the tax code to 70 percent for ppl making over 3 mill per yr and rewrite the estate tax to tax estates over 100 million at 50 percent

  157. 157.

    glory b

    @martian: I thought so, but they haven’t been very present lately, which is all to the good.

    Every time you look around, there is some statement or interview on social media, radio, television etc. form all kinds of Dem groups. None form them that I’ve heard. it seems like they can’t figure out what to do or where they fit in.

    Not much of a revolution.

  159. 159.

    burnspbesq

    @The Moar You Know:

    C’mon, y’all. Applegate has a huge head start in organization, money, and recognition. He’s the guy. Anyone challenging hin should have their head examined (as my shanty-Irish gran used to say).

  164. 164.

    JoeyJoeJoe Junior Shabadoo

    @Jeffro: There’s Black, running for Governor, and also Blackburn, running for Senator. That’s Tennessee. Lou Barletta, PA, Jim Renacci, OH, Luke Messer and Todd Rokita, IN, Kristi Noem, SD, Steve Pearce, NM, and Raul Labrador, ID, are all running for Governor or Senator

  165. 165.

    J R in WV

    @JR:

    …wait are people doing their 2018 taxes already? None of that applies until this year…

    W-2s right now for 2018 tax year. Have you not seen today’s date yet?

  167. 167.

    dmbeaster

    The guy who almost beat Issa last cycle (Applegate) is already fundraising for this year’s election (I gave him money in 2016 and get the ongoing solicitations), and should take the nomination and the seat. He has huge name recognition and is a solid candidate.

    As a side note, Issa sued Applegate over allegedly defamatory campaign commercials during 2016. Issa’s case was dismissed pursuant to an anti-SLAPP motion, and he had to pay $45,000 in attorney fees to Applegate.

  168. 168.

    Elizabelle

    Glad to see Issa leaving. Hope he gets to spend a lot of quality time with Robert Mueller and his crack investigators.

    And then: straight to hell. Awful man.

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