The Senatortoise from Kentucky isn’t being subtle:
#Senate Democrats have a choice to make. This should be a no-brainer… pic.twitter.com/zdUFXxclZ9
— Leader McConnell (@SenateMajLdr) January 19, 2018
Meanwhile, Twitler is focused on how the #TrumpShutdown will affect him personally, and it’s dawning on him that missing the Corruption Cotillion will be the least of it:
“It’s Trump — they’re going to blame me no matter what,” the president told aides on Friday. https://t.co/i5NblPPDsC
— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) January 20, 2018
? [actual size]
This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present. #DemocratShutdown
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018
? [again, actual size]
For those asking, the Republicans only have 51 votes in the Senate, and they need 60. That is why we need to win more Republicans in 2018 Election! We can then be even tougher on Crime (and Border), and even better to our Military & Veterans!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018
What’s that old saying — if you’re explaining, you’re losing? A few hours later, he sounds even more desperate:
Democrats are holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration. Can’t let that happen!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018
The world’s greatest negotiator, ladies and gents.
Like Trump, McConnell is an evil prick. But unlike Trump, he’s not an addled fool who doesn’t understand how politics work. He and the rest of the GOP leadership know Trump is a loose cannon, which has to be a nightmare in a situation like this.
I don’t know how this ultimately plays out because Trump is not a rational actor. But the Democrats need to stay strong. This might be a good time to encourage them, even if there’s no one to answer the phones.
Baud
We choose both.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Twice Senators thought they had a deal with trump: Durbin-Graham last week and Schumer yesterday afternoon. Both times, Kelly pulled trump back.
Last night, Schumer and McConnell had a deal, Ryan called McC and pulled the plug on it.
If that boozy old coward Boehner had put a DACA bill on the House floor on his way out the door singing Zippity-doo-dah, none of this would be happening.
schrodingers_cat
My instincts about Kelly have been proven right once again. It was he who sabotaged yesterday’s last ditch attempt at a deal.
More here
Ds stand up for what’s right. That counts for a lot.
jimmiraybob
In McConnell’s tweet, substitute “Germans” for “Chip” and “Jews” for “DACA” and see how that tastes.
Ella in New Mexico
I really do think Trump is so addle-brained that if the House and Senate passed a bill that the previously agreed on in regards to DACA and CHIP and the budget, he’d sign it.
A. He doesn’t read or understand half the shit he signs anyway.
B. He desperately wants to take credit for getting a deal, despite the fact that he can’t get a deal.
Just shove the fucking thing under his face and he’ll sign it, just like you bragged he would do. Easy peasy lemon squeezy, Mitchie-poo.
Ken
Four of whom voted against this. The only reason it got 50 votes was the Democrats who crossed the line.
Gretchen
Corruption Cottilion. Perfect!
sdhays
@Baud: It turns out McConnell’s right. It IS a no brainer.
Steve in the ATL
When I read “black and white” in the post title, I heard the song “black and white” by the dB’s, a truly underrated ‘80’s band. Now do a post with “neverland” in the title.
Chip Daniels
“You can have our answer now if you like, Senator.
Our answer is No.
And you will even fund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, as a courtesy to us.”
Baud
@sdhays: It would be kind of funny if the Dems responded by saying we choose DACA. Too risky though.
Villago Delenda Est
There were deals to avoid all this lined up.
Kelly and Miller sabotaged them. Donald is nothing but a puppet.
gene108
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
The Senate passed comprehensive immigration reform in 2011. It would have passed the House, with overwhelming Democratic support and some Republican support. Boehner refused to bring it for a vote.
Boehner, and now Ryan, refuse to bring bills for votes in the House than cannot pass with only Republican support. So much good legislation has died because Boehner and Ryan want to freeze Democrats out of the legislative process completely.
Ella in New Mexico
@schrodingers_cat: Yep. He’s got that spiffy, stiff-faced, no-nonsense outward appearance of a patriotic Marine General, but deep in his blood is the soul of a NAZI concentration camp guard.
It seems that former’s like him and Michael Flynn gravitate towards this regime because it frees them from the military’s mandate that they behave in a way that supports the Constitution of the United States.
gene108
@Baud:
McConnell is getting ripped in replies to his tweet.
sdhays
@Baud: CHIP is basically free (because Obamacare will kick in and cost more for some of the current recipients if it’s not renewed) and popular. So why do Republicans need concessions to pass CHIP? And why didn’t they take care of it months ago when funding expired?
They should have to answer that question every single time they show up on TV.
SRW1
Maybe the Art of the Twitter is not such a good form of ‘governing’ after all?
Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady)
That sounds an awful lot like Sophie’s Choice.
SoupCatcher
When Solomon said cut the baby in half, McConnell is the woman who said “Do it!”
Chyron HR
Republicans have a choice to make: CHIP and DACA, or government shutdown. It’s a no-brainer, because they hate health care, immigrants and the government.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
There’s video. If Tom Steyer wanted to do some good, he could flood the airwaves with an ad.
Baud
@sdhays: The problem is that much of the media agrees with the GOP that the Dems are uppity and need to be put in their place through hard ball tactics.
Baud
@SoupCatcher: I like that.
M31
@Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady):
Huh, and just who was it that forced Sophie to make that choice? I can’t quite remember, but it was probably good people, fine people on that side
Davebo
Hey Mitch, CHIP expired like 112 days ago, not yesterday.
Also, you suck at keeping your promises.
dmsilev
Why not both?
That’s the choice Democrats are arguing for.
mai naem mobile
@Ella in New Mexico: put a Nazi uniform on his with the swastika band, iron cross etc. and photoshop his pic into a photo of Hitler with his generals and he would fit right in. Same goes for Stephen Miller except he would be a sergeant and,yes, I know Miller is Jewish.
Ryan
Dems need to stick with their current strategy for McConnell. We want both… AND. How does Mitch plan to get 60 votes? Hell, he showed us how this game works with Obama, he knows Trump will take the blame.
Matt
Maybe this comes from reading fairy tales too much, but is there is Trumplestiltskin meme yet? My kid loves the part
where Rumplestiltskin rips himself in two.
dmsilev
Sized for his hands, is it?
Ryan
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: More like we have to find a way we can best use your daughter as a hostage.
Frankensteinbeck
McConnell is himself such a callous, sadistic prick that he cannot grasp that he sounds like Jigsaw going ‘Pick which of these babies I will murder.’ It is both fascinating and sickening to watch.
Also, I’m in the ‘Trump will sign anything, this is 100% McConnell and Ryan’s fault.’
@Ken:
This, at least, I see as kabuki. Since there was no god damn way the cloture vote would make it, a few people on both sides voted what they thought would look good to their constituents.
SRW1
The Democrats are such meanies! Don’t they know The Trumpster has a party to attend?
Cain
Hi, y’all.. I am out here in Denver for the woman’s March! It is a beautiful day to exercise civic action!
Aardvark Cheeselog
The truth of that second assertion is not obvious to me. What has the man actually accomplished in his career, other than climbing the nutcase career ladder? I mean legit legislative accomplishments, not stuff like stealing Obama’s Supreme Court appointment?
lowtechcyclist
1) When they passed the short-term CR that expired last night (this was right before Christmas), the news reports said they extended CHIP through the end of March. But now the Tortoise is saying it expires today. Anyone know what’s going on?
2) When someone makes you choose which hostage they’re going to let live, and which one they’re going to kill, that person is the villain, not you. There’s no inherent need to choose here, and Dems want DACA and CHIP. Mitch & Co. are trying to impose a choice, where one program lives and the other dies. They’re the villains here.
Fair Economist
@Aardvark Cheeselog: McConnell did pass the most unpopular and defective major bill of the country’s history, the tax deform bill. Does that count as an accomplishment?
lowtechcyclist
Trump is complaining about the military not getting paid during the shutdown.
The solution is simple: the Dems should propose a bill that lets the military get paid as usual during the shutdown, and extends CHIP for six years. Two things that Trump and the GOP say they’re for, all wrapped up into one nice package. They should love that, and it’ll get them off the table.
LurkerNoLonger
Not only is McConnell not subtle, he’s not good at his job. Oh, and he’s ugly too.
chopper
@Cain:
at the march in Seattle. nice day for it.
Frankensteinbeck
@Fair Economist:
Hard to say. With the current makeup of the Republican Party, there is absolutely nothing Republican congressmen want to pass more than a tax cut. It is dogmatically correct to all of their factions, benefits them personally, especially in corrupt ways, and they get no pushback against it. McConnell came damn near to failing at that task. On the other hand, what he did pass is truly the most ambitiously fucked up nightmare imaginable. He dug in his heels and insisted on a true clusterfuck bill, and he got it.
Humdog
@lowtechcyclist: Sen. McCaskill did put up a bill to pay the military but Rs would not have it.
JGabriel
Mitch McConnell:
Nazi Soldier:
Tony Jay
Someone should ask McConnell why he wants to exile 800,000 Aspirational-American taxpayers from their country. What’s he so afraid of?
As in, no playing along with Republican framing and language. They’re doing something horrible, make what that is as plain as possible.
Boatboy_srq
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: This needs to be broadcast. Ryan votes explicitly to expel the people he assures in person will be permitted to stay. If there is a better example of what a conniving lying dishonest towo-faced b@st@rd ZEGS is, I have not seen it.
SgrAstar
@lowtechcyclist: I think McCaskill proposed exactly that- to fund military payrolls while the trump shutdown plays out. Rs rejected.
Gerald Parks
The Art of the Steal!
Who is getting richer during THIS crisis?
While WE are looking at this shutdown …what are WE not seeing?
Felanius Kootea
Mitch McConnell seems to want a failed state. Paul Ryan seems to want a failed state. Donald Trump seems to want a failed state.
Steve Bannon definitely wanted a failed state (“the deconstruction of the administrative state”). The Republican party seems to want
a failed state. Why? The short-term gains in power they seek are not worth the long-term cost. I don’t get it. And why would anyone who is
not an oligarch or Putin puppet vote for this?
I’ve lived in a failed state. This is starting to have that feel.
catclub
@Villago Delenda Est:
PLus McConnell and Ryan. Put that compromise into a bill and pass it, then tell Trump to fish or cut bait. But they are NOT making Trump sign or veto.
That would be disloyal to Trump.
opiejeanne
@chopper: I planned to go but I’m finally in recovery from this cold or flu or whatever it is.
Thank you for marching.
catclub
@lowtechcyclist:
I still think getting CHIP extended 6 years on this round and then getting something else on the next month’s CR would work.
Aardvark Cheeselog
@Fair Economist:
I’d prefer to use it as evidence of his failings.
...now I try to be amused
@Felanius Kootea:
Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.
patrick II
I haven’t seen anyone threaten more hostages since Saddam Hussein put innocents in front of potential bombing targets. Nice job McConnell.
Frankensteinbeck
@Felanius Kootea:
For McConnell, it’s half that he is mean as shit and wants to hurt people, and half that a black man became president and any America where that can happen needs to be destroyed.
Ryan never got over being a 19 year old reading an Ayn Rand novel. He lives in his own little world where Ubermensch like him will create a perfect society if everything is taken away from everyone else.
Trump is also mean as shit, has a slightly different version of the racism motivation where he accepts every horror necessary to remove the threat of brown people from white society, and loathes all government regulations because he’s been slapped down for violating building codes and discrimination laws.
The rest of the Republican Party shares a mix of those traits unique to each individual.
Because they care more about hate than they do about their own well-being.
@catclub:
Nobody in Washington gives a damn about Trump. He’s just a useful scapegoat, in this case to give McConnell and Ryan cover to do what they were going to do anyway.
patrick II
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
I saw Ryan do a similar thing to a guy with cancer during the health care debate — with that fcking smirk on Ryan’s face. There is something very wrong with the guy.
Sloane Ranger
@Baud: CNN are whacking both sides. The Repub on the panel is clutching the flag so hard.
We all want to help the Dreamers, He says, but we need to look after Americans first. What about the CHIP kids? Once we’ve funded the government and looked after them and our fellow citizens, then we can pass DACA protection.
The Dem is making heavy weather of their response. Unfortunately, it can’t be boiled down into the short pithy statement news shows want.
The presenter said there was a poll out basically saying that the majority of Americans wanted something done on DACA but felt getting the government back up and running was the priority. Is that true?
Ella in New Mexico
@mai naem mobile:
His mother’s family immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s from Belarus escaping the Anti-Jewish pogroms in the Russian Empire (1903-1906).[9][10] When his family arrived in the United States, his great-grandmother, only spoke Yiddish, the historical language of the Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern Europe.
Stephen Miller alone makes you question the whole “Jewish status passes through the mother” birthright thing
Tom
@…now I try to be amused: ooh, nice use of Milton!
Ella in New Mexico
@Felanius Kootea:
Because with a “failed state” the Randian Plutocracy owns all the chips. Period.
Plus, if they can get away with this, the Democrats will never be voted back into power long enough to frog march the entire bunch of them to a Goddamn federal penitentiary for the crimes they’re committing to accomplish it.
J R in WV
Open thread, so here goes.
Lost a good friend, just learned that he died Wednesday. Air Force veteran who worked for me on construction, landscaping, and we rock hounded together after he showed me his rock collection. As a little kid I used my Mom’s kitchen spoon to dig for buried treasure after reading Treasure Island. But then Danny showed me that grown-ups could really go dig up buried treasure.
He lived kind of a hermit life on a ridge top, after his wife and kids moved back to the city… Denver, actually. He would build tiny gnome houses in trees with hollows in their base where a long ago fire caused bark to die – there was a porch, tiny deck chairs, and a door into the tree. When you got down low, at a kid’s level, and opened the door, there were mirrors inside. Kids rolled laughing, me too.
We actually lost Danny some time back. He had Pick’s Disease, a different kind of dementia; his uncles died of it long ago. He started making mistakes when working, and I had to stop hiring him, which hurt us both. But forgetting to glue a joint in the gas hot water heater can flood a basement with carbon monoxide with potentially fatal results.
He spent the last few years in a VA nursing home, didn’t recognize anyone who went up from the neighborhood to visit. I didn’t go because that would have been really hard for me, my Grandfather didn’t recognize anyone, or even respond to anyone for the last several years of his life after a major stroke that left him – absent. Like Danny.
At least the sun is shining. I’m pretty sure we found everything that wasn’t right. And I still have wonderful memories of actually finding buried treasure from Maine to Colorado and Wyoming, Indiana and Kentucky and Ohio with Danny. Still have the rocks: minerals and crystals galore! Maybe some day I’ll send some pictures to On the Road.
RIP buddy…
Fair Economist
@catclub:
It might *have* worked, but it won’t now. If the Republicans can force through a House ultimatum without negotiations this time they will conclude they can again next month. Kicking out the Dreamers, basically the best possible immigrants you could ask for, is their goal.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@schrodingers_cat: If Trump is really that spineless he will let is own admin veto his own decisions then endings this is going to be screwed up. It’s going to be endless rounds of some deal in congress and them someone like Miller or Kelly whining in Trump’s ear.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@Ella in New Mexico:
You’re giving Kelly to much credit. Camp guards were there to party their way threw WWII – Kelly is just another drunk on the corner bar stole talking big and not doing shit.
WaterGirl
@J R in WV: What a lovely tribute. I am sorry for your loss, even if much of it happened some time ago when the dementia hit. Rest in peace, Danny.
Betty Cracker
@J R in WV: That’s a shame. Sounds like he was a good guy. Condolences.
schrodingers_cat
@Enhanced Voting Techniques:
His tenure as the DHS secretary refutes the assertion you are making.
danielx
Open thread, so…..article detailing an inventory of firearms, ammunition and miscellaneous stuff found in the hotel rooms used by, and in the home of, Stephen Paddock, the Las Vegas sniper and mass murderer. Including in the hotel rooms, be it noted, approximately 1,050 expended .223/5.56 mm cartridge casings and approximately 5,280 live rounds loaded in 25 and 40 round magazines and 100 round drums.
Disclaimer: I own a couple of guns – old fashioned stuff, walnut grips and all that. I will say there are probably tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of gun owners who have collections of 30 or 40 or 50 (or more) various weapons who own them because of their collectibility/rareness and value. Such collections can run into tens of thousands of dollars, especially if they include (for example) antique Sharps rifles worth five grand each. But a single individual owning dozens of ‘black guns’ (assault rifles if you will) is not fucking normal. At a rough guess, the inventory includes thirty thousand dollars worth of weapons, ammunition and magazines, leaving out the miscellaneous stuff, with 80% of tied up in AR-15 type weapons. Was there no one in Paddock’s circle of friends and acquaintances to say hey Steve, what on earth are you planning here? Maybe seek some counseling for your hoarding habit?
Citizen Alan
@Ella in New Mexico:
Which, even if it happened, would still be a stupid fantasy. As many as pointed out, one of the biggest plot holes in Atlas Shrugged is that they never answer the question: who mops the floors and harvests the crops in Galt’s Gulch?
J R in WV
Thanks for the nice thoughts, guys.