Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

You are so fucked. Still, I wish you the best of luck.

Someone should tell Republicans that violence is the last refuge of the incompetent, or possibly the first.

People are weird.

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

White supremacy is terrorism.

“In the future, this lab will be a museum. do not touch it.”

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

Never give a known liar the benefit of the doubt.

They punch you in the face and then start crying because their fist hurts.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

It’s pointless to bring up problems that can only be solved with a time machine.

Relentless negativity is not a sign that you are more realistic.

Not rolling over. fuck you, make me.

They were going to turn on one another at some point. It was inevitable.

Dear media: perhaps we ought to let Donald Trump speak for himself!

They are not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

Hot air and ill-informed banter

Washington Post Catch and Kill, not noticeably better than the Enquirer’s.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

Trump should be leading, not lying.

You know it’s bad when the Project 2025 people have to create training videos on “How To Be Normal”.

If you thought you’d already seen people saying the stupidest things possible on the internet, prepare yourselves.

The Supreme Court cannot be allowed to become the ultimate, unaccountable arbiter of everything.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

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Scalise Out

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  2. 2.

    ArchTeryx

    @Kent: Which would be the most humiliating possible defeat for the Krazy Klown Kaucus. Good. ANYTHING that marginalizes them and shoves them to the side would be a good thing, even putting McQarthy back as Speaker.

  5. 5.

    Alison Rose

    You know how if a baseball player isn’t cutting it on a major league team, they might send him back down to Triple A? I feel like that’s what we need to do with every Republican in the House. What a bunch of incompetent idiots.

  6. 6.

    MattF

    “I have this here sack of shit addressed to Rep. Scalise, but it seems to have insufficient postage.”

  7. 7.

    Geminid

    @CaseyL: Jordan can’t get 217 votes out of that caucus. I’d be very surprised if he could get 150 votes

    Ed. But like I said downstairs, if House Republicans can’t fill that post with one of their own, it will be filled another way. The Speakership won’t stay empty but for so long.

  9. 9.

    Ken

    I wonder what “failed to support him” translates to. Death threats are not out of the realm of possibility.

  11. 11.

    Baud

    I remember all the breathless media reporting about whether Pelosi would get Dem support for speaker. Good times.

  12. 12.

    grumbles

    I think we should start a list of concessions Democrats should demand for providing adult supervision. Start with

    • Dress code requires Marge, Bobo, Filthy McForehead and Gym to wear clown noses when on the floor
    • Pelosi gets her office back
    • van Orden required attend the basement 12-step meetings, rage counseling
    • All Republicans required to submit essay on civic duty to be graded by Liz Warren

    What else?

  16. 16.

    Kathleen

    @grumbles: I expect the Bobbing Heads of Pundlandia to demand Hakeem Jeffries give his office to the Republican SOH candidate as a token of bipartisan good faith.

  19. 19.

    cain

    The GOP has a big problem as no one in the Democratic caucus can trust them and they have yet to deliver on any promise. McCarthy fucked the pooch there and poisoned the well.

    No dem, should trust any promise coming out of that caucus based on tehir demand – the GOP will need to collectively vote on what they’ll allow and present it to the Dems.

  24. 24.

    Cameron

    It doesn’t matter which one they pick (if they’re capable of picking anybody).  None of them is worth a tin-plated shit.  I can’t think of any of them who could even be on a town council without screwing it up.

  25. 25.

    Yarrow

    @Geminid:

    if House Republicans can’t fill that post with one of their own, it will be filled another way. The Speakership won’t stay empty but for so long.

    Why do you think that? How would that work?

  26. 26.

    Wyatt Salamanca

    CNN’s Jamie Gangel said a Republican source told her that Kevin McCarthy was working behind the scenes to sabotage Scalise from getting the votes needed to become Speaker because he was still pissed off about being forced out of the position.  The source described McCarthy as being in “misery loves company” mode.

     

     

  27. 27.

    New Deal democrat

    Hakeem Jeffries is playing the Democrats’ hand well in the House:

    “House Democrats have continued to make clear that we are ready, willing and able to find a bipartisan path forward.”

    “It means partnering to reopen the House and changing the rules that were enacted in January that empower [the GOP’s] most extreme members.”

    Translation: “we’ll help you out of your misery, but it’ll cost you (the specifics of that cost to be negotiated).”

    I think it may be impossible for any GOPer to get 217 votes from their caucus without agreeing to the same conditions, like single Member motions to vacate, that defenestration McCarthy.

  29. 29.

    Punchy

    @Kent: isnt that asking…begging?…to remarry the wife who just divorced ya?

    If it’s Kev 2.0, how does he last more than 7 mins before Manic Matt just does his thing again?

  30. 30.

    Brachiator

    @Kent:

    My bet?

    They are going to bring back McCarthy.

    That would be… interesting.

    I wonder how long the Republicans will let this clown show continue. Time is not on their side.

  31. 31.

    Martin

    We’re going to be up against the budget deadline still without a speaker. The Gaetz subgroup will vote  out anyone who might turn to Democrats to get a vote done, and the rest of the caucus know they can’t pick a speaker without Dems because they need Dems to eliminate the 1-member motion to vacate rule.

    The rest of the GOP caucus will need to come to the realization that they cannot function by compromising with the Gaetz subgroup. They sort of know it but can’t bring themselves to obviously act on that. Maybe that imminent government shutdown will help enough of them realize what is obviously true.

    My guess is that if they can come to accept a bipartisan governing strategy is necessary, that new candidates will emerge from the caucus. This is a moment when having Liz Cheney around would probably have given them a path forward.

  33. 33.

    catclub

    What a quitter! Quitters never win and winners never quit. I am sure Tuberville has expressed that wisdom to his undergraduate employees.

    Also, I think McCarthy is in a good position to demand caucus unanimity. If he is coming back.

  34. 34.

    Bill Arnold

    @cain:

    the GOP will need to collectively vote on what they’ll allow and present it to the Dems.

    The crafting of an offering to the Democrats should be delegated that to the GOP leadership. :-)

  35. 35.

    New Deal democrat

    From Bloomberg:

    Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers and Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul acknowledged Thursday that their party is unable to get 217 votes to elect a speaker solely on the backs of Republican support.

    Rogers suggested Republicans might have to cut a deal with Democrats and called on Jeffries to spell out what concessions he would require to help the GOP elect a speaker.

  36. 36.

    cain

    @Martin:

    The rest of the GOP caucus will need to come to the realization that they cannot function by compromising with the Gaetz subgroup. They sort of know it but can’t bring themselves to obviously act on that. Maybe that imminent government shutdown will help enough of them realize what is obviously true.

    They will have Fox News and OANN work the ropes to blame the Democrats.

    But that’s not gonna be very effective I think. They are the majority party and they are the ones that came up with all the rules to ensure that they only pass shit with GOP votes.

    Everyone knows that if you’re going to ask the Dems there is going to be a price to pay. But they want their cake and eat it too.

  37. 37.

    wjca

    @Kent: My bet?

    They are going to bring back McCarthy.

    I’ll take that bet.  The Crazies aren’t going to admit they were wrong to dump McCarthy, and allow him back.  Besides, while they might dream up yet more demands from him, even (or maybe especially) they wouldn’t trust him to keep any commitment he made.  So, just not happening.

    My guess (which I don’t have enough confidence to bet on) is that they take the path of least resistance and just make McHenry’s temporary position official.  Eventually.

  46. 46.

    Geminid

    @Yarrow: It’s more like how could that work:

    A small number of Democrats cross over to help elect a Republican. (least likely)
    A small number of Republicans cross over to help elect Hakeem Jeffries. (more likely)
    Democrats join a small number of Republicans to elect a retired Republican like Tom Reed (NY) or Charlie Dent (PA). ( maybe as likely as #2)

    As to why I think it would happen, as opposed to a prolonged period of Republican House members chasing their tails: most people- and I’m counting Republican Reps. as people here- understand that this post has to be filled.

  49. 49.

    MattF

    @Baud: Nor, wonder to behold, from the NYT:

    House Republicans, meanwhile, are consumed with an extended struggle of personal grievance, petty beefs, political payback and rampant attention-seeking that has sidelined Congress at a critical moment and rendered the Capitol a bastion of G.O.P. dysfunction. The spectacle of their infighting is even more glaring at a moment of international crisis, a fact not lost on Republicans themselves as they remain unable to settle on a speaker who could put the House back in business.

  52. 52.

    Martin

    @Geminid: To be clear, the next speaker won’t be Jeffries unless this vacancy lasts another 15 months. It’s going to be a Republican, but I think it’s going to be a republican that Jeffries signals he can work with. I don’t know how long that list is (he actually said he could work with Scalise). Like I said, I think they’ll wish they had Liz Cheney available.

    Tangentially, I’m surprised Ted Cruz hasn’t put his name in the ring.

  57. 57.

    Josie

    @WaterGirl: ​
     I agree with you. Jeffries is smart enough to want it written, stamped, and notarized. The Republicans cannot be trusted to keep their word.

  61. 61.

    wjca

    @WaterGirl: I think Jeffries only helps IF there is a formal power-sharing agreement in place.  That cannot be revoked.

    That rather raises the question of what sort of guarantee would really be binding.  How many are left who have a reputation for keeping their word?

    Hmmm, I wonder if you could craft a Do Not Compete contract of some kind.  Force them to stay out of office, and also not work as a) a lobbyist or b) a commentator or c) blog or twitter poster.

  62. 62.

    BC in Illinois

    @Alison Rose:

    From now on, any Republican referring to it as the “Democrat Party” has to buy lunch for every Democrat in the House the next day.

    Or, in response, Democrats can start referring to the “Speak” of the House.

  64. 64.

    SpaceUnit

    This is starting to feel like one of those movies from the Saw franchise.  I haven’t watched them but I know they involve unfortunate schmucks who find themselves trapped and playing a madman’s game in which all their options are nightmares.

    Nice to see it’s the GOP who’s playing the schmuck.  Jeffries should just sit back and eat popcorn.

  66. 66.

    wjca

    @Josie: That would also work, depending on who the hostage was.

    TIFG is the only one whose fate they would feel compelled to show concern for.  And he has prior obligations in various courtrooms.

  67. 67.

    lowtechcyclist

    @Chetan Murthy: ​
     

    Denny Hastert is tanned pale, rested, and ready. [eeew]

    He might need some time to compose himself, given how long he’s been doing the opposite.

  68. 68.

    Geminid

    @Martin: I don’t think it will be Jeffries either. I was just listing the possibilities. One of course is that that Republicans finally get their mess together and elect one of their own. Maybe Tom Cole (OK).

    I think the third scenario I spoke of- a retired Republican like Tom Reed or Charlie Dent- is a real possibility. That would suit Democratic interests more, I think, than a minority Jeffries Speakership.

  71. 71.

    trnc

    @Mike in NC: He called himself “David Duke without the baggage”

    I wonder if anyone has ever asked Scalise WTF that means. Duke is known only for the baggage. It’s like saying you’re like the Pope without all the religion and rituals.

  73. 73.

    Timill

    @wjca: The only thing I’d accept (as Jeffries) would be the resignation of at least 10 R reps.

     

    Preferably ones in Biden constituencies. Plus Boebert…

  74. 74.

    sdhays

    So, in other words, Steve Scalise has more self-respect and intelligence than their Qevin. He won’t scrape and plead for their votes, he’ll just let them dither.

  76. 76.

    artem1s

    @grumbles:

    What else?

    Any GOPer fear-mongering about caravans of immigrants has to take and pass the US citizen’s test before they are allowed back on the House floor again.

  78. 78.

    cain

    @Martin: oh man that’s 15 months of no pay and all kinds of problems.

    They shouldn’t be paid either – if they can’t do their damn jobs then they should also be furloughed.

  82. 82.

    cain

    @Dorothy A. Winsor:

    I admit I find this entertaining. Also horrible for the country, of course, but it’s so over the top inept, that I have to take satisfaction in how bad they look.

    When  you’re infected – you feel horrible and feverish – until it breaks. What I’m hoping is that it will kill all ideas of what kind of party the GOP is. Hopefully, it destroys whatever illusion that they are any kind of party of adults.

  83. 83.

    Punchy

    @WaterGirl: But why couldnt 217-ish R’s simply turn right around and  revoke on a vote?   IOWs, what kind of agreement could withstand the GOP voting to suddenly take-backsies?

  85. 85.

    trnc

    @Anoniminous: He’d have to resign his Senate seat.

    Are you sure about that? It sounds correct, but since the speaker doesn’t have to be a House member and a non-member would not be voting on any legislation in the House, would there technically be any conflict? Or is it more about not having time for the job of speaker between bullshit tweets and trips to Cancun?

  87. 87.

    New Deal democrat

    @Punchy: The moment the GOP tries to backstab Dems on a deal, Jeffries rises to reinstate the single member motion to vacate. His motion will have all Dem + GOP Crazies support, I.e., more than 218 votes.

    Slimy, but effective.

  90. 90.

    FelonyGovt

    This would all be so much more amusing if the Government weren’t going to shut down and Ukraine and Israel needing help …

  91. 91.

    sdhays

    @Punchy: Nothing, in theory. But if 217 current House Republicans had the capability of getting that organized, we wouldn’t be here. Their problem is that currently there aren’t 217 Republicans in the House interested in being part of a governing coalition.

    People can change, but…why? They have no incentive to.

  95. 95.

    Dangerman

    @MattF: “I have this here sack of shit addressed to Rep. Scalise, but it seems to have insufficient postage.”

    Does it come with a wind proof match? We need a guarantee of flaming upon arrival.

    If they want Democrats help, the price better be sky high. Starting with Donald Trump. Impeach him a 3rd time (sharing nuclear secrets with Mar A Lago guests). A quick conviction in the Senate. If impeachment and conviction take longer than the time it takes get dinner at an In and Out (hey, that drive through line is a bitch), the deal is off.

    Bye bye Donald 2024. See you in the Courts.

    They created the mess on the carpet; time to clean it up and it isn’t going to make them happy.

  98. 98.

    Timill

    @Punchy: The only way I can think of to prevent that is to insist on resignations to reduce the Rs below 212 members in the House.

    They’ll be back, but that’ll take time.

  99. 99.

    mdblanche

    Has there ever been a Speaker from Louisiana? Scalise is now the second Louisianan who was supposed to become Speaker after his predecessor crashed and burned only to crash and burn himself. Last time that happened it was Dennis Hastert who finally became Speaker, so if this time it’s Jim Jordan it will be an improvement really. Just the guy who enabled the pedophile instead of the pedophile.

  100. 100.

    trnc

    @Punchy: @WaterGirl: But why couldnt 217-ish R’s simply turn right around and  revoke on a vote?   IOWs, what kind of agreement could withstand the GOP voting to suddenly take-backsies?

    I’m having trouble with whatever scenario you’re thinking of. I suppose it’s theoretically possible, but I think Jeffries is smart enough to get provisions that would bulletproof it, such as any votes on rule changes or motions to vacate would require some dem votes.

  103. 103.

    wjca

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    The Rethugs of the House need to be sent back to Little League.

    @Kristine

    T-ball

    Tell me, what did those little kids, just playing ball, ever do to you, to have those scum inflicted on them?

    Or did you mean the scum to have their own, segregated and isolated, league?  That could be acceptable.

  104. 104.

    David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch

    Steve Scalise has dropped his bid for speaker

    his bid got shot down

  105. 105.

    sab

    I cannot believe that I am sorry Mr DavidDuke without the baggage just dropped out. And my Black granddaughter is moving to Richmond next month. Everyone told ua she would be safe. Still true?

  106. 106.

    bbleh

    I guess I don’t see how Jeffries can thread the needle, first because there’s no promise he can trust OR that Republicans can’t simply vote against en bloc and keep from happening, and second because even if they did make good on some promise, they’ll still be out to sabotage him every step of the way, and they still have more votes.

    About the only way I can see it working is for some of the Reps who are retiring, or some of the 18 in Biden districts, to switch parties and pledge to support Democratic initiatives.  That would be a bell that couldn’t be un-rung, and then Jeffries would nominally have the votes (although there’s still the question of whether they could be trusted even after burning their bridges)

    In any case, as many have observed, at least for now, Jeffries has no obligation of any kind to “make an ask.”  Let them come to him or twist slowly in the wind.

  107. 107.

    BlueGuitarist

    @Geminid:

    a retired Republican like Tom Reed or Charlie Dent

    Maybe a retired Republican but

    respectfully disagree about these 2.

    Charlie Dent endorsed Biden in 2020 and Josh Shapiro for PA governor in 2022, so don’t think Rs will want him.

    tom reed resigned after admitting sexual misconduct. The resigning is probably a bigger deal to Rs than the misconduct, but don’t see him wanting to be anywhere near the spotlight.

    (there was a Tom Reed speaker of the house in the 1890s).

  110. 110.

    Geminid

    @schrodingers_cat: The American “Know Nothing” Party dissolved itself in 1860 and a majority of its members went over to the new Republican Party. So you could say the Know Nothings are the Republican Party- or at least a major component.

    The “Taft Republicans” descended from that ideological strain. Had he been born a century or so earlier, Pat Buchanon would have been a Know Nothing. Trump almost certainly would have been one also.

    The American Party was a real force in 1850s American politics.* They even won Governorships in a couple states. You might not be surprised to know that one of those states was Vermont.

    * Anna Carroll, a principal character in William Safire’s Civil War novel Freedom  was a Know Nothing. She was well known as a pamphleteer  and was active in the party until it dissolved in 1860. One of the poorer members of the famous Maryland Carroll family, Anna Carroll was a working journalist.

  111. 111.

    Geminid

    @bbleh: I think a few Republicans in jungle primary states could defect and still win reelection as Independents. It could actually help Valadeo and Duarte of California, and Newhouse of Washington. Valadeo and Newhouse won reelection last year despite voting to impeach Trump.

  112. 112.

    lgerard

    In other news Digital World Acquisition Corp, the financial fund that was supposed to merge with trumps Truth thing and provide it with capital, folded its tent today and went out of business.

    This means Devin Nunes may soon be available if House republicans are interested. He won’t be cowed!

  113. 113.

    Geminid

    @BlueGuitarist: It is true that most Republicans would not want Dent or Reed.* But you only need 5 out of 221, and that is a different proposition.

    * And there is always Rodney “F” Davis. Not to mention Ambassador to Turkiye Jeff Flake, who may have had enough fun working with the affable President Erdogan.

  114. 114.

    BruceFromOhio

    This is what they want. Dysfunction, paralysis, division, confusion, shattered trust and a broken democracy. It’s what their voters and donors want. its what Putin and the bots polluting the corpse of X want. I don’t know what path takes us away from here, or what Dems have to do to clean up yet another fascist puke-fest on aisle three.

    But until enough of the fascists and their enablers get drowned in the bathtub, or enough of the few sane Repubs step up and call bullshit, this goes nowhere, because its EXACTLY what they want.

    Its fun to think what concessions the Democrats could impose, but that won’t happen either. Concession implies some foundation of shared values and goals. The fascists have none that are recognizable by human beings with a conscience. A power-sharing agreement implies a level of trust between the parties, and the fascists have demonstrated repeatedly that trust is toxic to them, and are incapable of keeping a promise.

    The Chinese are quietly chuckling at our inept idiocracy.

    Jeffries and the Democratic caucus should offer nothing, as the fascists have nothing to offer in return. If abuse, ridicule and betrayal are all the GOP has, then it serves them to have it heaped upon them, endlessly.

    Throw anvils at these drowning rats.

  115. 115.

    Yarrow

    @Geminid:

    As to why I think it would happen, as opposed to a prolonged period of Republican House members chasing their tails: most people- and I’m counting Republican Reps. as people here- understand that this post has to be filled.

    I get that the post needs to be filled but Republicans are so crazy and incapable of doing anything other than go on Fox News or worse that I’m not sure they can nominate someone they’ll vote for. The real nutjobs won’t be satisfied with anyone other than the worst of the crazies and the rest of the Rs won’t vote for one of those. This is the Republican civil war come home to roost.

  118. 118.

    Gvg

    This seems too soon for Scalise to give up. I really find it curious that he quit so fast and wonder if he was threatened in some way.

  121. 121.

    Geminid

    @Gvg: Scalise probably understood that he was unacceptable to a substantial portion of his caucus. They told him so at tonight’s meeting. He’s letting someone else try to solve this Rubik’s Cube.

  122. 122.

    BlueGuitarist

    @mdblanche:

    “they could do worse and probably will.” He was talking about the Republicans naturally.

    Rotating tag?

     

    1890s Republican House Speaker Reed  was referring to nominating McKinley for president in 1896 instead of himself.

  123. 123.

    David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch

    @Gvg:

    Livingston redux?

    In the runup to the House impeaching President Bill Clinton on infidelity-related charges in 1998, Hustler offered $1 million for proof of an extramarital affair by a member of Congress or other major politicians. At the time, [Bob] Livingston (R-LA) was chairman of the Appropriations Committee – and on the verge of becoming speaker of the House.

    In a stunning speech to the House of Representatives, Livingston announced his resignation, saying he had “on occasion strayed from my marriage.” Flynt later said Hustler had been investigating Livingston “as a result of receiving tips from four different women,” but the magazine never published a story about the congressman’s infidelity.

    Additionally it revealed, Livingston was paying a dominatrix to beat him, on top of the various affairs.

    Party of multiple family values.

  125. 125.

    NotMax

    “This would be a great time in the world for some man to come along that knew something.”
    – Will Rogers*
    .
    “Unreason and anti-intellectualism abominate thought. Thinking implies disagreement; and disagreement implies nonconformity; and nonconformity implies heresy; and heresy implies disloyalty — so, obviously, thinking must be stopped. But shouting is not a substitute for thinking and reason is not the subversion but the salvation of freedom.”
    – Adlai Stevenson
    .
    “We all learn by experience, but some of us have to go to summer school.”
    – Peter De Vries
    .
    *(In light of the times he lived one can forgive the seeming exclusion of woman.)

  126. 126.

    kalakal

    @Gvg:

    I think Scalise is smart enough and has enough of a grasp on reality to recognize a poisoned chalice when he sees one. Had the initial vote given him a sizeable lead he may have thought it worth the effort. As it was why destroy his career for a title with no power, that will leave him looking weak and contemptible?

  127. 127.

    NotMax

    File under “Told ya so.”

    Six Months Ago NPR Left Twitter. The Effects Have Been Negligible.

    The numbers confirm what many of us have long suspected — that Twitter wasn’t worth the effort, at least in terms of traffic. Source

  130. 130.

    HumboldtBlue

    HOW ABOUT THOSE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES WHO JUST DEFEATED THE COBB COUNTY CRACKERS TO ADVANCE TO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES!!!

  134. 134.

    Anotherlurker

    @HumboldtBlue: As a Met fan, I approve of the Phillies sending the Braves home early.

    That doesn’t mean that I didn’t gag when throwing my support to them.  The enemy of my enemy and all that jazz.

  135. 135.

    NotMax

    @HumboldtBlue

    If only all teams followed the same pattern.

    Minnesota Minnies.
    Boston Bossies.
    Denver Dennies.
    Pittsburgh Pitties.
    Washington Washies.
    Baltimore Ballies.
    :)

  140. 140.

    Jackie

    @Kent:

    They are going to bring back McCarthy.

    Where are the 217 votes needed to accomplish that? I don’t see the 8 Repugs voting for him, and I certainly don’t see any Democrats voting for him!

  141. 141.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Jackie: with the shut down looming and (more) hell breaking loose around the world, I can see enough Dems voting present, or going out for lunch, to give some Republican a majority, but McCarthy can’t be trusted on any kind of deal

  143. 143.

    Eric S.

    I don’t know the “legality” of this idea but.

    1. Bowtie man is give full speaker power until 11/30.

    2. The bipartisan Senate budget is passed with at least 150 GOP House votes

    3. House passes resolution with at least 175 GOP votes denouncing the Big Lie.

    4. The Dems will support a bipartisan power sharing agreement come Dec 1.

  146. 146.

    frosty

    @japa21: ​
     Doubt [Liz]would want it, though.

    Really? Think of the opportunities for vengeance. Which Cheney wouldn’t jump at that?

  148. 148.

    cain

    @frosty: There are still more crazies than sane for her to enact her vengeance.

    I believe eventually she will lead the party once this Trump/MAGA strain is gone.

  151. 151.

    Tony Jay

    @Spider-Dan: @NotMax:

    Proto-MAGAts – “We’re the Tea Party. A grassroots uprising of Main Street patriots with a couple of billionaire members who handle finances and logistics and messaging and whatnot. We’re here to tell Washington that We The People have had enough of high taxes and that all the Communist DemoRat Z.O.G.N.W.O. race-traitors need to be hung from lampposts to protect our children’s future!”

    News Media – “How exciting. But before we get too deep into the policy weeds, here’s what our viewers are dying to know, what do all you guys like to call yourselves when you’re all together being patriotic? What’s your codename, huh?”

    Proto-MAGAts – “Says right here on my authentic Tea Party T-Shirt available online for only $29.99 plus delivery and fees, dumbass. We call ourselves Teabaggers.”

    Democrats – “Teabaggers. Shit, that’s funny.”

    Proto-MAGAts – “F#*k You, N#**#r-lover! We’re gonna shoot you dead and all your J*w friends too!”

    Following days headline –

      FTFNYT Exclusive: FIRST THEY LAUGH AT YOU

    How Democratic contempt for Independent voters is fuelling transformative anger outside the Beltway. Could this be Obama’s Katrina, or worse, his Birmingham?

    Ahhhh, good times.

  154. 154.

    Frankensteinbeck

    The Republicans have been trying to decide for two days.  As bizarrely long as it is by usual House order standards, in terms of lives experience and effort it’s negligible.  Yet, already the front runner has backed out.

    Don’t expect that we know anything about the outcome, especially if this drags out for a couple of weeks.  With Scalise out, we’re already off the map.  Everybody could vote for Jordan tomorrow because he’s the only option and they’re sick of it, or McCarthy could get 200 votes, or who the Hell knows?

    Only one thing I’m sure of:  If the deadlock does stretch, after at most three weeks, 90% of the caucus will be utterly sick and tired of it and willing to embrace solutions they would previously have never considered.  Hell, we might be there already, which would make Jordan Speaker.

  155. 155.

    RaflW

    Since the Speaker doesn’t have to be a current member, I say Democrats nominate Liz Cheney, and vote for her as a block.

    Make it abundantly clear that Dems will support a Republican speaker, just not any of the 218 clowns currently in office.

    (Yes, I know Liz is very, very conservative and doesn’t share our values, and this would be in some ways a stunt. But there might just be 5 Republicans in the House who’d vote for her. She’d not accept the nomination, and the GOP caucus would be totally un-whippable on votes, but fun in a twisted sort of way to speculate on.)

    ETA: I see @japa21 tossed Liz out there already.

  156. 156.

    Geminid

     

     

     

     

    @Frankensteinbeck: I don’t think Jordan can get the votes. He’s as unacceptable to some Republicans as Scalise was to others. They need someone more in the center of the caucus.

    Maybe Tom Cole could get 217 votes. He doesn’t seem to have made many enemies. Or Emmer. I don’t think this will go on for two weeks, though, much less more than that.

  157. 157.

    Shalimar

    It’s now 8 hours since this last non-Ukraine thread.  I don’t have any clue what to do with my insomnia.  I guess I should start a new book.

  158. 158.

    Geminid

    @Geminid: I kind of like the idea of Tom Cole (OK) as Speaker. He’s a member of the Choctaw Nation. I can see Rep. Cole gaveling the House into order and then invoking some obscure law to dissolve the US and return it to the original owners. The Choctaws would give Tom Cole the honorific title, “Repo Man.”

  159. 159.

    NotMax

    @Geminid

    Time for Dolt 45 to make a push for Speaker Ivanka?

    “Special Offer!! Your donation will be used to purchase a GOLDEN GAVEL! MAGA!!!”

  160. 160.

    AlaskaReader

    Why Emmer and Cole are unfit for public office, let alone Speaker.

    On May 19, 2021, Emmer voted against establishing a national commission to investigate the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol Complex.

    Emmer posted the video on Twitter that showed him firing a fully automatic machine gun with the caption “#FIREPELOSI” –  this just days before Pelosi’s husband was attacked.

     

    In January 2021, Cole voted against the certification of the Electoral College results in the 2020 presidential election.

    In May 2021, Cole also voted against the creation of a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6 insurrection.

  162. 162.

    AlaskaReader

    Republican Mike Garcia just said on my TV that the Speaker vacuum was just a ‘math problem’.

    Also, …on January 6, he objected to Congress’s certification of Electoral College votes.

    This is who my television broadcast owners put on air to ‘inform’ it’s customers.

  163. 163.

    lowtechcyclist

    @Spider-Dan: ​
     

    I think the closest analogy to “Democrat Party” was “Teabag Party,” though it’s not really relevant any more post-MAGA.​

    The answer to the “Democrat Party” bullshit is just not let it get under one’s skin.

    But a good working name for the other party still wouldn’t be a bad thing to come up with. I’m going with ‘Refucklicans’ myself.

  166. 166.

    Geminid

    Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Israel a couple hours ago.

    I believe Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Cairo. Egypt and Turkey were at odds in recent years over Libya, but fortunately have patched up their relationship. They and Qatar are possible mediators in the Israeli/Gaza conflict.

    Hakan Fidan has only been Foreign Minister since June, but after 10 year’s leading Turkiye’s intelligence agency M.I.T. Fidan knows the region well. He is very much trusted by Turkish President R.T. Erdogan.

    Fun Fidan Fact: In the 1990s, while serving in Germany with Nato’s Rapid Reaction Force, Hakan Fidan earned a degree in Political Science from the University of Maryland Global Campus.

  168. 168.

    Denali5

    It strikes me that the one member vote to vacate is exactly the same as the one parent right to remove a book from the library. It causes chaos and disjunction. It is not democratic.

    I think Scalise’s heath issues have a lot to do with his withdrawal. It is apparent that the Republicans do not want to do the hard job of actual governing. They want to shut down the government.

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