Today, the Republicans took over the House of Representatives. The first thing they did was to remove the metal detectors that were installed after the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The removal was one of the things Republican leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) promised far-right Republicans in hopes of winning their votes to elect him speaker. The House has not yet voted on the rules package that ends "Democrat fines for failure of Members to comply with unscientific mask mandates and security screenings before entering the House floor," but the metal detectors are gone, just three days before the second anniversary of the January 6 attack.
And so the self-absorbed chaos continues at the hands of the GOP-not caring a whit about their actual purpose in being elected -only about personal aggrandizement, turmoil, and drama, drama, drama. I’d compare them to hormonal middle-schoolers, but honestly, middle schoolers act with more decorum and decency. It’s sick and sad behavior-it could be hilarious if it wasn’t so damn demoralizing to see how low they have allowed themselves to sink. Many of them belong in jail for the insurrection, including Perry, Biggs, and Jordan, instead of holding the House hostage with their shenanigans. I am beyond disgusted.
Which one of these whack-job Republicans will be the first to pack heat on the House floor? And brandish their gun in debate to stress a point?
For now it makes the government look nuts and out of control. But as we learned two years ago, some of these people will do just about anything to destroy democracy and revel in the attention they receive.
I'm trying to find a civil way to describe this scramble, but it's far past my bedtime and all I can think of is Bugs Bunny saying "What a bunch of maroons!"
McCarthy keeps conceding bits of his power to the GOP extremists, and then they demand more concessions. He's put himself in this situation with his craving to be Speaker, and it is fun to gloat. BUT it's not fun thinking about the impact on US politics, policies, stability, and global credibility. Plus, how many Americans are following the news and understand the implications of the GOP's chaos, incompetence, and extremism? How many will remember any of this next time they vote? Not enough.
The very idea of Jim Jordan becoming Speaker - Jordan who was one of Trump's inside insurrectionists - is an affront to those officers who were injured or killed almost 2 years ago, to every veteran who has served and protected this nation, to the extent of some sacrificing their lives, to every family who have ever lost a member in service to this nation and its democracy - Jim Jordan who carries enough baggage re: sexual abuse of students under his charge - is an abomination. McCarthy would be a terrible Speaker but Jordan would be worse.
Are there not at least 6 mature, responsible, public-service oriented, Republicans with a sense of obligation to this nation who could support Jeffries as Speaker so that those who were elected to do the nation's business (instead of contributing to the continuation of Trump's march toward fascism) could get on with numerous items of the people's business. Why else are we taxpayers being expected to foot the bill?
Thank you Professor for your thorough report. Yours is the first I've read that mentioned removal of the famous mags. Seems Repubs really fear those mags and Boebert will be carrying tomorrow for sure and MTG will escape her fines.. Don't we all feel safer now. And speaking about uncivil and not honorable reps, how can George Santos vote without being sworn in? They are the party of "do as I say, not as I do" and in total denial of January 6 TREASON and Covid stupidity. And their opponents want to remain anonymous. 🤐🙄👀🤡. Oh what a tangled web you weave!
Prof. Cox Richardson's post for today highlights some important things that bode well for Democrats. Enough GOP voters repudiated extremist election liars that there was no mid-term red tsunami. We have seen McCarthy, Stefanik and others show their hypocrisy by first condemning Trump and Trump acolytes and then kissing Trump's ring (*ss) to gain power without principle. Stefanik's sellout was just featured in a long read in The New York Times, and such pieces gain some traction among disenchanted Republicans and Independents. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/31/us/politics/elise-stefanik.html
McCarthy has shown he will give the extremists anything they want and conduct a circus for the next two years if elected, while failing to serve his constituents. Republican cowards will anonymously speak the truth to the media but will not join together to oppose the crazies in their caucus. They will seat a confessed con man, Santos, to gain McCarthy one vote, so they show no ethical guardrails at all.
And the kicker is that they want Fox "News" personalities to save them by supporting McCarthy or someone other than Jordan. This is a total failure of leadership for the whole nation to see. I'm encouraged, actually.
In our Congressional district, which a Democrat won by less than 1% of the vote, enough establishment Republicans, including fundraisers, opposed a MAGA candidate being "groomed" ;-) by Bannon to flip the district blue. Now our representative, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, is a national media favorite and has two years to work hard and serve her constituents, all of us: Democrats, Republicans, Independents, people who have tuned out because they struggle too hard to make a living, care for their kids and afford medical bills.
We may be seeing the breaking point of polarization in this leadership cage fight.
"I’m not the one,” the California Republican told fellow House Republicans, emerging from the huddle to deliver the same message. “We need a fresh face,” because the two I've got aren't working......
When it becomes apropos to quote Boehner as an authority on what
BUTTHEADS the right wing 'Freedom Caucus' are to governing, you have PROOF that 'the inmates are running the asylum'. As a reminder of how anti-governing Boehner is, here is a Politico quote of Boehner in 2010. "Here’s John Boehner, the likely speaker if Republicans take the House, offering his plans for Obama’s agenda: 'We’re going to do everything — and I mean everything we can do — to kill it, stop it, slow it down, whatever we can.'"
This behavior of the repubs is foreboding of - for instance - the Sept. Debt Ceiling? If they do what they're doing to each other, think what they will try to do to us . They have sent a message - burn the mother down !
I’m not sure I’m reading the right letter. You’re describing the vote for one Speaker of the House? In the United States? A Democracy? A historical and relatively simple procedure. Should we tell the repubs to read the Constitution if they are unsure how to accomplish this task without the help of their real leader, that guy hiding in his former beach Whitehouse or on a golf course, somewhere far from the decisions of the party he’s destroying. No change there. Leader in name only.
I find myself this morning far less interested in the neurotic maneuverings of adolescent MAGA House Republicans than in the plight of millions of Ukranian refugees who have been dispossessed of everything by the brutality of Russian neo-Czarist geopolitical paranoia! Their lack of protection from Winter’s cold, loss of family and the relative poverty of surrounding host countries affords them scant protection from protracted Russian cruelty!
“About a third of Ukrainians have been forced from their homes since Russia invaded in February, according to the United Nations. Nearly 8 million refugees have been recorded in Europe, in what the United Nations said was the fastest-growing displacement crisis since World War II.” (Washington Post)
America can do much more than simply bankroll weapons for the Ukrainian resistance! That’s where the more significant fight for democracy is being waged!
And so the self-absorbed chaos continues at the hands of the GOP-not caring a whit about their actual purpose in being elected -only about personal aggrandizement, turmoil, and drama, drama, drama. I’d compare them to hormonal middle-schoolers, but honestly, middle schoolers act with more decorum and decency. It’s sick and sad behavior-it could be hilarious if it wasn’t so damn demoralizing to see how low they have allowed themselves to sink. Many of them belong in jail for the insurrection, including Perry, Biggs, and Jordan, instead of holding the House hostage with their shenanigans. I am beyond disgusted.
Jan. 6, 2023 we saw the chaos the extremist Freedom Caucus has created in the GOP.
I'd be tickled if enough fed-up true Republicans vote with Democrats & make Hakeem Jeffries the Speaker! That would be JUSTICE!
Which one of these whack-job Republicans will be the first to pack heat on the House floor? And brandish their gun in debate to stress a point?
For now it makes the government look nuts and out of control. But as we learned two years ago, some of these people will do just about anything to destroy democracy and revel in the attention they receive.
Full list of House Republicans who voted against McCarthy and appear united in their determination to destroy the foundation of our Democracy:
Andy Biggs of Arizona
Dan Bishop of North Carolina
Lauren Boebert of Colorado
Josh Breechen of Oklahoma
Michael Cloud of Texas
Andrew Clyde of Georgia
Eli Crane of Arizona
Matt Gaetz of Florida
Bob Good of Virginia
Paul Gosar of Arizona
Andy Harris of Maryland
Anna Paulina Luna of Florida
Mary Miller of Illinois
Ralph Norman of South Carolina
Andy Ogles of Tennessee
Scott Perry of Pennsylvania
Matt Rosendale of Montana
Chip Roy of Texas
Keith Self of Texas
It's time for the Democratic Party to make them NOTORIOUS, along with their media enablers!
I'm trying to find a civil way to describe this scramble, but it's far past my bedtime and all I can think of is Bugs Bunny saying "What a bunch of maroons!"
McCarthy keeps conceding bits of his power to the GOP extremists, and then they demand more concessions. He's put himself in this situation with his craving to be Speaker, and it is fun to gloat. BUT it's not fun thinking about the impact on US politics, policies, stability, and global credibility. Plus, how many Americans are following the news and understand the implications of the GOP's chaos, incompetence, and extremism? How many will remember any of this next time they vote? Not enough.
The very idea of Jim Jordan becoming Speaker - Jordan who was one of Trump's inside insurrectionists - is an affront to those officers who were injured or killed almost 2 years ago, to every veteran who has served and protected this nation, to the extent of some sacrificing their lives, to every family who have ever lost a member in service to this nation and its democracy - Jim Jordan who carries enough baggage re: sexual abuse of students under his charge - is an abomination. McCarthy would be a terrible Speaker but Jordan would be worse.
Are there not at least 6 mature, responsible, public-service oriented, Republicans with a sense of obligation to this nation who could support Jeffries as Speaker so that those who were elected to do the nation's business (instead of contributing to the continuation of Trump's march toward fascism) could get on with numerous items of the people's business. Why else are we taxpayers being expected to foot the bill?
Thank you Professor for your thorough report. Yours is the first I've read that mentioned removal of the famous mags. Seems Repubs really fear those mags and Boebert will be carrying tomorrow for sure and MTG will escape her fines.. Don't we all feel safer now. And speaking about uncivil and not honorable reps, how can George Santos vote without being sworn in? They are the party of "do as I say, not as I do" and in total denial of January 6 TREASON and Covid stupidity. And their opponents want to remain anonymous. 🤐🙄👀🤡. Oh what a tangled web you weave!
Prof. Cox Richardson's post for today highlights some important things that bode well for Democrats. Enough GOP voters repudiated extremist election liars that there was no mid-term red tsunami. We have seen McCarthy, Stefanik and others show their hypocrisy by first condemning Trump and Trump acolytes and then kissing Trump's ring (*ss) to gain power without principle. Stefanik's sellout was just featured in a long read in The New York Times, and such pieces gain some traction among disenchanted Republicans and Independents. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/31/us/politics/elise-stefanik.html
McCarthy has shown he will give the extremists anything they want and conduct a circus for the next two years if elected, while failing to serve his constituents. Republican cowards will anonymously speak the truth to the media but will not join together to oppose the crazies in their caucus. They will seat a confessed con man, Santos, to gain McCarthy one vote, so they show no ethical guardrails at all.
And the kicker is that they want Fox "News" personalities to save them by supporting McCarthy or someone other than Jordan. This is a total failure of leadership for the whole nation to see. I'm encouraged, actually.
In our Congressional district, which a Democrat won by less than 1% of the vote, enough establishment Republicans, including fundraisers, opposed a MAGA candidate being "groomed" ;-) by Bannon to flip the district blue. Now our representative, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, is a national media favorite and has two years to work hard and serve her constituents, all of us: Democrats, Republicans, Independents, people who have tuned out because they struggle too hard to make a living, care for their kids and afford medical bills.
We may be seeing the breaking point of polarization in this leadership cage fight.
"I’m not the one,” the California Republican told fellow House Republicans, emerging from the huddle to deliver the same message. “We need a fresh face,” because the two I've got aren't working......
Republicans - too stupid to find their ginormous posteriors with both hands on a clear day with a three hour advance notice.
When it becomes apropos to quote Boehner as an authority on what
BUTTHEADS the right wing 'Freedom Caucus' are to governing, you have PROOF that 'the inmates are running the asylum'. As a reminder of how anti-governing Boehner is, here is a Politico quote of Boehner in 2010. "Here’s John Boehner, the likely speaker if Republicans take the House, offering his plans for Obama’s agenda: 'We’re going to do everything — and I mean everything we can do — to kill it, stop it, slow it down, whatever we can.'"
This behavior of the repubs is foreboding of - for instance - the Sept. Debt Ceiling? If they do what they're doing to each other, think what they will try to do to us . They have sent a message - burn the mother down !
I’m not sure I’m reading the right letter. You’re describing the vote for one Speaker of the House? In the United States? A Democracy? A historical and relatively simple procedure. Should we tell the repubs to read the Constitution if they are unsure how to accomplish this task without the help of their real leader, that guy hiding in his former beach Whitehouse or on a golf course, somewhere far from the decisions of the party he’s destroying. No change there. Leader in name only.
I wrote my Red Rep and said that as long as the GOP is going to make out in public, he should be embarrassed and give up salary for those days.
Gaetz' letter is performative. I hope Cap Architect says "people will be moved when they have assignments, including a new speaker".
I heard Justin Amash offered to be speaker, but he might have been enjoying a little sarcasm.
I find myself this morning far less interested in the neurotic maneuverings of adolescent MAGA House Republicans than in the plight of millions of Ukranian refugees who have been dispossessed of everything by the brutality of Russian neo-Czarist geopolitical paranoia! Their lack of protection from Winter’s cold, loss of family and the relative poverty of surrounding host countries affords them scant protection from protracted Russian cruelty!
“About a third of Ukrainians have been forced from their homes since Russia invaded in February, according to the United Nations. Nearly 8 million refugees have been recorded in Europe, in what the United Nations said was the fastest-growing displacement crisis since World War II.” (Washington Post)
America can do much more than simply bankroll weapons for the Ukrainian resistance! That’s where the more significant fight for democracy is being waged!