The Republican Party Has Flat Out Lost Its Mind

[LFC]

If you really want an example of stupid in the GOP it's tough to beat Nunes, not that multiple Republican politicians aren't working and often succeeding at it repeatedly.

[AnBr]

Why do these Reich-wing idiots think they can take on Jon Stewart?

www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/jon-stewart-leisli-rutledge-interview-win-trans-americans-n1299558

[goldenvalley]

Oct 16, 2022 0:58:25 GMT AnBr said:

Why do these Reich-wing idiots think they can take on Jon Stewart?

www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/jon-stewart-leisli-rutledge-interview-win-trans-americans-n1299558

The Reich wing doesn't care about evidence.  They just sit back on the attitude of "this condescending jerk wants to confuse you all with facts and shit" and that works just fine for their supporters.  That's all they care about.  

I'm glad the trans gender reporter feels that some part of the media is presenting facts which might open the eyes of those who haven't already made up their minds.  Sadly, it won't change any minds that are already made up.  People want their biases confirmed, not disproven.  They will reject the information offered by Stewart etc if they ever hear about it.  Which they won't.

[LFC]

When you're so insane and unserious you get your own ethics rule.

House Rules Committee Chair Created New Rule For Boebert

House Rules Committee chair Jim McGovern (D-MA) crafted a “new rule” for far-right Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) when she tried to submit a bunch of ridiculous amendments, according to a new book by reporter Robert Draper titled “Weapons of Mass Delusion: When the Republican Party Lost Its Mind.”

• That rule is as follows: “If you’re batshit crazy, you’re not getting an amendment.”

• McGovern’s explanation: “We’re not doing this. I’m not going down that road. I’m not going to be part of any effort to legitimize people who are fucking lunatics.”

[LFC]

These people truly are insane. Or is it inane? Or both?

andrew kaczynski
@kfile

A private school in New Hampshire had to correct the Republican Senate candidate there Don Bolduc who said kids were using litter boxes dressed as cats in their bathrooms.

[LFC]

There is nothing left of the Republican Party in terms of actual governance. Nothing.

[goldenvalley]

Nov 1, 2022 21:55:04 GMT LFC said:

There is nothing left of the Republican Party in terms of actual governance. Nothing.

One guy hits another guy's head with a hammer causing a skull fracture and yeah! it's time for some humor? As pg famously said "What is wrong with these people?"

[LFC]

Nov 1, 2022 23:05:39 GMT goldenvalley said:

As pg famously said "What is wrong with these people?"

[LFC]

Inside the Doug Mastriano loser party. I only bring this up as yet another example of how insane these people are. Here's one who will never believe Republicans lose fair and square. She just can't grasp it.

Sue Robertson walked outside asking for a cigarette. Her boyfriend had just broken up with her, she said with a laugh. “He’s a RINO,” she quipped, using shorthand for “Republicans In Name Only.”

Robertson said she’d flown here on a red-eye flight from California — where she’s known as “that Trump bitch” — to support Mastriano. She claimed to have her own SuperPAC and raised a lot of money for the GOP nominee who’d just lost.

“The Democrats, obviously, they cheat,” she said. “And I’m not a QAnon person, but they’re doing something dirty — like the Dominion machines — something doesn’t make sense.” (Trump supporters falsely blamed machines by Dominion Voting Systems for his loss in 2020.)

“But we’re gonna be OK,” Richardson said as if reciting a daily affirmation. “The House and Senate are turning red. Trump’s gonna announce he’s running.” (As of Wednesday afternoon, it was still too early to know whether Republicans would take control of either chamber of Congress.)

Asked if Mastriano should concede, Richardson replied quickly. “No, never,” she said. “Because Democrats cheat. And they never concede, so why should we?”

And then we have the violent Christian nationalists. They won't be happy until their minions start killing Democrats.

Among them was Julie Green, a prominent Christian “prophet.” Her bodyguards stood nearby as Green twisted and turned to the music. Earlier this year, Green claimed to receive a prophecy from God that the “angel of death” would visit multiple prominent Democratic politicians before the year’s end. She has claimed that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi “loves to drink the little children’s blood.”

And once, appearing alongside Mastriano at a QAnon event in Gettysburg, Green recited a message God had given her. “Yes, Doug, I am here for you, and I have not forsaken you,” she said, speaking as God. “The time has come for their great fall; for the great steal to be overturned. So, keep your faith in me.”

[pnwguy]

Nov 10, 2022 15:33:36 GMT LFC said:

Inside the Doug Mastriano loser party. I only bring this up as yet another example of how insane these people are. Here's one who will never believe Republicans lose fair and square. She just can't grasp it.

Pennsylvania dodged a bullet.  I hope Arizona will too.

While the Red Wave turned into a Red Puddle, that water seepage is still caustic and toxic.  It corrodes the foundation of the nation.

[LFC]

If Republicans control the House then this is who McCarthy has to hand power to in order to become Speaker. He's such a spineless tool he'll do anything, of course, ensuring that the House becomes a complete and total shitshow.

Ambitions In Jeopardy

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) launched his bid for House speaker yesterday — and it didn’t take long for the Trump loyalists in his conference to stir up trouble for him.

For starters, the Washington Examiner reports that Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has been privately lobbying other House GOP conference members to vote against McCarthy.

And there are already about two dozen current and incoming members who are prepared to sink the California Republican’s bid if he doesn’t agree to their demands on committee assignments and other House functions, according to CNN. Those members are reportedly considering putting the squeeze on McCarthy by submitting a long-shot challenger when the conference holds its leadership elections next week.

A source familiar with the House Freedom Caucus’ deliberations told CNN on Wednesday morning that there are around two dozen current and incoming members who are willing to vote against McCarthy if he doesn’t offer them concessions. They are actively discussing putting up a nominal challenger to face McCarthy in next week’s leadership elections in an effort to force the GOP leader to give them more influence in how the House operates, the source said.

Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) warned on Wednesday that McCarthy winning the speakership was “not a foregone conclusion.”

“I would say maybe not so fast. Maybe we should have a good discussion within the confines of our internal body,” Biggs said during an interview on one of MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell’s “Lindell TV” streaming programs (lol).

[LFC]

Knives are coming out. Pass the popcorn.

Comments include a snarky shot at "The Honorable" Matt Schlepp. Ditto Mark Meadows. Seditionist, American traitor, and spouse of the most corrupt SCOTUS judge in my lifetime Ginni Thomas was also on the list. The crazies are pushing for power even after being responsible for the Republicans' sad election results.

[indy]

The Freedom caucus is holding some sort of event where they will discuss the rule changes they want for the House and most all of them are reported to be ones that weaken the Speaker's power so, yeah, it appears we are in for some entertainment.

[LFC]

Rep. Andy Biggs is throwing his white hood into the ring.

Rep. Andy Biggs (Ariz.) late Monday announced a run for Speaker, challenging House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) in the Republican conference’s nomination to the post.

“We have a new paradigm here, and I think the country wants a different direction from the House of Representatives. And it’s a new world, and, yes, I’m going to be nominated tomorrow to — to the position of Speaker of the House,” Biggs said on Newmax on Monday night.

“We’ll see if we can get the job done and the votes,” Biggs said. “It’s going to be tough. I mean, Kevin — Kevin has raised a lot of money and done a lot of things. But this is not just about Kevin. I think it’s about the institutional direction and trajectory.”

[LFC]

Serious mic drop on Kari Lake.

[LFC]

What a nutjob, but she really is a perfectly comfortable fit in the GOP's base today.

A Chandler Republican recently elected to the Arizona House of Representatives says that she will not cast her vote on any bill unless the 2022 election is redone.

Liz Harris, recently elected to represent Legislative District 13 which encompasses much of Chandler, issued the statement on Instagram and her campaign website saying in part "it has become obvious that we need to hold a new election immediately."

Despite winning her own election, Harris alleges that there were "clear signs of foul play" which necessitated her demands. There has been no evidence of this. 

[goldenvalley]

Nov 21, 2022 16:08:51 GMT LFC said:

What a nutjob, but she really is a perfectly comfortable fit in the GOP's base today.

A Chandler Republican recently elected to the Arizona House of Representatives says that she will not cast her vote on any bill unless the 2022 election is redone.

Liz Harris, recently elected to represent Legislative District 13 which encompasses much of Chandler, issued the statement on Instagram and her campaign website saying in part "it has become obvious that we need to hold a new election immediately."

Despite winning her own election, Harris alleges that there were "clear signs of foul play" which necessitated her demands. There has been no evidence of this. 

Vote for me!  I won't ever do the job I'm elected for if any Democrat wins a state office!

[jackd]

Losing her votes sounds like a win, win to me.

[indy]

I support the GOP adopting this strategy nationwide.

[LFC]

If anybody thought that the Republican Party is at peak crazy well, yeah ... no.

2024 Is Gonna Be Insane

The race among those not named Trump to come off as Trump-like is going to be not just shameless but damaging in its own right. Here’s a sample: Trump-lite Mike Pompeo declares teachers union head Randi Weingarten the most dangerous person in the world.

[LFC]

TDB's pet conservative is befuddled that "Democrats Actually Have Their Sh*t Together in Congress." There's no doubt that Dems don't fight hard enough but the trope of "DEMS IN DISARRAY!" has been overhyped over and over, and maybe always. It's like "disarray" means "not in lockstop no matter what." Meanwhile the Republican Crazy Caucus is set to drive the House over yet another cliff.

Don’t look now, but Dems are in… array. The latest example is House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s decision to step down from her leadership post. Pelosi’s exodus looks to be an orderly attempt to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders. Imagine that.

Coming on the heels of a surprisingly good midterm where candidate quality and stability helped Dems, this (so far) seamless transition is another good sign. The troika (Pelosi, Rep. Steny Hoyer, and Rep. Jim Clyburn) who have been running the House Democrats are riding off into the sunset, while a new guard is riding in. Pelosi has set a smooth glidepath for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and a new team to take their place.

Who knows if it’ll work out (in sports, coaches notoriously struggle with picking their own successors), but as the late business and leadership guru Peter Drucker said, “There is no success without a successor.”

He recognizes the crazy but is now concern trolling about the damage they could do our nation. Well, duh. I've been saying that since f***ing Gingrich. Welcome aboard the Reality Train, Mr. Lewis. Took you long enough.

Even if McCarthy becomes Speaker, his tenuous control over the GOP caucus (thanks, in part, to the GOP’s razor-thin majority) will empower the craziest members. McCarthy, for example, is being backed by the fringe Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, presumably because he has cut a deal with her. For this reason, former Rep. Joe Walsh predicts that “[Greene] will have McCarthy by the short hairs every single day of the week for the next two years.”

In case you thought Greene suddenly became an advocate of unity and comity, you’d be wrong. “...I’ve always said I’m not afraid of the civil war in the GOP. I lean into it,” Greene told Steve Bannon last week. And speaking of the “short hairs,” Bannon subsequently said that (according to Greene), McCarthy has committed to investigating Pelosi and “the murder of Ashli Babbitt.” Yeah, things could get interesting.

But while continued Republican craziness could pay political dividends for Dems, it’s also dangerous to root for Republicans to go off the deep end. If we end up with constant government shutdowns, then the consequences could extend far beyond the political realm.

More lateness to the party. And as for the Democrats running Twitter well (a) that was always bullshit unless you equate truth and decency with Democrats and (b) he's a little behind current events.

Democrats, conversely, look more professional and stable. It’s a better look for the party, and it also facilitates more efficient strategic and tactical decisions.

So why aren’t Republicans using this disappointing midterm as an opportunity to get their act together?

It’s at least partly about the absence of Republican leadership. When the Squad tried to push Pelosi around, Pelosi pushed back. Even with a narrow majority, Pelosi never had her majority hijacked by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her small band of far-left progressives. And now, with this smooth transition apparently in the works, Pelosi has elevated Jeffries—one of AOC’s early enemies. In other words, Democrats (unlike Republicans) have not yet allowed their extremists to take over. They may run Twitter, but they don’t run the House.

The closest thing Republicans have to a leader like Nancy Pelosi is Mitch McConnell—the man Donald Trump and 10 Republican senators just tried to knife.

Meanwhile, the nascent GOP presidential primary looks to be a mess, with multiple candidates angling to challenge Trump. While this bloodletting might ultimately be a necessity if the goal is to transcend Trump, the process will be a nasty slog even (especially?) if Trump loses.

While Pelosi is busy paving the way for her successor, I feel certain that Trump would try to bury his.

MTG is rooting for a civil war in the GOP, and she (and her appetite for destruction) might just get it. If a House divided against itself cannot stand, the Republican Party is in trouble. It could be a long time in the wilderness.

Watching Boehner and Ryan get flushed by their own crazies and Republicans performing horribly in an election that should have handed them big wins it's clear which party is in disarray, not that I'd expect the MSM to pick up on that. I'm waiting for something like, "Pelosi and Senior Dems Retiring From Leadership! Dems In DISARRAY!!!"

[LFC]

Kevin seems to be having trouble simultaneously keeping enough dicks, pussies, and assholes in his mouth (and other orifices) to garner enough votes to be Speaker.

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) announced he would not vote for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) for speaker next year, joining the small but mighty chorus of MAGA-aligned detractors in his caucus who are refusing to bend the knee – at least not before throwing a minor fit.

Norman told Politico Tuesday he is a “hard” no against the Minority Leader, shutting down previous reports that he might just vote present or not attend the speakership vote at all.

The South Carolina congressman is the fifth Republican in recent days to announce his opposition to McCarthy’s speakership bid, joining fellow conservative Freedom Caucus members Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Matt Rosendale (R-MT) and Bob Good (R-VA).

They’re setting McCarthy up for a fight for his political life, as the Republican leader will have to continue aggressively campaigning through the new year — when he will need to get 218 votes in House elections to secure his role as speaker. But new names keep getting added to the “no” list.

Norman said the main reason for his opposition is the way McCarthy is planning to address the national debt.

“Economic security is national security,” Norman said. “I was not happy with the answer Kevin gave me about balancing the budget. I don’t care who the speaker is. It could be Mickey Mouse, but if we have our way, we’re gonna have some firm economic mandates.”

“By the way, you will hear of many more who will take our position. …It’s not business as usual in Washington, D.C,” he continued, acknowledging that Republicans’ inability to take back the House by a healthier margin is a key factor in he and his colleagues’ detractions: “Do you think we would be having this discussion if we’ve had a 30 seat margin? No.”

With their new, slimmer-than-expected majority in the House following the midterms, every Republican vote counts and is important for McCarthy’s bid. It’s the reason he’s spent the past week testing out a variety of different methods to woo the far-right, MAGA loyalists in his caucus. A big one: punishing Democrats for their various, perceived offenses over the last four years.

Just a couple days ago, he vowed to remove Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) from House committees under his leadership.

And while pretty much everyone is having a much-needed break over the Thanksgiving week, McCarthy is on the road pulling a political stunt in hopes of fending off more opposition to his speakership.

[goldenvalley]

Nov 27, 2022 1:13:31 GMT LFC said:

Kevin seems to be having trouble simultaneously keeping enough dicks, pussies, and assholes in his mouth (and other orifices) to garner enough votes to be Speaker.

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) announced he would not vote for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) for speaker next year, joining the small but mighty chorus of MAGA-aligned detractors in his caucus who are refusing to bend the knee – at least not before throwing a minor fit.

Norman told Politico Tuesday he is a “hard” no against the Minority Leader, shutting down previous reports that he might just vote present or not attend the speakership vote at all.

The South Carolina congressman is the fifth Republican in recent days to announce his opposition to McCarthy’s speakership bid, joining fellow conservative Freedom Caucus members Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Matt Rosendale (R-MT) and Bob Good (R-VA).

They’re setting McCarthy up for a fight for his political life, as the Republican leader will have to continue aggressively campaigning through the new year — when he will need to get 218 votes in House elections to secure his role as speaker. But new names keep getting added to the “no” list.

Norman said the main reason for his opposition is the way McCarthy is planning to address the national debt.

“Economic security is national security,” Norman said. “I was not happy with the answer Kevin gave me about balancing the budget. I don’t care who the speaker is. It could be Mickey Mouse, but if we have our way, we’re gonna have some firm economic mandates.”

“By the way, you will hear of many more who will take our position. …It’s not business as usual in Washington, D.C,” he continued, acknowledging that Republicans’ inability to take back the House by a healthier margin is a key factor in he and his colleagues’ detractions: “Do you think we would be having this discussion if we’ve had a 30 seat margin? No.”

With their new, slimmer-than-expected majority in the House following the midterms, every Republican vote counts and is important for McCarthy’s bid. It’s the reason he’s spent the past week testing out a variety of different methods to woo the far-right, MAGA loyalists in his caucus. A big one: punishing Democrats for their various, perceived offenses over the last four years.

Just a couple days ago, he vowed to remove Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) from House committees under his leadership.

And while pretty much everyone is having a much-needed break over the Thanksgiving week, McCarthy is on the road pulling a political stunt in hopes of fending off more opposition to his speakership.

Looks like we're going to have 2 years of post 2010 style gridlock in Congress...back then it was Freedom Party refusing to raise the debt limit and having however many attempts at repealing Obamacare plus "investigations."  This time around will feature two of the three greatest hits (debt limit and investigations) plus some sort of legislative attempt to reduce money to Ukraine or to regulatory agencies.  I doubt they'll try to do anything on immigration beyond some sort of investigation.

[jackd]

Some day the Republican intransigence on the debt limit will induce the Democrats to use Sec. 4 of the 14th Amendment as they should have been doing all along. Under that section the debt limit is unconstitutional.

[goldenvalley]

Nov 27, 2022 22:16:14 GMT jackd said:

Some day the Republican intransigence on the debt limit will induce the Democrats to use Sec. 4 of the 14th Amendment as they should have been doing all along. Under that section the debt limit is unconstitutional.

Maybe not with the Supreme Court as currently configured.  We'll see how "small government" minded they are in this situation.