Members are gathering in Washington for tomorrow’s organization of the 118th Congress. The opening of a new Congress is always an exciting time, and this year is particularly interesting. It appears that House minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) still does not have the votes to become speaker when the Republicans take the majority tomorrow, although he has made significant concessions to the 15 or so far-right members who refuse to back him.
The Santos story (or fairytale) gets weirder and weirder with each passing day. This guy got elected on a bed of lies, and it’s obvious that he’s been a shyster for a long time.
The DOJ needs to indict and arrest Trump, bring him to trial quickly with the documents case, get him into a cell without his cell phone, then methodically throw the book at him.
Then, assuming the sky has not fallen in the meantime, they should begin arresting everyone else who contributed to the events of Jan. 6th. This needs to happen before the GOP has finished wrecking Congress.
Also, if there is a criminal case in Georgia to be made against Trump and his assorted flunkies, now is the time to make it.
This needs to dominate the news cycle, not the travails of pissy little Kevin and associated bratty neofascisti.
Those Republicans who claim to be aggravated are not aggravated enough. If they were they could build a party to govern instead of wasting time insinuating that government has been weaponized against citizens. Trying to expose TFG's lawlessness, transgressions, and identify those who aided and abetted is what needed to occur.
1) To a non-politician, the most remarkable part of this is how difficult it seems to be for centrists of both parties to negotiate a coalition that would truly dominate the House. Were the speaker beholden to that group, instead of the 15 or 20 Republican whack-jobs, the entire country would benefit.
2) With all these investigations the Republicans say they are going to launch, it is also remarkable that they are not going to have a look at the 2020 elections, which they insist were stolen. If you believe that is what happened in 2020, you should be determined to bring it to light and bering the perpetrators to justice. We all know, however, why they will never go there.
“He has agreed to cuts to the Office of Congressional Ethics and to forcing the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol to turn over all of its documents to the Committee on House Administration, rather than the National Archives, which has sparked concerns that Republican members will reveal the identities of national security personnel who testified before the committee.”
I don’t see how it would be legal to turn the original J6 Committee documents over to anyone but the Archives. The Trumpist desire for revenge on people who testified does not need fanning. What an interesting demand of the MAGA bunch! Less surprising is the demand to cut back the Ethics Committee.
The Rethuglicans just look worse and worse as each day goes by, revealing themselves for the most part as only concerned with their own power and status and nothing at all about representing the will of their constituents or upholding the Constitution. Tbf there might still be some decent people who have not yet left the GOP.
For the next two years and longer, We the People must continue to act diligently to preserve our democracy. I am so thankful for activist-writers like Robert Hubbell and Jess Craven, and many others like Resistbot and the postcarding groups who provide us the means and motivation to stay hopeful and take action on a regular basis. 💜
Santos is the perfect product of “Citizens United”. The only value the gop hold dear is Power. That makes for a simplified party platform that even the dimmest can understand. Bravo to Biden & Dem Senate for pushing through the judicial nominees. Play the long-game. (As we all now realize we must)
We hope they are all f**ked. That would be good. One traitorous turn deserves a consequence. I guess being unemployable is their consequence. They should also be indicted and prosecuted as would any other lawbreaker. Right, all equal before the law? What a way to start 2023....looking daily for news of Jack Smith.
Has the House majority ever behaved this badly post Civil War? And I ask even before it has fully debased itself and the institution. All signs point to something unfolding that the nation has ever witnessed. How much damage will the GOP inflict, and how serious and far will it ripple? The consequences are likely far greater than we can predict for the moment.
What I hope to see in the house is not that the radical right abandon McCarthy, but that truly moderate Republicans abandon the right and form a coalition to work with the minority party on passing legislation. The house majority is so slim that only a few will be required to form a a majority of center and center left votes that can carry the house, particularly when the extreme right is abandoning the party leadership.
Many media reports get the Speaker election wrong. A majority is needed, not any particular number, such as the commonly bandied about 218 (there weren't always 435 members). If McCarthy could keep the Insurrectionists from being seated, he could very likely get a majority of votes from all the seated Democrats and semi-rational Republicans. No, I don't always live in a fantasy world. Sometimes I read the news.
The Santos story (or fairytale) gets weirder and weirder with each passing day. This guy got elected on a bed of lies, and it’s obvious that he’s been a shyster for a long time.
So what will the GOP leadership do?
Absolutely nothing.
The DOJ needs to indict and arrest Trump, bring him to trial quickly with the documents case, get him into a cell without his cell phone, then methodically throw the book at him.
Then, assuming the sky has not fallen in the meantime, they should begin arresting everyone else who contributed to the events of Jan. 6th. This needs to happen before the GOP has finished wrecking Congress.
Also, if there is a criminal case in Georgia to be made against Trump and his assorted flunkies, now is the time to make it.
This needs to dominate the news cycle, not the travails of pissy little Kevin and associated bratty neofascisti.
Those Republicans who claim to be aggravated are not aggravated enough. If they were they could build a party to govern instead of wasting time insinuating that government has been weaponized against citizens. Trying to expose TFG's lawlessness, transgressions, and identify those who aided and abetted is what needed to occur.
It's going to be totally and completely FUBAR - Fouled (not actually that word) Up Beyond All Recognition.
1) To a non-politician, the most remarkable part of this is how difficult it seems to be for centrists of both parties to negotiate a coalition that would truly dominate the House. Were the speaker beholden to that group, instead of the 15 or 20 Republican whack-jobs, the entire country would benefit.
2) With all these investigations the Republicans say they are going to launch, it is also remarkable that they are not going to have a look at the 2020 elections, which they insist were stolen. If you believe that is what happened in 2020, you should be determined to bring it to light and bering the perpetrators to justice. We all know, however, why they will never go there.
Nothing changes when no one is held accountable, and that must start at the top. DOJ: charge Scott Perry.
“He has agreed to cuts to the Office of Congressional Ethics and to forcing the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol to turn over all of its documents to the Committee on House Administration, rather than the National Archives, which has sparked concerns that Republican members will reveal the identities of national security personnel who testified before the committee.”
I don’t see how it would be legal to turn the original J6 Committee documents over to anyone but the Archives. The Trumpist desire for revenge on people who testified does not need fanning. What an interesting demand of the MAGA bunch! Less surprising is the demand to cut back the Ethics Committee.
Thank you Heather.
I think that McCarthy has to be clearer in the concessions he is putting out there.
I'll help him.
1. No Republican will be held accountable for their actions leading up to and including J6.
2. Every far right member will have an influential position and job for life.
3. The J6 Investigation will disappear.
4. Anyone connected with the J6 Investigation will be prosecuted and jailed for the rest of their lives.
5. Everyone who was previously charged in connection with J6 will be pardoned.
6. Every outrageous whim will not be countered.
7. Biden and Harris will be immediately removed to provide Republican control.
8. The Supreme Court will handle all cases that give final approval to the Republicans.
9. Everyone will get a pony. Except Democrats.
He pretty much has made many of these concessions, but he needs to be clearer.
Be safe. Be well.
The Rethuglicans just look worse and worse as each day goes by, revealing themselves for the most part as only concerned with their own power and status and nothing at all about representing the will of their constituents or upholding the Constitution. Tbf there might still be some decent people who have not yet left the GOP.
For the next two years and longer, We the People must continue to act diligently to preserve our democracy. I am so thankful for activist-writers like Robert Hubbell and Jess Craven, and many others like Resistbot and the postcarding groups who provide us the means and motivation to stay hopeful and take action on a regular basis. 💜
Going to be interesting to see how this plays out.
And sickening to see the Repubs who supported the insurrection take the oath to support and defend the Constitution.
Pass the popcorn please.
Santos is the perfect product of “Citizens United”. The only value the gop hold dear is Power. That makes for a simplified party platform that even the dimmest can understand. Bravo to Biden & Dem Senate for pushing through the judicial nominees. Play the long-game. (As we all now realize we must)
We hope they are all f**ked. That would be good. One traitorous turn deserves a consequence. I guess being unemployable is their consequence. They should also be indicted and prosecuted as would any other lawbreaker. Right, all equal before the law? What a way to start 2023....looking daily for news of Jack Smith.
Has the House majority ever behaved this badly post Civil War? And I ask even before it has fully debased itself and the institution. All signs point to something unfolding that the nation has ever witnessed. How much damage will the GOP inflict, and how serious and far will it ripple? The consequences are likely far greater than we can predict for the moment.
What I hope to see in the house is not that the radical right abandon McCarthy, but that truly moderate Republicans abandon the right and form a coalition to work with the minority party on passing legislation. The house majority is so slim that only a few will be required to form a a majority of center and center left votes that can carry the house, particularly when the extreme right is abandoning the party leadership.
Many media reports get the Speaker election wrong. A majority is needed, not any particular number, such as the commonly bandied about 218 (there weren't always 435 members). If McCarthy could keep the Insurrectionists from being seated, he could very likely get a majority of votes from all the seated Democrats and semi-rational Republicans. No, I don't always live in a fantasy world. Sometimes I read the news.