McCarthey out as Speaker of the House - Bozo the clown on deck

[crazyfingers]

If Trump was speaker he'd stand there blathering like a campaign speech. It would be all about him. How amazing he is, how badly treated he is. He' make personal attacks againt anyone he hates from moment to moment. Republican or Democrat, public servent, the weather forecaster. He's denounce windmills and tri-corner hats, and soggy french fries. He's use it to raise money. He would be clueless on the technicalities of house procedures. He'd be even more the blithering idiot.

Democrats and Republicans would just leave the room. He'd be all alone but for a handfull of the worst MAGAs. And CSPAN would broadcast it all.

 

[jonatha]

If anything mysteriously happened to Biden or Harris, he'd suddenly be VP...

Not how it works...

When Ford became President after Nixon resigned, Speaker Carl Albert did not become VP. The office was vacant until Nelson Rockefeller was appointed and confirmed by the Senate.

But if something happened to both the VP and POTUS, the Speaker becomes acting head of state. Temporarily.

i have read that Speaker pro tem doesn't count, and that Senator Patty Murray is second in line at the moment.

Makes sense, since I think whoever's running things from the Speaker's chair is technically Speaker pro tem if the real Speaker isn't doing it.

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/05/politics/trump-considering-capitol-hill-visit-speaker/index.html

Trump endorsed Jim Jordan. JJ is very bad, big Trumper, worse than McCarthy.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

The Republican non-assholes in the House have decisions to make. I'm hoping they can bring themselves around to act like adults, like Kinzinger and Cheney were able to do. Not holding my breath but hoping. We don't need more public perverts in Congress.

 

[Rhea]

Yes, that’s a really key moment and I hope they think it through (they won’t). They *DO* have a decision to make, and if they choose not to decide, they still have made a choice, as the kids say.

They are in charge of what they are known for.

 

[TV and credit cards]

https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/05/politics/trump-considering-capitol-hill-visit-speaker/index.html

Trump endorsed Jim Jordan. JJ is very bad, big Trumper, worse than McCarthy.

Unless Jordan changes his tune, many in the Republican House would have to cave on support for Ukraine.

GOP Congressional Report Card - Republicans For Ukraine

Republicans are divided on helping Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression. Most Republicans in Congress have voted to support Ukraine. While some have lost their confidence, most have not. This report card assigns each Republican in the House of Representatives a letter grade from A to...

gopforukraine.com

 

[lpetrich]

Markwayne Mullin Claims Gaetz Bragged About Taking Erectile Dysfunction Meds 'So He Could Go All Night'
quoting Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) on Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL):

You’ve gotta think about this guy. This is a guy that didn’t have – that the media didn’t give the time of day to after he was accused of sleeping with an underage girl. And there’s a reason why no one in the conference came and defended him – because we had all seen the videos he was showing on the House floor that all of us had walked away, of the girls he had slept with.

He bragged about how he would crush E.D. medicine and chase it with energy drinks so he could go all night. This is obviously before he got married. And so, when that accusation came out, no one defended him. And then no one in the media would give him the time of the day. All of a sudden he found fame because he opposed the speaker of the House back in November. And he’s always stayed there. And he was never gonna leave until he got this last moment of fame by saying– by going after a motion to vacate.

Not quite Madison Cawthorn territory, however -- unlike MC, MG isn't claiming that big-name Republicans have orgies.

 

[lpetrich]

Matt Gaetz Criticizes Patrick McHenry For 'Moving In the Wrong Direction'

“I have a lot of friends in Congress,” said host Eric Bolling. “A lot of congresspeople, whether they support you vocally and publicly or not, a lot of them felt, ‘Yes, you did the right thing, but the chaos that may ensue from this moment forward’ – they don’t think it was worth it.”

Gaetz scoffed.

“Only in Washington is taking a few extra days of votes deemed ‘chaos,'” he replied. “Do you know what chaos is, Eric? Chaos is the dollar losing its status as the global reserve currency. Chaos is the greatest nation in the world sitting atop a $33 trillion debt. Chaos is accepting Biden budgets that will lead to $2.2 trillion annual deficits for the foreseeable future, forever. It would take us to a $50 trillion debt.”

He then slammed Acting Speaker Patrick McHenry, stating that instead of working on the Federal budget, "But instead, whoa, these people have gotta go home and cry for a week? They’ve gotta go do a week of handwringing and bedwetting over the fact that Kevin McCarthy isn’t speaker anymore?"

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Gaetz does realize that the House can't do anything but elect a Speaker right? I mean, yes Gaetz could just be Gaetz'ing, but I'm uncertain he knows what he actually did. Meanwhile the economy added over 300,000 jobs last month. Chaos!

 

[Toni]

If anything mysteriously happened to Biden or Harris, he'd suddenly be VP...

Not how it works...

When Ford became President after Nixon resigned, Speaker Carl Albert did not become VP. The office was vacant until Nelson Rockefeller was appointed and confirmed by the Senate.

But if something happened to both the VP and POTUS, the Speaker becomes acting head of state. Temporarily.

i have read that Speaker pro tem doesn't count, and that Senator Patty Murray is second in line at the moment.

Makes sense, since I think whoever's running things from the Speaker's chair is technically Speaker pro tem if the real Speaker isn't doing it.

It is currently Patty Murray because the seat of Speaker of the House is vacant.

Succession goes VP, Speaker of the House, President pro tem of the Senate, Secretary of State.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Indeed, but if Trump was selected as House Speaker, he'd be second in line... hence Biden and Harris being no where near each other until Trump no longer is Speaker. Luckily Trump anointed Jim "Look the other way" Jordan... meaning Trump didn't want to be Speaker because he can't golf nearly as much. Pay would also be a cut from POTUS.

 

[AdamWho]

The GOP has a majority in the house, but 6 Representitives who switched from Republican to Democratic would hand control of the house to the Democrats. Who might do that? Members of the moderate Republican "Problem Solvers Caucus". Blackmail. "If the GOP is run by extremists, the GOP will lose big in 2024. We need moderate Republicans who can work with Democrats, or lose all to Democrats. Support our candidate for speaker and moderate programs or we will switch to the Democratic party."

We, I can dream.

Let's see if the "No Labels" caucus is serious......

 

[Patooka]

The GOP has a majority in the house, but 6 Representitives who switched from Republican to Democratic would hand control of the house to the Democrats. Who might do that? Members of the moderate Republican "Problem Solvers Caucus". Blackmail. "If the GOP is run by extremists, the GOP will lose big in 2024. We need moderate Republicans who can work with Democrats, or lose all to Democrats. Support our candidate for speaker and moderate programs or we will switch to the Democratic party."

We, I can dream.

Let's see if the "No Labels" caucus is serious......

I don't think that sentence you typed is serious when it's about "no labels".

 

[Elixir]

Pay would also be a cut from POTUS.

Not a factor! Didn’t he donate his salary last time? To support Rapists United or something?

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

 

[lpetrich]

From a recent town-hall event: AOC Explains Why Democrats Voted To Remove Kevin McCarthy From Speaker Position - YouTube -- she said that back in January, the D's opposed the motion-to-vacate rule change that allowed any one Rep to file such a motion. But the R's all supported it, and this is what it got them.

Greg Sargent on X: "Dems are not obliged ..." / X

Dems are not obliged to bail out Republicans when the MAGA monster they created comes for them. The idea is absurd. It presumes Republicans can't be asked to take responsibility for the messes they've made with their own malignant bad acting.

McCarthy was behind the retaliation against Pelosi, and Republicans are vowing more revenge. Ludicrous. Only in DC punditworld is it problematic to refuse to let the GOP evade responsibility for the situation they created for themselves and the country.

Republicans want Dems to stand by while they push a sham impeachment and corruptly use hearings to smear prosecutions of Trump. But they want Dems to rush in when MAGA gets just a tad too problematic and the GOP caucus can't hold together anymore. No.

“House Republicans have done nothing but feed Trump derangement and MAGA extremism three meals a day. When the monster turns around to attack them, why do we suddenly have to become their babysitter?”
@RepRaskin, to me, in this piece.

Jim Jordan, who may be the next speaker, has already come out against continuing aid to Ukraine. Raskin tells me Democrats might move forward with a discharge petition on Ukraine, and he thinks it would get Republican support.

noting his op-ed piece: Opinion | The MAGA-McCarthy meltdown does not oblige Democrats to save the GOP - The Washington Post

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on X: "Yes, ..." / X

Yes, and the long cycle of Dems bailing out GOP recklessness arguably made the bomb-throwing worse over time.

With rescue guaranteed, GOP no longer felt responsibility to govern - just to placate their extremist wing and internal politics.

Sometimes the adults need to say “no.”

Even if the R's act like big babies about that.

 

[lpetrich]

Melanie Zanona on X: "NEWS: Jim Jordan, ..." / X

NEWS: Jim Jordan, during a call w/ Main Street Caucus, promised to protect moderates and vowed not to put them in tough positions, per a source.

He also pitched himself as a team player who is best positioned to get the hardliners in line and bring the fractured party together.

Also Newsy:

Rep. Nick LaLota -- a vulnerable New York Republican who has not endorsed anyone yet -- spoke up on the call and noted how the Freedom Caucus actually listens to Jordan.

Jordan also talked about the motion to vacate the speaker's chair, which the Main Street Caucus is pushing to make harder to use.

Jordan said any changes would need 218 votes to change. He has also said publicly it’s a decision up to the GOP conference.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on X: "Thing about that is voting for Jim Jordan *is* a tough position" / X

 

[lpetrich]

Matt Lewis on X: "After Dems helped push Kevin McCarthy out of his speakership, it would interesting if they/we end up with a Speaker Jim Jordan—a man endorsed by Matt Gaetz and Donald Trump. Congrats?" / X
and
Matt Lewis on X: "McCarthy worked across the aisle to keep the government open and raise the debt ceiling (thus avoiding a potential default). He also funded support for Ukraine. None of these things are likely, much less guaranteed, with a Speaker Jim Jordan. Those are the potential stakes." / X

Michael Anderson on X: "@mattklewis There was no negotiating or working with dems on the CR. He just put the bill on the floor and refused to give dems even 90 minutes to read the bill he dropped on them" / X

Matt Lewis on X: "@Michaelander45 I wish he had funded Ukraine, but it was basically a clean CR. No gimmicks.
Look, I don’t like or trust Kevin, either. But that is irrelevant to my point.
Dems empowered Gaetz and May end up with Jordan." / X

LBJ again. on X: "@mattklewis @Michaelander45 Matt, McCarthy pulled the Ukraine funding because he thought dems would vote it down. He wanted to blame them for the shutdown. You could see this in the rapid fire responses from his team. They called his bluff. He *did not* work with Dems." / X

Michael Anderson on X: "@mattklewis Yes it turned out to be that but he and the R leadership wrote the bill on their own and tried to prevent Democrat's from getting any time to read it to ensure it was what he told them. That is not a functional working relationship" / X

Then,
Chris Murphy on X: "If that’s such a bad outcome for the country why doesn’t 4% of the Republican conference vote for Hakeem Jeffries? That’s the quickest way to solve the problem. He already has 212 votes!! He’s closer to 218 than any other candidate." / X

 

[lpetrich]

Pat Ryan on X: "We need patriots to rise above the partisanship - five or more Republicans to unify with our coalition. (link)" / X
noting
N.Y. Dems vote to oust McCarthy, GOP vote to save him

In a letter to his Democratic colleagues, Jeffries blasted McCarthy’s decision to launch an impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden. He also criticized House Republicans for adding “poison pills” to the annual defense bill and for “backing out” of a deal crafted to avoid default.

“This is a guy who wants to impeach the president … He cannot be trusted. He's a liar,” Rep. Nydia Velazquez said.

McCarthy “has been co-opted by the extreme MAGA wing of his party and Donald Trump, and he has been acting at the behest of Donald Trump throughout this entire Congress,” Rep. Dan Goldman said.

But some NYC-area R's blamed the D's for causing this big mess.

“Democrats can talk all day about the need to protect democracy. But here they just upended it with eight Republicans, including Matt Gaetz, who they've spent years deriding, but teamed up with to create a constitutional crisis,” Lawler said.

“It is a Republican Civil War, and we are fighting the far right that is being completely unreasonable and has no interest in governing, but the Democrats took a side. It’s not like they just left the chamber,” Malliotakis said.

 

[lpetrich]

Pat Ryan on X: "We need patriots to rise above the partisanship - five or more Republicans to unify with our coalition. (link)" / X
That's 5 R's willing to vote for Hakeem Jeffries, the D nomination for Speaker.

Then a R Rep in an upstate-NY suburb of NYC:
Mike Lawler on X: "Patriots? You voted with Matt Gaetz to burn the house down. Just stop." / X

Then
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on X: "Stop trying ..." / X

Stop trying to make fetch happen. It’s not going to happen.

Take some personal responsibility for the fact that your party is a chaos factory. You asked for a GOP majority, and this is what we get with one.

If you want Dems to bail you out so badly, try talking. Line’s open!

Lawrence Glickman on X: "Steve Scalise took office as Louisiana State Representative in 1996 and his first two actions of consequence were his March 1996 vote for a plan to abolish one of two Black majority Congressional districts and his April 1996 statement about slavery. (pix link)" / X
Right-wingers like to whimper "I didn't have anything to do with it", even as they identify with the South side in the Civil War, as fighting a heroic struggle against a conquering army.

Then
Lawrence Glickman on X: "This connects to my thread about the history of the "David Duke without the baggage" phrase that actually precedes Scalise. (link)" / X
then
Lawrence Glickman on X: "One important point ..." / X

One important point missing from the discourse about Steve Scalise calling himself ‘David Duke without the baggage,’ is that, when he used the label, this was already a viable political lane, one used to describe other politicians, before Scalise. /1

In 1990, the Alexandria Town Talk used the phrase "David Duke without the baggage" to describe a winning political formula in Louisiana politics. /2

In 1991, U.S. Rep. Clyde Holloway, seeking to advance in the Governor's race, said he was "a great alternative to David Duke, without all the baggage."/3

In 1992, the Boston Globe's David Warsh, quoting a "Southern politician," perhaps Holloway, described Pat Buchanan as offering "the message of David Duke without the baggage." /4

Also In 1992, Lance Hill of the Louisiana Coalition Against Racism and Nazism, called Pat Buchanan, "David Duke without the baggage." /5

So when Scalise allegedly described himself as such to the political reporter, Stephanie Grace, this was already a well-worn label--not something he invented--sometimes applied negatively but also positively as a politically effective category. /6

House speaker contender Steve Scalise reportedly called himself ‘David Duke without the baggage’ | House of Representatives | The Guardian

That's  David Duke

David Ernest Duke (born July 1, 1950) is an American politician, white supremacist, antisemitic conspiracy theorist, and former grand wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.[3] From 1989 to 1992, he was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for the Republican Party. His politics and writings are largely devoted to promoting conspiracy theories about Jews, such as Holocaust denial and Jewish control of academia, the press, and the financial system.[4][5]

As if the R party is the party of Jefferson Davis, the only President of the Southern Confederacy.