502 Comments

So I hear that the vote for this evening has been cancelled, and they will have another vote tomorrow at 11:00 AM. No idea what Jordan is doing behind the scenes.

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Trying to break Kevin's record of 15 ballots?

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Well, he's not garnering MORE support, that's for sure.

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"which is why we must elect a conservative as the next Speaker.”

Good luck finding one. They're all MAGAts now.

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well, hell - elect children, expect tantrums

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Give the gavel to Jeffries and let’s be done with it.

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These MAGA followers are scared SHITLESS of elections! They know that they have nothing to give besides whining and moaning. Can't trust any of them to do any good for the country. VOTE BLUE!

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Oct 17, 2023·edited Oct 17, 2023

Well, thank goodness Jordan lost the first ballot, and by more votes than I expected.

I don't know what happens next.

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Oct 17, 2023Liked by Stephen Robinson

"Yesterday, he wrote in a letter to the caucus that he would make sure “there are more Republican voices involved in our major decisions beyond the Five Families.” "

I dunno, sounds like he was reassuring the rest of the caucus that the freedom coalition would somehow have slightly less influence on him..

1) He's lying and 2) without their votes nothing passes unilaterally so 3) some form of working across the aisle is absolutely required.

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Question: as speaker, does Gym lose the chair of the House Judiciary Committee?

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Oh, that would be nice.

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Oct 17, 2023Liked by Stephen Robinson

In a vain attempt to explain to my Trumpy Neighbor why Jim Jordan is not a good candidate for Speaker, I told her the story of how Liz Cheney hissed at Jordan, "You fucking did this!" during the January 6 insurrection.

What Trumpy Neighbor got out of that is (1) Liz Cheney is rude, and (2) Liz Cheney is not a lady.

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You tried!

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I did try. I have such a feeling of futility.

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That is the problem. We are fighting against FEELINGS. Their feelings will never be overcome with FACTS! Lets have a discussion about we can change our strategy.

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Laugh in their faces. Humiliate them. Treat them like petulant children. Call them names. These people are so fragile that they can't take criticism. They think they're winning all the time and they're convinced everyone else thinks just like them but that we're all too afraid to speak up. The only way we'll ever break through their delicate facades is with brute tactics. They don't want to act like adults? Stop treating them like adults.

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Oct 17, 2023·edited Oct 17, 2023

During the 2012 general election Charlie Pierce would write articles about the Republicans that included the sentence "I'm Mitt Romney, and I'm all you got, motherfuckers." I think that's what's at play today in the Republican caucus. They know they look like idiots. They want that to stop.

"I'm Jim Jordan, and I'm all you got, motherfuckers."

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"Too much is at stake to hand control of the House over to radical liberal Democrats, which is why we must elect a conservative as the next Speaker.”

Earlier Robyn was bemoaning a rightward slide in New Zealand but consoling herself that their right sound a lot like Democrats.

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And....the vote proceeding has started. The dork with the gavel presides.

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They are taking their fucking time just doing the quorum vote.

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work colleague of mine - was wrestling teammate of Jim Jordan at UW-Madison. Work colleague NOT happy about possible speakership. He shared that Jordan was always hard-right and evangelical. Was married young - even in college Jordan and spouse would host bible-study in their home through the NAVIGATORS organization (evangelical). Work colleague and I are both religious - but at the opposite end of the theological spectrum (social justice / incarnational)

www.navigators.org

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Bible study? Then you'd think he'd have long ago mastered the concept of not bearing false witness.

Or was he one of those Bible-buffet guys who just pick the parts they like and leave the rest?

(Rhetorical question; they all are)

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I think those are the people who send me "free" address labels and Christmas cards. Never did figure out what they do and never sent them any $$.

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founding

While waiting for the House vote coverage on CNN, I experienced a commercial featuring Martha Stewart selling cat litter.

I don't normally watch TV/cable/online network stuff, because it's all consumer brainwashing. This was too weird.

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I just cant imagine Martha cleaning out a litter box.

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I can. She's facing a camera and being very chipper in my mind movie.

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founding
Oct 17, 2023·edited Oct 17, 2023Liked by Stephen Robinson

Mr. Hurst's open thread yesterday concerned the release of a Sean Hannity extortion demand. The post had a sub-head reading "This is supposed to be intimidating"

Actually it is supposed to give the APPEARANCE of being intimidating. It was an intentionally released fig-leaf of intimidation to give the cowards the excuse needed to get in line and vote for Lord Jim.

Later, amid the rubble, they can plead for understanding because of ..."INTIMIDATION! I was intimidated! Won't anyone think about how we felt to be so intimidated! We had to do it!"

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