The talking heads are running out of things to say. There are only so many synonyms for humiliation, after all.
As I'm typing this, they are on the 11th round of voting for Speaker of the House.
An obscure, one term Floridian Representative had some votes in the previous rounds. He's a person of color, an anti-abortion, gun rights, right wing stalwart. He's had nothing to say.
Matt Gaetz - how is it possible that he is in a leadership position in his party????? - nominated Donald Trump. He giggled. My stomach turned.
Kevin McCarthy has given away the keys to the kingdom, and still he can't pay whatever debt the obstructionists hold.
The Clerk of the House reads the precise notes handed to her by staff. Mostly they are boring. The first one this morning, however, made me smile. She scolded the members-elect for their bad behavior. She reminded them that they should talk to her, not to each other. None of them looked as abashed as they should have.
The Democrats are bringing popcorn. Ted Lieu posted this on Twitter.
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| About to go to the House Floor. |
Imagine that your family flew to DC to watch you become one of the leaders of the free world, only to realize that they didn't pack enough clothes or make a long enough hotel reservation to outlast the craziness. Nancy Pelosi suggested that the new members-elect be sworn in so that their families could have the photo ops; I love it when she turns on her Italian grandmother vibe.
There is serious work to be done. The debt ceiling, Biden's new push on the border, the general business of legislating which makes the wheels of government turn - none of that is going away. I cannot imagine a scenario where these people accomplish anything.
It's a hell of a way to run a country.
And then there is Santos from Long Island who made up everything about his life and fitness for office and cannot be censored in any way because McCarthy needs his vote. The lack of integrity is so appalling.
ReplyDeleteTotally! Did no one from the R's vet that dude??
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This is shameful, but it's also probably the only time that I'll agree with one of my new representative's votes - Eli Crane is still one of the holdouts. If only the Dems and the few moderate Republicans could agree on a speaker, then the votes on the far right wouldn't be needed.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see how it all gets worked out in the end. Meanwhile I am not giving the whole Republican circus much attention. At least they can't hold their kangaroo courts yet.
ReplyDeleteThe most frightening thing to me is that the last 4 days provide a clear window into the chaos that will reign in the House for the next 2 years. McCarthy has made so many concessions to the crazies that he has emasculated himself as a leader. Not that he ever was one.....
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