The Politics Thread

[janea4old]

 

[janea4old]

Patty Murray sworn in as President Pro Tempore of the US Senate. (the prior pro tem Patrick Leahy retired).
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/wa-sen-patty-murray-for-now-is-second-in-line-for-presidency/

Ms. Murray is now second in line after the VP for the US presidency. 
Usually it's the line of succession is:
VP, Speaker of the House, and then  Senate pres pro tem. 
But there currently is no Speaker!

 

The Senate president pro tem is usually the longest-serving senator from the majority party.  Murray, as she begins her 31st year in the Senate, is now the second-most-senior female senator in history, trailing only her Democratic colleague California Sen. Dianne Feinstein by two months. Feinstein said last year she wasn’t interested in the president pro tem position.

[DramatistDreamer]

Of course, Gaetz didn’t think twice about adding his committee assignments that haven’t been made official since he’s yet to be sworn in onto his letterhead.

[Vee]

 

[Fevuh]

I'd like to believe that but I have no faith.  People really are stupid.  They (and there are still millions upon millions of Trumpers) - will believe anything.  Lies, fantasy, all of it.  

Most of the people voting Republican at this point - this is an insult to them, and I really don't care - but they've lived off the uneducated and stupid for so long - all they know is that they won the House.  If they even understand that much.  And so they do not understand why they do not have a Speaker, and think it's the Democrats' fault.

Why?  Because all they see are the vote numbers and totals coming up.  And they see a Democrat right there in the vote and so they think it's their fault for not getting behind one of the other two.  They do not even notice or understand there are 2 candidates that their own party is fighting over.  They really are that stupid, it's time to face it.  This will be twisted into being the Democrats' fault for them not being able to get behind one or the other.  It does not matter what is true or factual.  They'll believe what they want.

[JaneAusten]

The pro authoritarians in the GOP love this. That's probably about 30% of their members. Heck I'll say 50% because I think so many of the so called moderates are independents. That's what I heard from calling GOP suburbanites before the 2022 election.   And the other half are stupid yes and are being used by the puppet masters like Bannon.  They need to go to the trash bin like the Whigs did. Finally decide to form a new party. And at some point after McConnell is gone the senate will turn into this also. 

If you are a moderate(are there any really) GOPer now, reach across to Jeffries and decide on a compromise candidate. Maybe someone from the outside who can get the majority of GOP votes and some democratic votes. A real moderate. There aren't any elected at this point. Including the few in NY State.

[Fevuh]

The Republican party does love it.  That's exactly it.  They love that they get all the white supremacist dregs votes.  They're ALLLLLL theirs.  They own them and they love it.  And they get away with it 24/7 and they LOVE it.  They LOVE those votes because they couldn't get in there otherwise - so they pander to the twisted, hateful mass of cancer that it is.

[janea4old]

-

Edited January 18, 2023 by janea4old

[Vee]

I assume you're talking entirely about Republicans above. Which, that's nice, but I don't care. I am talking about the general public and you are trying to talk to me about Republicans. I don't care about what Republicans believe. I don't care what they want or feel. Their feelings and beliefs about this situation are irrelevant because at this moment in time they do not have enough influence over the larger electorate. And so they're losing this messaging fight with the general public. If any of that were true about the larger public, the GOP wouldn't have just had the midterm they had.

Of course they still have a considerable share of the public. Of course the country is divided. But they are not the majority. Slim at times or not, sharply divided or not, disinformation or not, at this moment in time and for the last however many months, the critical majority edge of the general public isn't buying their argument. And so they are still losing. That's why we're here, and that's why this farce is making most less politically plugged-in, more casual people even more mortified by them.

In the end, winning is the only edge that matters. Not what their base wants or feels, because their base is not winning them enough elections. Not what Republicans on Twitter say, not what the dirtbag left says, not what Politico tries to will into happening. All that counts is the result. Elections and consequences. And by every metric that counts, they are losing this.

Edited January 4, 2023 by Vee

[janea4old]

Yeah the Republicans are not the majority.
The Non-voters are the majority.

_______

The common but unproven/inaccurate thought is that the USA is evenly split between Democrats and Republicans.

Between 1/3 and 1/2 of the electorate doesn't vote. 
https://www.electproject.org/election-data/voter-turnout-data

A huge percentage of eligible voters in the USA don't vote, so we don't really know what they think.   Do they favor either party?  Do they just not care?  Did they want to vote but encountered roadblocks in their ability to cast a ballot?  Who knows?

Edited January 4, 2023 by janea4old

[janea4old]

https://raskin.house.gov/2022/12/statement-of-congressman-jamie-raskin-to-the-people-of-maryland-s-8th-district

December 28, 2022
WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) today released the following statement.

“After several days of tests, I have been diagnosed with Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma, which is a serious but curable form of cancer. I am about to embark on a course of chemo-immunotherapy on an outpatient basis at Med Star Georgetown University Hospital and Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. Prognosis for most people in my situation is excellent after four months of treatment.

“I expect to be able to work through this period but have been cautioned by my doctors to reduce unnecessary exposure to avoid COVID-19, the flu and other viruses. In addition to destroying cancer cells, chemotherapy impairs natural antibodies and undermines the body’s immune system. I am advised that it also causes hair loss and weight gain (although I am still holding out hope for the kind that causes hair gain and weight loss).

“With the benefit of early detection and fine doctors, the help of my extraordinary staff, the love of Sarah and our daughters and sons-in-law (actual and to-be) and family and friends, and the support of my beloved constituents and my colleagues in the House, I plan to get through this and, in the meantime, to keep making progress every day in Congress for American democracy.

“My love and solidarity go out to other families managing cancer or any other health condition in this holiday season—and all the doctors, nurses and medical personnel who provide us comfort and hope.”

[janea4old]

Edited January 4, 2023 by janea4old

[DramatistDreamer]

Now about that “Architect Of The Capitol”-

 

[Noel]

Oh, dear. At this time, it appears that the orange turd's voice is also irrelevant. I suppose his most recent Truth Social post this morning backing up his support for McCarthy is irrelevant, lol! And you know what? I think he knew that too as it shows "his name" is dwindling. Being labeled a "has been" must hurt.

Maybe he can offer them his digital trading cards.

And all that delicious gourmet pizza ... for nothin'.

Edited January 4, 2023 by Noel

[DramatistDreamer]

Nancy knows how to count.