349 Comments

The Republican Party no longer exists. It has degenerated into radical factions who are not interested in governing or moving the country forward. They have no real agenda, no platform and no serious policies. I am not inclined to recommend that Democrats throw them a lifeline. I simply do not trust these charlatans.

*Oh, it would take six Republicans, not five, to reach the required 218 (212+6).

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What you describe will take a "Profiles in Courage" moment. Are there 40 or so in the GOP who still have enough independence, integrity, courage and guts to do the right thing ?

We saw what happened to Cheney and Kintzinger - the message is pretty clear.

It is also clear that the Trump influence on Congress is ending and these folks will have to take one fork in the road or another. History will judge them for the decisions they make at this juncture.

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If we can find a centrist on either side of the aisle who is willing I look out for the interests of the working and middle class, as well as the rights of all Americans, they’ve got my support.

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Jan 5, 2023·edited Jan 5, 2023

Sir, I believe this can be achieved. If the Democrats act wisely, and with humility rather than gloating, and with an emphasis of the important work that needs to be done, they can convince a number of the Republicans to "jump ship." -- to at least become independents.

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There is no bottom. The GOP is a fascist wasteland of lies, grift and performative belligerence. These are the death throes of pale, male, stale America and I am here for it.

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Wish I had a clue who those five might be. This is irresponsible behavior; the nation is at risk by adversaries who could take an opportune moment of chaos to attack our nation. I find myself most uncomfortable with waiting day after day with no House sworn in to make decisions as needed with the threat that this behavior could continue for weeks. We the people deserve better from our elected officials. Perhaps the sun will rise on a better day tomorrow. McCarthy is giving away too much power to the MAGA extremists and if that is the price he is willing to pay, he needs to step away and let other avenues to a solution emerge. You have suggested very viable and reasonable alternatives. Let’s hope he lets his ego accept failure and move on.

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Jan 5, 2023·edited Jan 5, 2023

Any Republicans who joined in this plot would be subjected to the most vicious retaliation imaginable. I would like to remind you that the metal detectors have been removed at the House, and we’re talking about a couple hundred Crusaders whose Jerusalems are protecting the rich from taxation at all cost and representing the psychotic wing of firearms owners. Lord knows how many of them already showed us their true colors on January 6th.

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"If every House Democrat joins them, only five House Republicans could elect the next Speaker. Surely there are five who believe in governing?"

No there aren't. The Republican core belief is that tax cuts for the wealthy are a fundamentally good thing. I was watching yesterday as a hapless young Congressman (from Utah?) was expressing great frustration about the failure to elect a Speaker, and the antics from the far right. He was a moderate. Then all of a sudden, he stopped his tirade, looked straight at the camera, and said something along the lines of "Bottom line, we just gotta stop runaway government spending!"

So there it is. Even moderate House Republicans will never share power with Democrats, because Democrats may just do what needs to be done: AFTER 4 DECADES OF SUPPLY-SIDE BS, JUST RAISE THE FRIGGIN' TAXES ON RICH PEOPLE AND CORPORATIONS.

So, let's not worry about it too much, sit back and enjoy the spectacle of Republicans slitting each other's throats. We must focus on 2024.

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Sadly, i think that is wishful thinking. These people seem to actually want to destroy our country

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The border with Mexico.

Donald Hodgins <silencenotbad@gmail.com>

This fragmented divide that separates Mexico from our own country has been a source of political controversy for decades. President after president has had this problem dumped in their laps with no real solution to the problem. One obstacle that hasn't been addressed lies in the territory's history. At one point back in the early 1800s the country of Mexico owned in part or in total the following: California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and portions of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming. At one time this area was the homeland of the Mexican people. Mexico ceded these territories to the United States at the end of the Mexican-American war that culminated on February 2nd, 1848. That date is when our border problems began. It's almost as if we don't want to find an answer to the problem. There wouldn't be an issue if the Mexican Government would patrol their side and keep immigrants from attempting to enter the United States. Even today the thought line in the Mexican mindset still sees the state of Texas as being a territory of Mexico. As a result of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico ceded 55% of its territory to the United States. Just look at the names given to the cities in the area, San Francisco, Los Angles, Sacramento, San Diego, Fresno, San Bruno, and many others. The Southwestern United States is really old Mexico, so to speak. No wonder these people want to enter this country, they have a deep-seated desire to go home. The western United States has a deep Mexican heritage that should be embraced not ignored. Since 2015 this country has absorbed a total of 1,481,000 immigrants, that we know of, who have crossed into the United States from the Mexican side of the border, and half that number again, made up of Indian and Chinese immigrants who have entered via alternative ports. Trump had this issue and he did little to nothing in an effort to stop the flow of people crossing our Southern border. Yet even today, on the floor of the House in front of the entire country, accusations were hurled at President Biden accusing him of incompetency with regard to the way he has handled the border problem. At times I wonder why Republicans even bother to flush, they seem to like the stuff so much. The blame game only goes as far as intelligence will allow it to travel. The line drawn in the sand runs right down the center walkway in the House of Representatives and it distinguishes the Democrats from the stone throwers. Glass Houses?

Donald Hodgins

I realize the composition of the nationalities making up the immigrant population varies greatly.

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Robert - Thanks. Good thoughts, perspectives, insights.

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Regarding demand (4):

Of my several disappointments with Democratic performance since 2020 (student debt stasis, no SCOTUS expansion, no windfall profits tax, DeJoy still crippling USPS, two years of no visible action by DOJ, no push-back on gerrymandering, no hardball re the filibuster, … — all of which seem like low-hanging fruit for the Party that wants to appear as representing the people) … the inability or unwillingness to eliminate the debt-ceiling is perhaps most infuriating. We are in the majority, yet insist on handing our proverbial nuts on a platter to the minority, such that any meaningful legislation can be castrated.

The notion of a national debt-ceiling is complete nonsense. It’s an phony barrier that malicious Conservatives use in their effort to cripple the proper functioning of government. Yet the vast majority of people — even in leadership positions — seem ignorant of the way modern money works in this country — holding the childish notion that “taxes fund the government”.

WE HAVE A DEBT-BASED CURRENCY SYSTEM. Government spending and loans by the central banking system are how money gets into the economy in the first place. Taxes and debt-service are the way money exits the system so that the next spending cycle can continue. Most people have it backwards. If we simply “paid off the debt” there would be no circulating money (well, except for the 3% existing as coins and bills).

The problem is not the level of nation debt, but what the money is being used (or not used) for. So long as the money is applied toward actual productive activity and meeting the true needs of the country, the debt can go to the Moon. But if it is squandered on pork-barrel projects and further enriching the already obscenely rich, while the majority of citizens continue to struggle paycheck-to-paycheck, without adequate healthcare, education, and other services. THAT is when inflation/ recession/ depression — and eventual oblivion will set in.

PLEASE, let’s get this one right!

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I fear even those "moderate" Republicans will not take this off-ramp if it were to be presented to them. Even those who are willing to buck Trump are only willing to go so far and not much further. And any who did take this opportunity would find themselves to be the object of derision and anger from the rest of their Republican colleagues, who would call them traitors and call for them to be censured. Anyway that's how I see it.

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It is just the next brick laid on the road to anarchy or authoritarianism. Our democracy experiment is in a failed state. Our World Capitalism is in a failed state. When the pain is great enough, we will change or become extinct as a species. Denial is a dangerous tool.

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You're so right! I cannot understand why democrats aren't taking advantage of this situation. They could sink MAGA right now. Give over votes to a conservative they can at least do battle with, rather than cater to the scorch and burn MAGAs. This is their last chance to put them in their place. Why aren't they acting?

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This would seem to be an obvious solution, but I'm not convinced either party is capable of compromise at this point.

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