Wednesday Open Thread

16 thoughts on “Wednesday Open Thread”

1. With all of the past problems of Squeaker Kevin McCarthy bringing about a vacancy in the House of Representative’s Speaker’s chair, creating a limbo for any action on crucial decisions such as whether the federal government should stay open and solvent, if there ought to be supplemental funding for a couple of hot wars, and if Hunter Biden’s laptop has further secrets to reveal, the House Republican Conference is trying to find a solution to the lack of a Speaker. 

   One tidbit in this morning’s Abbreviated Pundit Roundup on Daily Kos featured Ken Buck …. Olivia Beavers, writer from Politico, X-ed the iten:

   Newsy Nugget: In the candidate forum, Rep. Ken Buck asked both Scalise and Jordan if Trump won or lost the last election, per sources. Multiple House Rs felt both equivocated. One said both “tried to have it both ways.” They argued how some states changed their laws bc covid…

   Told the specific question Buck asked: “Can you unequivocally and publicly state the election was not stolen.” Neither him nor Hill got a direct answer.

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   1. The reports are that when they vote today in a secret ballot, no one will get enough votes to become GOP squeaker candidate.

      https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4249441-republicans-nominate-speaker-live-coverage/

      So, what do they plan to do?  Debate possible rules changes (e.g., the # of reps needed to move to vacate the chair, the number of reps needed to nominate a candidate for squeaker). 

      And apparently, Ken Buck has thrown this flaming bag of dogshit onto the floor to watch Jordan and Scalise stomp on it without getting any crap on their shoes. 

      My guess is that we have another week before they are able to get a floor vote on a new Speaker.

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2. The Hester Prynne of the Palmetto State …..

   Mace wears red letter ‘A’ after McCarthy vote | The Hill

    

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3. And you can file this under the "Who Gives a Damn?"

   McCarthy ouster divides Republicans in new poll | The Hill

   While 25% of the GOP approve of the McCarthy coup and 30% disapprove, 42% have no opinion one way or the other.

    

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4. My new state rep, Tim Hernández, appears to be an asshole.

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   1. How so?

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   2. What did he do? 

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   3. I assume that you're referring to Mr. Hernandez grieving for the dead and wounded on both sides of the conflict, instead of merely the Israelis. davebarnes, you're in agreement with Sengenbrenner and all of right wing radio, which is foaming with outrage about this. 

      I thought Representative Hernandez' statement on the Xitter was on point. Can't link to it at work, but it's worth reading. I may be able to put it up later. 

       

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      1. Here's a link to the post from the Xitter. By sharing this I'm not implying support for or opposition to Hernandez:

         https://twitter.com/_timhernandez/status/1711550465895518225

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         1. …And here's an article we can read/watch from CBS4 about what Hernandez said at the rally before releasing his X post

            https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/video-colorado-lawmaker-refusing-condemn-hamas/

            I think what Hernandez said at the rally was dumb and wrong and it sounds like everyone is letting him know it was dumb and wrong which is good.

            I don't think he needs to resign or be removed because of this. I don't see how being dumb and wrong about international issues affects his ability to continue to be a Colorado State Representative. There have been plenty of other Colorado State Representatives who have said things just as (if not more-so) dumb and wrong about things that have a greater impact on more Coloradans than this war.

            The only folks I can imagine calling for him to lose his position are right-wing partisan opportunists.

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   4. Yes, your state rep, Mr. Hernandez, is a gaping asshole, which is the next level higher.

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5. Playing both ends against the middle never works as well as Mr Hernandez seems to believe it does. November’s coming.

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6. We got a long email from a person living in Israel this morning, and here's one long paragraph:

   The players in the Middle East are many, with so many conflicting agendas. When this war with Hamas broke out the stakeholders included Israelis ( Jews and non-Jews), Gazans, Lebanese ( Hizballah and Christians), Syrians ( pro- and anti-Assad), Jordanians (  especially the Palestinian minority but also the King's supporters who want to maintain control over the el-Aksa mosques), Egypt ( which is embroiled in internal conflict by the "Islamic Brothers" who are close to toppling the Sisi governments, and who control Gaza's Southern border, and the above are just the loco-regional stakeholders. The bigger players include the Saudis (threatened by Iran), the Chinese trying hard to buy influence and power in the region, the North Koreans who began setting up a nuclear weapons plant in Syria ( which we destroyed); Russia, who want to maintain influence and their major Mediterranean power base which is in Syria just above Lebanon, Iran ( who have major military aspirations to re-establish a caliphate from Tehran to Turkey- at least), world Christiandom ( who hope and pray for return of messiah in Israel, and worry about the welfare of the regional Christians who feel threatened/attacked by Moslems), and the USA who reduced engagement with the Middle East under Obama, and now are facing off against Russia in Ukraine and trying to maintain and even regain or augment influence in our region.   The Ukrainians may be in competition with Israel for US attention and ammunition.

   I don't know Hernandez but want to hope he has good intentions. Still, I couldn't help thinking about the old Lennon line "If you go carryin' pictures of Chairman Mao, you ain't gonna make it with anyone anyhow." The clenched fist of protest is certainly part of life, but does it lend itself to the nuance and negotiation needed for real solutions? We'd all love to see the plan.

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   1. Thanks for the update from the ground, 2Jung. 

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      1. Thanks for the thanks, cook, though I deserve no credit since I'm super-far from the ground. I thought it was good perspective to look at this whole thing not as if it's just a one-on-one conflict, where there has to be one good guy and one bad guy.

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         1. Karen's working with a business consultant who has friends and family in Israel, so we're getting her perspective, too. They're all valuable. 

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