Johnson walks out on radical right reps...

[TIDE-HSV]

I intended to post this anyway, but the events of the morning prove what I was going to post. Johnson is extremely clever. He's playing footsie with the Democrats to keep the government open, exactly the same thing which cost McCarthy his job. The big difference is he knows he can get away with it. McCarthy was roundly hated by all the Democrats (and not a small number of Republicans). Enough of the Democrats will vote for him to remain as Speaker on a motion to vacate and he knows it. He's outflanked the radicals and proved it this morning, when he left their meeting where they were berating him. Also, Hunter Biden's move this morning, showing up at the contempt hearing, was a masterstroke. If they find him in contempt, it's up to the DOJ to decide on prosecution. The Republicans had hoped to hold him in contempt and when DOJ declined prosecution bray that Biden's DOJ was being controlled by the White House. Now, the DOJ can decline and just say that HB was present at the hearing, offering to testify. Interesting developments...

 

[Tidewater]

I do not know the "inside baseball" of running a political party, but whoever set up a system in which a handful of extremists can topple the Speaker was not taking into account some of the knuckleheads like Gaetz.

In terms of policy, it appears that we are going to get much the same thing would would if McCarthy had stayed in place. The only change is that McCarthy has said, "You know what? Screw this. I'm quitting," in a seat that will probably go to a Democrat next election.
The net change is the GOP will get the same policy, only lose a seat.

Not directly related to this, but I have a theory that CSPAN is destroying our republic. Letting the worst of the worst grandstand before the cameras did not seem to happen the same way before CSPAN. Politicians from both parties would hammer out compromises. Now the demagogues hold the floor and nothing gets done. If I was Planetary Commander, I'd outlaw recording devices on the two houses and in committee rooms.

 

[T Bone]

I do not know the "inside baseball" of running a political party, but whoever set up a system in which a handful of extremists can topple the Speaker was not taking into account some of the knuckleheads like Gaetz.

In terms of policy, it appears that we are going to get much the same thing would would if McCarthy had stayed in place. The only change is that McCarthy has said, "You know what? Screw this. I'm quitting," in a seat that will probably go to a Democrat next election.
The net change is the GOP will get the same policy, only lose a seat.

Not directly related to this, but I have a theory that CSPAN is destroying our republic. Letting the worst of the worst grandstand before the cameras did not seem to happen the same way before CSPAN. Politicians from both parties would hammer out compromises. Now the demagogues hold the floor and nothing gets done. If I was Planetary Commander, I'd outlaw recording devices on the two houses and in committee rooms.

you got my vote!!!!

 

[JDCrimson]

Well, something like CSPAN is normally a transparent window into our government. However, anything can be turned bad by someone who wants to pervert it. And that is what is happening with the extremists, they want to take morals, ethics, knowledge, rule of law, religion, science, history, medicine, culture, finance, freedom, charity, and humanity and absolutely turn it on its head.

These people are perverts and sowers of chaos in every sense of being. And its a cultural model propagated by autocrats mostly Russians.

I do not know the "inside baseball" of running a political party, but whoever set up a system in which a handful of extremists can topple the Speaker was not taking into account some of the knuckleheads like Gaetz.

In terms of policy, it appears that we are going to get much the same thing would would if McCarthy had stayed in place. The only change is that McCarthy has said, "You know what? Screw this. I'm quitting," in a seat that will probably go to a Democrat next election.
The net change is the GOP will get the same policy, only lose a seat.

Not directly related to this, but I have a theory that CSPAN is destroying our republic. Letting the worst of the worst grandstand before the cameras did not seem to happen the same way before CSPAN. Politicians from both parties would hammer out compromises. Now the demagogues hold the floor and nothing gets done. If I was Planetary Commander, I'd outlaw recording devices on the two houses and in committee rooms.

 

[Tidewater]

Well, something like CSPAN is normally a transparent window into our government. However, anything can be turned bad by someone who wants to pervert it. And that is what is happening with the extremists, they want to take morals, ethics, knowledge, rule of law, religion, science, history, medicine, culture, finance, freedom, charity, and humanity and absolutely turn it on its head.

These people are perverts and sowers of chaos in every sense of being. And its a cultural model propagated by autocrats mostly Russians.

Normally, I would default to transparency.
Politicians respond to incentives. Right now, the incentives point to those who get the sound bites, to feed fund-raising.
Banishing recording devices disincentives extremist and demagogues.

 

[Chukker Veteran]

I intended to post this anyway, but the events of the morning prove what I was going to post. Johnson is extremely clever. He's playing footsie with the Democrats to keep the government open, exactly the same thing which cost McCarthy his job. The big difference is he knows he can get away with it. McCarthy was roundly hated by all the Democrats (and not a small number of Republicans). Enough of the Democrats will vote for him to remain as Speaker on a motion to vacate and he knows it. He's outflanked the radicals and proved it this morning, when he left their meeting where they were berating him. Also, Hunter Biden's move this morning, showing up at the contempt hearing, was a masterstroke. If they find him in contempt, it's up to the DOJ to decide on prosecution. The Republicans had hoped to hold him in contempt and when DOJ declined prosecution bray that Biden's DOJ was being controlled by the White House. Now, the DOJ can decline and just say that HB was present at the hearing, offering to testify. Interesting developments...

I think Johnson is going to get a free pass to work with Dems to keep the government open. A one time pass like McCarthy got. The exhaustion of picking a second speaker after McCarthy is also a deterrent to going after Johnson.
The Dems had an extremely poor opinion of McCarthy partially based on his behavior after Jan 6. Johnson’s record on this topic is every bit as troublesome as McCarthy’s , in my opinion.
McCarthy went along with what had happened after the fact while Johnson was in the middle of it while things were still up in the air.

 

[Tidewater]

Normally, I would default to transparency.
Politicians respond to incentives. Right now, the incentives point to those who get the sound bites, to feed fund-raising.
Banishing recording devices disincentives extremist and demagogues.

And here is an example of why we do not want cameras in Congress.

 

[Chukker Veteran]

I’ve read that Johnson has voted against aid to Ukraine every chance he’s had. He’s still on the fence about passing what the Senate has put together with the deadline tomorrow.