Sorry I missed some of the action today. I had to go out for a bit. I see that a number of the nutso faction flipped their votes to McCarthy, leaving him just five votes short of 218. Since a few members-elect had to leave for personal business, he may not need all 218.
Update: So they’re in the 13th vote, and five Republicans (so far) have reverted to voting for Gym Jordan. Make that six.
Update: The 13th vote is now history, and I assume the 14th will happen soon. The word is that McCarthy got some holdouts to flip by promising that he would support their plan to hold the debt ceiling hostage to get spending cuts. Alexander Bolton writes for The Hill:
Conservative rebels who blocked McCarthy’s election as Speaker on six consecutive ballots say the Speaker must insist on using the debt limit as leverage to enact major spending reforms — something that Senate Democrats have dismissed as a non-starter over the past decade.
“Us 20 want changes, and we’re going to stay here until we get it,” Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) told reporters Wednesday. “Could McCarthy all of a sudden morph into a fiscal conservative? We’ll see.”
“Is he willing to shut the government down rather than raise the debt ceiling? That’s a non-negotiable item,” he added.
Here is my obligatory reminder that if the U.S. defaults on its debts it will hurt the U.S. economy for a very long time to come and probably the global economy as well. But you know that.
A group of seven conservatives opposed to McCarthy’s bid to become Speaker circulated a “Dear Colleague” letter last month demanding that the next Speaker “commit to not raising the debt ceiling without a concrete plan to cap spending and operate under a budget that balances in 10 years.”
Of course, these same people won’t consider adjusting taxes on the wealthy. The budget will be balanced on the backs of the poor and middle class.
Senate Republicans, however, warn that debt ceiling legislation with spending caps isn’t going to pass the Democratic-controlled Senate, setting up the two chambers for a stalemate that could put the nation’s credit rating at risk or the federal government on the verge of default.
“That’s not going to get 60 votes. That’s math,” said a Senate GOP aide, who predicted that “it’s going to be a challenge” to pass legislation to raise the debt limit later this year.
Alexander Hamilton put the nation on the path of deficit spending, and since then the majority of economists have admitted Hamilton had the right idea. This is not to say that there’s anything wrong with balancing the budget, but history shows us that there’s no correlation between the few times there was such a thing in the U.S. and prosperity for everyone. Indeed, the kinds of spending cuts the Right wants to do to balance the budget would probably dump the nation into recession if not depression. But to the Right, a balanced budget has become an object of faith, a kind of mythic totem that cannot be questioned. No matter what the economists say.
Update: They’re adjourning until 10 pm? Are they planning a pajama party? Or are they just going to meet at 10 pm and vote to adjourn for the weekend?
Update: Well, McCarthy loses again. Now they’re fighting over adjourning. I’m not going to stay up watching this.
The one or two missing are republicans. One went to a parent funeral and was on his way back. The other missing went home for the birth of a child.
One of the seven remaining NeverKevin voters was a protester outside the Capitol Building on J6 who says he never went into the Capitol Building. He defeated the sitting republican in the primary. Eli Crane (Arizona) is that name to be watching for again.
After the violence was quelled on J6 the Congress reconvened to certify Biden's election. 8 senators and 139 congress-critters voted against certification. All 8 senators are still in office. 118 (believe this the accurate count) of the 139 congress-critters were re-elected.
A convicted J6 rioter from West Virginia chose today to announce he is running for Congress.
Fill me in, I am late today…
Mansplainathon: The Series
Part 1: You are wrong, Kevin, let me tell you!
a. Why you are wrong, etc.
b. And, because you are wrong, we don't have to don't pay the bills.
c. Do the Tweets for the LOLs and $$$.
Part 2: Disco Inferno
a. Burn Baby Burn
b. ???
c. Profit!!!
I want to know what Kevin promised. If he did promise to work with the radicals to hold the debt ceiling hostage until the Senate and WH cave, that's domestic terrorism, though probably legal. The minority (if this is true) is holding a gun to the economy and threatening to plunge the country, possibly the western world, into a recession or worse unless the majority concedes to them.
Previous shutdowns have failed because the pressure of the majority pushed a large number of republicans in the House and the Speaker to put the matter up for a vote. If this time, Kevin refuses to put the matter up for a vote, the damage could be catastrophic.
This KKKonfederacy of amoral feckin' eedjit fungi* in (semi) human form, make Boner's & "Lyin'" Ryan's KKKauKKKuses look like Mensa or Phi Beta Kappa gatherings!
And if you remember as I do – and I'm sure you do – those evil RepubliKKKLAN assclowns were dumber than dust bunnies!!! And less empathetic.
And as for after the inevitable "War Over the Debt Ceiling,” I'll see you in the breadline.
And then, post another – this time successful – coup , I'll "see you in the gulag!"
Oy…
*Note: NOT "fun guys" – like in humorous folks – but "fungi" – like in mushrooms. But to be fair to them, mushrooms have more soul – and much better critical thinking skills.
It's been interesting the last couple days to watch the cable news bobble-heads wing it without a script. Not surprisingly they seem to know very little about politics. Without a teleprompter to tell them what to say, they just repeat the same list of "rebels" and how this hasn't happened in over a hundred years, other than that they don't relly have much insight? Rest assured though after tonight once "My Kevin" is able to squeak out a "victory" the telepromters will be loaded with all sorts of lofty rhetoric about “McCarthy playing 3 dimensional chess” and how a “lesser leader” would have surrendered after a few ballots. All the pundits will be able to agree with one another that:"Speaker McCarthy" showed real backbone and resolve not often seen in DC these days"! Wait for it, it's coming!
A little bit off topic.
Seems like Matt Schlapp has been checking a staffers basket. I love those family value conservatives. Maybe he's gotten tired of driving his Mercedes and decided to check out what's it like to ride a hot rod.
Conservative Leader Is Accused of Sexually Assaulting Male Staffer (msn.com)
What will follow is all too predictable for a high profile R; no shame or embarrassment, it just becomes another opportunity to attack the media. Kavanaugh, Gaetz, et al. are looking forward to the next party at the Schlapp's.
Unbelievable!
It's going to the 15th round. Yeah, this time will do it or they'd go home. (If Matt Gaetz pulls a Luch and votes no, there will be blood.) But I doubt it. From what I understand, anytime Matt twists Kevin's ear at any time, Kevin has to squeal like a pig.
This all bodes poorly for the next two years, except the display of – somebody help me with the word – somewhere between childishness, chaos, malice, narcissism, stupidity, and vaudevillian slapstick, There's the potential for the energy to destroy itself, like with the French Revolution.
I hope/expect the next act will introduce criminal charges against Trump. My opinion is that McCarthy bought Trump's (worthless) support by promising the House will go after the DOJ if/when they do.
Looks like the 15th time is the charm. Mccarthy won the speakership (?) just after midnight. A free weekend seems to be the magic that broke the losing streak.
No word from Matt Gaetznazi on his threat to resign. In other news, water is wet.
And thus the insurrection enters its third year in a new phase.
I don't think Gaetzz is the problem. The problem is the rigged R primaries due to all the sane R's leaving the party, so they can no longer reign in the fascists.
So the die was cast when the House was lost. I fear for our constitutional republic now. It's not about what the House will do. It's about what the House can't do. I won't elaborate.