ThinkerX

At this point I'm starting to wonder if the Republican House will fracture so badly that Jefferies becomes Speaker. Yes, it is absurd, but so is this whole situation...

I am still (sort of) rooting for that no name 'moderate' back bencher who somehow obtained 80 votes in one of the secret ballots. That, or four or five republican House members resigning or getting arrested, which given this clown show doesn't seem altogether impossible.

Said no name back bencher might look more appealing given the current clown show with Jordan, Scalise, and other 'names.' Not saying he'll win, but he might garner enough votes to set off alarm bells.

Rumor had it that some no name back bencher republican congressman threw his name into the ring during one of the secret ballots. Had no credentials other than being 'sort of moderate' (apparently avoiding the outright nut-jobbery) - and still garnered eighty votes. If true (who knows) then that might send a shock through the Freedom Caucus. Somebody like that who is willing to toss a couple of major concessions to the D's...

Rumor had it that some no name back bencher republican congressman threw his name into the ring during one of the secret ballots. Had no credentials other than being 'sort of moderate' (apparently avoiding the outright nut-jobbery) - and still garnered eighty votes. If true (who knows) then that might send a shock through the Freedom Caucus. Somebody like that who is willing to toss a couple of major concessions to the D's...

I wonder if the D's could force votes through the House on some issues via cloture?

snow today, supposed to be turning to rain later on. Thus far, a pretty much dead average Autumn.

New Twist on the House Speaker Fight...or maybe not... Supposedly, Scalise the current nominee, has 'blood cancer.' That doesn't sound like a good thing for a major political figure. Has me thinking of the scenes in medieval movies where counselors lurk about the sickbeds of dying monarchs... (I got this from a random FB video, so no link.)

A victory of sorts I suppose... Supreme Court passes on red state challenge to Biden ‘social cost of carbon’ rule (msn.com) The court denied a writ of certiorari Tuesday in the case, Missouri v. Biden, without further explanation. In the case, 11 Republican-led states, guided by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey (R), challenged the formula used by the administration to determine the financial costs associated with greenhouse gases, which are considered the primary cause of climate change. After the Trump administration significantly slashed the cost measure to around $1 per metric ton, the Biden administration increased it to around $51 — using the Obama administration’s measure adjusted for inflation. In the lawsuit, state attorneys general claimed the rule would be associated with “a host of injuries that relate to the fact that the Interim Values will inevitably expand the federal regulatory burdens on the States and their citizens in virtually every major sector of American economic life.”

It is not about pulling away Trump's diehards. It is what those diehards may do should Trump 'accidentally fall out of a window' if/when he divulges the third parties with a vested interest in his company.

Vague unsubstantiated rumors that Trump has been ordered to divulge the identities of third parties with significant stakes in his businesses. If so (probably not), then given the likely identity of some of those third parties, is this where Trump has to be careful around windows? And should such a calamity happen, how will his followers go about blaming it on the evil liberals?

Okay...so 'Gym' Jordan becomes Speaker of the House. Being a conspiracy theorist and right wingnut, he uses his authority to take aim at his greatest enemy - fact checkers, attempting to push even more legislation against such folks. Then he gets his day in court over 1/6...and loses, along with assorted other wingnuts in the Republican house majority.

Given Russian equipment issues thus far and that nukes require TLC which has been mostly unavailable these past several years in Russia, Putin opting to set off a nuke would be literal 'Russian Roulette.'

Given how slender the republican house majority is, and how many republican politicians are in severe legal jeopardy, I wonder more and more if the house might not change hands through default (attrition). Or is this where republican house members cast votes from prison cells?

At this point, I am starting to wonder... Given his ego, and his utterly petty and vindictive personality...I am wondering if Trump might not be stupid enough to do something really dramatically stupid on his way out of NYC - like have some flunkies set fire to the Trump Tower ('if I can't have it, no one can!') while attempting to collect on the insurance. Yes, it is both implausible and stupid...but then again, this is Trump, so...?

`Then again, Trump and his...accomplices...are so completely corrupt and incompetent, it *might* be possible to sneak sideways support for Ukraine past them. 'Humanitarian Assistance' or 'disposal of old ordinance' or some such.

I thought she stepped down from office?

I have to put this as an 'unverified rumor of dubious quality,' as the GOP House majority is so slender they need every congress critter they can get. Still... House GOP members seek to expel Gaetz amid renewed threat to vacate House Speaker McCarthy (yahoo.com)

I see the US conservative movement as balloon about to pop, partly because of internal feuds, and partly because the majority are older white folks who are dropping dead at an alarming rate. Add in that much of their strength comes from gerrymandering and other forms of voter suppression...well, if they don't win the presidency in 2024, their last shot will be in 2028.

Nope. They are far too cowardly, incompetent, and internally treacherous for that. Witness the idiots that took over the park in Oregon a few years ago.

Something I am starting to wonder about here... We have radical House republicans engaged in a sham impeachment inquiry against President Biden. A least a couple of the republicans pushing this impeachment were also active participants in the 1/6 riot/insurrection. It seems at least possible that these republicans, among others, will be formally charged for their acts on 1/6, possibly resulting in prison time (eventually). So... what do these republicans do? I can almost envision the 'not-so-bright' ones trying a deal where they drop the impeachment in exchange for not being prosecuted, but I figure defiance, delays, and plea deals are more likely. Also, should a few republican House members land in prison because of this within the next eight or ten months, then (special elections and appointments depending) the House might at least temporarily flip back to Democratic control.

Sounds like it be time for emergency wartime roadbuilding on Ukraine's part - get the area at least semi-secure, then punch a road through with whatever heavy equipment they can scrape together ASAP.

But is the person stepping into his office significantly better in any ethical or moral way?

Funding this could prove...interesting. Perhaps some sort of fee system tied to national parks?

So many mechanical problems waiting to happen...