Was It All Worth It Kevin ?
Kevin McCarthy has been removed as Speaker of the House. It is unclear if there is a path for him to get the position back through the upcoming vote to elect a new Speaker.
McCarthy's allies spent part of this morning asking Democrats to stand behind him and vote against the ouster today. But the Democrats stayed united and let the GOP throw McCarthy under the bus.
It is true the Democrats could have saved McCarthy, but he , of course, never earned that friendship
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Ron Filipkowski @RonFilipkowski Was it all worth it, Kevin? 
McCarthy went and licked Trumps boots just weeks after Trump tried to overthrow our government. The Democrats had memories at least that long. They also remembered McCarthy throwing Schiff and Slawell off important committees at the behest of the RWNJ in his conference. McCarthy tried to do everything he could solely to pursue power and his desire has consumed him.
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Its anybodys guess who will get the Speakership. Since the MAGA nutjobs cant get one of their own elected, it could very well be McCarthy again, maybe after 40 votes this time instead of 15.
Dems and Gaetz & Co worked very well together. so much for MAGA being a threat to democracy, huh?
Now they can team up and cause a shutdown.
The Democrats did nothing . Why should they help McCarthy after he licked Trumps boots a couple weeks after the insurrection? He also greenlighted kicking Schiff and Slawell off of committees.
As much as you will try and spin this as the Democrats fault, sorry nuh nuh.
The resulting chaos and House dysfunction should be good for the Dems in 24. Party over country, always.
Are you ever going to get over this insurrection myth?
200 odd Democrats just voted with the people you commonly refer to Nazis and traitors to remove the Speaker.
Do they not understand how voting works? Since they are willing to publicly claim that fire alarms are too complicated for them, I guess its possible.
LOL... It doesn't open the doors?....
WOW!!!! I guess I'd better get my eyes examined. I thought I watched the insurrection happening on TV from the other side of the world. Could it all have been an AI fabrication?
McCarthy went to Maralago in Feb of 2021 and sucked Trumps dick.
He was never going to get any Democratic support after that. Why this puzzles you is unknown.
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Really John? You're going that route as well?
He was never going to get any Democratic support after that. Why this puzzles you is unknown.
Pelosi promised McCarthy this Jan she would have his back in the event of a motion to vacate.
But Dems chose Matt Gaetz.
Exactly, Dem support will be much higher for McCarthy's replacement.
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Well, at least the Republicans would never do anything like that!
At least we have that to be thankful for!
I doubt if McCarthy wants to put up with anymore of the chaos caused by Gaetz and the other hard right henchmen. They can't seem to understand that the real enemy is the Democrats, not moderate and rational Republicans.
Nah, my tv was working that day, and so does my mind when I read accounts of what was happening at the White House during that period.
Agree. In this century the Repubs had Hastert as Speaker for four terms, Boehner for three, Ryan for two and McCarthy for less than one. Not a trend that says good governance.
Appropriation bills be damned, TV face is more fun, especially when you don’t know how to actually accomplish anything.
They're children.
"... moderate and rational Republicans."
To the hard core liberal left that is a oxymoron and does not exist.
Scoundrels and knaves-- the lot of 'em!
As Mark Twain said:
Suppose I was an idiot. And suppose I was a member of Congress. But I repeat myself...
McCarthy is not running again. Scalise is.
Maybe Scalise is counting on a sympathy vote after being shot by a left wing radical.
Well, it looks like the House won't meet the Nov. 17 deadline to fund the government. Biden can kiss his Kiev goodbye.
Great. Now all problems are solved. /s
The Gaetz faction can block the House from functioning, but they cannot lead. There are no votes coming that will put one of the MAGA hardliners into the Speakership. All they can do is extort concessions from whoever wants to be leader , with the threat that if the new Speaker doesnt play ball they will "vacate" him or her too.
5 or 10 extremists can hold up the functioning of Congress. Does the nation deserve this? That is a good question.
No, but between those 5 or 10 extremists and Dem voting Party over country, that’s what we’ve got.
You should have given McCarthy the advice in Feb of '21 to not going down to Florida and kiss Trump's ass. He sealed his fate on the Democrat end when he did that.
The base demands that. We will see how much the House Dems trust the next one.
That comment is totally distorted. There is nothing about McCarthy as Speaker, or Republican control of the House for that matter, that benefits the country in any way. There is no reason that the Democrats should vote for a radical right-wing Trumpist sycophant like McCarthy.
Then they shouldn’t have lost the House in 2020.
There is no reason that the Democrats should vote for a radical right-wing Trumpist sycophant like McCarthy.
Your responsive comments are ridiculous.
Carry on!
I really appreciate your permission.
You seriously expect a more moderate Speaker?.... lol
From the Republicans? Of course not.
Do you think that the Dems voted for a more right hardliner.
Exactly, a serious Republican speaker would have started the impeachment inquiry before the Bible was cold......
The Democrats voted to remove McCarthy. Maybe you weren't paying attention.
Now, that's funny. It must be from one of your satire articles.
Nah, those bother you too?... huh... thin skin seems prevalent round here..
I like them. They're funny, sometimes. Trite, but funny.
Yes, the Dems voted with Gaetz
I paid attention to your 4.1.8 where you indicated that the Repubs wouldn’t elect a more moderate, do you know something that House Dems don’t know?
Thanks
You're welcome
That's right, every democrat voted in lockstep the way Pelosi trained them.
I hope they get Trump. Hannity just said he was nominated, and he indicated that Trump might help out temporarily.
Poetic justice?
McCarthy is not an Einstein, but Trump is too stupid to be Speaker of the House.
Hah! I intended to post a list of suggestions and you beat me to my first possibility:
1. Trump himself, as Speaker he would have an ideal venue to keep the duct tape off his mouth and broadcast his personal wild beliefs.
2. Liz Cheney. That would empower the more moderate Republicans to enable them to prove to the electorate that principle and integrity is more important to them than personal benefit.
3. Bring back Pelosi. I think she was able to maintain fairly good control of the house and except for that ridiculous scene of her tearing up a document that didn't please her, she held a modicum of respect.
4. Canada's now removed Speaker of the House, even though he supported a Nazi while Zelenskyy was there and watching, he needs a new job, and at least he's experienced with the necessary duties. Of course he may need to be given American citizenship first.
5. Monica Lewinsky. She knows how to suck up support when it's needed. But then she might blow it.
6. Wang Yi, China's Foreign Minister. In the classic Art of War, written by China's Sun Tzu many years ago, it says "Know Your Enemy" and that would give America a good start on that (or is it actually the other way around - LOL).
Or maybe you don't want my objective advice to rescue America from the quagmire and chaos it is now experiencing.
From what I have seen, all Trump would need do is make a wish and the GOP House would find a way to please him.
Only one of them concerned me. Otherwise your satires are a welcome, even IMO NECESSARY addition to the NT Front (Home) Page.
LOL. Looks like nobody likes my suggestions. Okay, okay, put someone mundane in instead. However, somehow the present situation does not appear to be very favourable for the Republicans come the election next year. The divisiveness between Republicans and Democrats is one thing, but I think both the bible and Abraham Lincoln have indicated BIG problems for a house divided and right now the Republicans appear to the whole world to be a house divided. .
Yikes! I do not have much faith in the House ... but Trump as speaker .. no way .. nope nope nope I refuse to even entertain the thought. Shirley there are still enough levelheaded conservatives left that will not allow that .. right?
Don't ask me about contemporary conservatives Colour because I do not recognize them anymore.
He would have the unity Pelosi always demanded.
Ahhh....no thanks.
I guess I no longer do either .. without compromise government is dysfunctional at best ... with the lunatics trying to run things they are destroying any chance of conservatives to even pretend to govern .. I wonder if half of the dingdongs have even read the Constitution they pledge to defend. it is a 2-sided coin, both sides of the aisle have some loons in it...... but........ yeah, the so-called Republican party is def electing the least qualified individuals.
I am scared of what with happen when the more centrist senators leave the senate .. will the likes of Herschel Walker get elected?
What concerns me is that there seems to be no end to the degradation of Congress (and the Executive branch for that matter).
Yeah, I hear you .. I do not know what part of the degradation concerns you most .. but wow I am hearing talk about requiring cognitive tests for the elders in government .. well, how about a competency / literacy test for new members of congress? There needs to be a bare minimum qualification in order to run for congress .. I don't know, something like actually having a trueful resume? : )
Above all else, it is partisanship that is destroying what the United States stands for .. 'our' government is bloated and dysfunctional .. spending billions / trillions of dollars on money pits around the world while the United States itself crumbles under the weight of said dysfunctionality. [shakes head]
Thanks for letting me rant : )
My biggest concern is the trend away from statesmanship to pursue pure partisanship.
On top of that, my concern is the demonstrable delusional thinking that manifests from pure partisanship.
Seems to me that due to what's been happening in America over the past few years, including the increasingly divisive partisanship, has to make it more difficult to sell its Democracy to other nations or spread its hegemony save through placement of its military bases and the forming of multinational organizations for the purpose of containing those that through paranoia poses to be a threat.
Is that what you think we were doing?
Borrowing a Jack Nicholson line from A Few Good Men: "You're damn right I did."
" has to make it more difficult to sell its Democracy to other nations"
It barely works here, I have never figured why we try to push it on others
It's so refreshing to see a realistic answer.
Follow the money. We didn't sell anything. We bought it.
Surely you don't mean the second meaning of that phase.
No.. I mean we didn't sell democracy, we purchased it.
Usually with cash.
...and military bases.
I would reply but we both know what would happen.
That depends entirely on your reply.
What functioning are we going to miss?
Frankly, I often feel we'd all be better off if they all took 11 months a year off to work on their golf games.
And a benefit to someone who owns golf courses.
The Gaetz handful and the entire Democratic Caucus can do that.
This in no way changes the fact that Gaetz is still a disgusting extremist POS!
I'm not entirely sure, but I'm leaning towards "Yes". The nation does deserve it.
In the words of the honorable and many veneered Chairman Mao:
You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs,
So gaetz can actually fuck someone over the age of 18.
Olivia Beavers
@Olivia_Beavers
52m
There is a group of House Rs huddled and praying on the House floor
Rep. Ann Wagner appears to be crying
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Ron Filipkowski
@RonFilipkowski
32m
I’d pay money to hear that prayer.
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He found a way to keep the Government open, he did the right thing.
He also gave away the keys to the gun safe over 15(?) votes to become speaker. He did the dumb thing.
28 Scaramouchies
McCarthy "won" the GOP vote today 210 - 8. The 8 nonetheless had the power to kick him out. This is bizarre and undemocratic. The House needs to retract this insane rule regarding "vacate" as soon as possible.
Agree and Gaetz is now the Dems favorite Repub.
That will never be the case, he's too woke.
Gaetz may as well just officially switch parties now.
What makes you think the Democrats want him ?
Liz Cheney is going to be jealous, she may ask daddy to put a hit out on little Matty.
Persona non grata on the Repub side.
He’s a complete idiot, so he’s perfect for the DNC. Plus he would raise the collective IQ of the democrat house by 10% even though he’s an idiot.
He will likely self destruct over time.
Another body on their side of the aisle?
Liz is too busy smirking.
There was already talk of expelling him for ethics violations. This may have been a desperate act to save himself.
Yep. Or as the Cosa Nostra refers to it, the kiss of death. Figuratively speaking of course.
Or it may be to appeal to the Trump base in Florida. There's some talk that he may run for the governorship in Florida in '26 as DeSantis will be term-limited as governor. Problem is that's a long time from now in politics so I don't know how much that might really help him.
And you know that how? Did you poll all Dems to come to that conclusion?
Not all, several failed to return their answer sheet.
Just announced - McCarthy will not seek the speakership again.
Awwwww! Draft John Boehner ... he always had the right kind of tears.
Don’t you have to be a current House member?
The brilliant Constitution is silent on the matter.
Maybe it’s past time for a Constitutional Convention.
Way past time but I doubt the country could survive one.
We seem to be growing less and less resilient.
Actually no.
If you remember back to the beginning of this term of Congress, there were some who floated the idea of electing Trump as Speaker of the House, thereby putting him next in line to the Oval Office should Biden kick off and Harris being removed. If I remember correctly, they were floating the idea of electing Trump to the Speaker and then impeaching both Biden & Harris. Not the brightest idea but politics over reality seems to be the rule.
Nowadays, even this nonsense does not surprise me.
It’s be nice but do you actually think any of these jackasses could do anything but completely ruin our system of government?
None of them are even I. The same arena as the founders in terms of intelligence, integrity, or just flat out decency. The founders weren’t perfect by a long shot, but were light years ahead of what passes for a statesman in our current government.
It doesn't matter what I think, what matters what the House Dems think and what they want out of the next 15 months.
Good, that means that my suggestions above are not barred by the Constitution. but I suppose they DO have to be American citizens, so the ones that are not would have to be granted citizenship first (if they WANT it). I was disturbed that my son became an American citizen, but at least he still maintains his birthright Canadian citizenship as well.
Huh?
I'm not sure if I remember this entirely correctly, but I believe I read that someone doesn't. In fact there was some talk of Republicans electing Trump as Speaker.
McCarthy was the first Speaker to get voted out, but he doesn't have the record for the shortest term. That distinction belongs to Theodore M. Pomeroy, who was Speaker for a day, March 3-4, 1869.
And why would he, let's see some reaping and sowing.....
The kool-aid is strong in this one.
Great meme ever since Jim Jones, SF darling on the left started it in 1978.
Not to worry, by 2025 it will be claimed that MAGA was the darling of the Left.
Thanks, but I’m to old to worry, que sera, sera.
The MAGA fanatic Elise Stefanik may emerge as the new Speaker of the House , as she is considered palatable to both the bomb throwers and the generic Trump following run of the mill Republicans. I'd put my money on her, and there is a good chance Trump will endorse her for the position.
Great, good for the country and both sides of the House aisle.
I am tempted to make a pornographic wisecrack about her and Donald Trump, but I will refrain at this moment.
She is a Trump bootlicker and that makes her a nonstarter to reasonable people.
Where are these “reasonable people” and why do you think that they count?
I'm sure it's MTG or Boebert all the way.....
To some people if you're not heating the tar and gathering the feathers now, you are not a reasonable person.
They are not Trump supporters , if thats what you're wondering about.
By all means, tell us how reasonable it is to support Trump.
The one that stuck out to me was the ABC/WP poll, 52-42?....
Are the “reasonable people” those that voted with Gaetz?
Answer the question, I don’t assume that they are Trump supporters. Do you assume that they are Biden supporters?
How about Sarah Palin?
She'd make it interesting.....
She will have the same problem McCarthy did, the extremists don’t give a shit about governing or the GOP reps from more moderate districts. Because if that the GOP will continue to be unable to govern.
David Corn
@DavidCornDC
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3m
Why the hell should Democrats save a GOP leader who supports an authoritarian demagogue who tried to overturn an election, incited an insurrectionist riot, and spews violent threats? McCarthy has enabled Trumpism and, thus, imperils American democracy. He deserves no protection. twitter.com/mattklewis/sta…
Exactly, the alternative will be so much better.
Lol, McCarthy made himself into a bitch to appease extremists, and they turned on him anyways. What a surprise.
And the moderate Dems turned on him more.
Maybe it's because I'm an outsider, but this article and its comments has been the best political article, the most fun of that genre, that I think I've ever encountered here, and I thank you all for contributing to it.
Oh, Buzz-off.
I may as well, nobody's happy with my comments anyway.
All right, break time's over.....
But I'm just going to eat break-fast now.
Well you know the olde saying:
If it ain't breaked, don't fix it!
But now it's brokefast because It breaked too fast to fix.
Maybe it's because I'm an outsider, but this article and its comments has been the best political article, the most fun of that genre, that I think I've ever encountered here,
Why? Is it because of all the extremely erudite political analysis-- or just because much of it was good for a few good laughs (perhaps punctuated by a hearty guffaw occasionally?)
Considering that I used the expression: "the most fun of that genre" it's plain to see it's the latter, but of course you knew that. However I fully understand your purpose in posting your comment, because it enabled you to quietly? softly? state your opinion about the whole conversation.