comment: >
  
  They'll do what they always do when the headlines aren't what they like.
  They don't show them.
  They'll do piece about some parent who is upset about a rumor about a bathroom in an elementary school in Florida.
  Or maybe something a muppet said on Sesame Street.
  Then there is always Hunter's laptop to fall back on.
context: Watching republicans try to spin them being unable to control their own party as the democrats fault has been interesting. >
  
  I missed it, how are they trying to spin this ? >
  
  Implying Dems are the ones holding the process up by not flipping to McCarthy to help them over their own hurdle. >
  
  
  Implying Dems are the ones holding the process up by not flipping to McCarthy to help them over their own hurdle.
  
  Hey, Dems nominated a guy, republicans could flip and be done with it. >
  
  He is losing votes lmao.  I am civic illiterate, I don’t get why this is an indefinite vote just seems like a waste of time at the cost of American citizens. >
  
  Neither of them has the majority of votes. It’s never a given that the party that has the majority in the chamber has the speaker, it’s just expected since they SHOULD have the majority of votes to elect one. The Dems have been solid behind their leadership and aren’t budging, but until one of the two candidates crests the majority needed this will continue. That can also be accomplished if some of the republicans start voting as present or just not showing up. There is a non-zero chance this ends up with a democratic speaker and majority leader in the senate. >
  
  A Democratic Speaker in a Republican majority House. Wouldn't that be something. Not up on my history, but has this ever happened before? >
  
  Not at the federal level but it has at the state level. >
  
  Where and when? Finding it hard to Google. >
  
  This is a joke. None of these “freedom caucus” morons actually care about governing. It’s all about social media and personal profit. It’s sad that they actually have constituents that support them. A failure of our public education system. >
  
  This is what you get when you elect people who believe that compromise is a dirty word.  They can't even budge an inch to get on the same page as the people they are closest to, never mind the other side of the aisle.
  In many ways it reminds me of how the deepest religious hatreds are often between sects that seem quite similar to an outsider. >
  
  And the will also vote against a bill them turn around and tell their constituents that they helped bring such and such a program to their district >
  
  Honestly, genuinely curious what the HFC's constituencies who voted for them are thinking right now. Surely this isn't what you wanted when you voted them in to the seats they hold right now, right?
  I'd be so sincerely embarrassed if I had voted for this. Shout out Seth Magaziner from my district, hell of a guy. Proud to know he reps me for the right reasons. >
  
  It’s exactly what they voted for, I think. 
  They wanted outsiders to go and break the “deep state” and the secret cabal that actually runs the country (which includes whichever flavour of RINO that given week). 
  McCarthy is being supported and pushed by the GOP’s establishment which the HFC supports only so long as they keep an R and go full fascist. McCarthy doesn’t represent full fascism so he’s gotta go. 
  I suspect you’ll see lots of pointing to the GOP’s support of McCarthy, against the fascists of the HFC, Will galvanize those voters as proof of the deep state and reinforce a Never-McCarthy. >
  
  Ahh When 222 folks are in the same party, and 20 of them call 202 RINOs.of course they called G HW Bush, George W, Mitt Romney, John Boehner, Paul Ryan that as well. 
  Wise money says they will say that about their Trump before 2024. >
  
  “Not my circus, not my monkeys.” >
  
  We should point out that if it were Trump, he would
  
  claim he had no blame for the mess even though it probably involved Republicans he endorsed
  claim to be talking to both GOP and Dem Congresspeople about making a deal, when no such talks ever take place
  claim credit whenever someone does finally get picked as the Speaker >
  
  This is what I said yesterday. When asked about McCarthy, Trump said we'll see. This opened ended statement allows Trump to say he never wanted Kevin to be Speaker if he doesn't get it, and also say Kevin will be a great Speaker if he gets it. So Trump is never "wrong." >
  
  Remember the 2022 Missouri Senate primary where Trump endorsed "Eric"? Both candidates were named Eric. >
  
  
  Both candidates were named Eric.
  
  Heh, me too. 🤫 >
  
  
  me too
  
  Yes, this phrase often comes up when discussing Trump. >
  
  It’s like Schrodinger’s Candidate, both a democrat and a Republican until he specifies which Eric he meant. >
  
  Good Erics on both sides >
  
  "Work it out amongst yourselves." - Me to my kids when they squabble over stupid stuff.
  Also Biden to House Republicans. >
  
  And yet mom always got mad at me for going to the ropes and bringing down the people's elbow on my sister. It was MY turn on the N64! >
  
  What a jabroni >
  
  Used to automatically think of the Rock when I heard this. Now I immediately think of Mac for IASIP >
  
  You keep using this word jabroni, is it like a hockey term? >
  
  You keep using this word, jabroni, and it's awesome! >
  
  Listening to these Republican congressmen on the floor trying to mop up their mess reveals to me just how disingenuous they are, how out of touch while delivering their platitudes, quoting MLK, repeating uninspired buzz words, going on the offensive, it's all theater. 
  These representatives echoing their unfounded grievances across the room couldn't care less about any real American struggle, about the real threat to this nation's progress, its democracy, its people's livelihoods, and freedoms, its children's futures. 
  This is a party eager to usher in a regressive platform, to implement an agenda steeped in lies and entitlement, their chauvinism disguised as patriotism, jingoism disguised as some counter-revolutionary movement seeking to destroy a radical left-wing monster of its own manufacturing, and all while a rift within their party has them bickering over which faction's anachronistic vision will come to fruition. >
  
  Even more insidious is that this is all part of their plan to reduce trust in institutions. They want this to look incompetent and they want people to lower expectations. >
  
  I never hold any trust in Republican lead institutions. Democrats on the other hand at least get shit done. The Senate sure didn’t seem to have any issues. >
  
  Biden getting involved would only make the House Republicans unify against him.
  So long as there's a chance of a bipartisan unity Speaker deal, Biden should stay hands off and let the House Republicans tear each other apart. >
  
  Never interrupt your enemy when he's in the middle of making a mistake. >
  
  Please proceed, governor. >
  
  Probably my favorite debate burn of all time, and it's not some low-brow insult or hit job. Barack knows when he said it, he knows Mitt has it wrong, and Mitt pushes him twice so he let's him dig his grave. >
  
  This was back when Republicans would actually attempt to make a positive showing at debates rather than just screaming like the apes in 2001 when the monolith appeared, and that’s if they even show up to a debate. Sadly that was when Republican “intelligence” crested and the wave has since rolled back. >
  
  Let's be clear though, Romney lead to Trump. McCain lead to Trump. Bush lead to Trump.
  Like, that video is Mitt Romney making up bullshit to discredit a Democrat. You know, the thing every 'crazy Republican' is doing. Mitt Romney wasn't respectable, nor was McCain or any of them. They just were better at pretending to be. >
  
  McCain was the last stop before crazy-town.
  I liked him. As much as one can like Conservatives. Wouldn’t vote for him personally but I could see why people did if I squinted real hard.
  Then the crumbling (political) infrastructure went from “this works… kinda… for some (white) people” 
  to 
  “what if America did (another) racism? Ohh! Or fascism! Yeah! Fuck everyone! We matter!” “We” being an ever tightening term that includes fewer and fewer people. Now literal dogs have better rights than humans with disturbing frequency. So that’s fun.
  Like… I want to leave. THIS is the bad place. >
  
  I'm so glad Democrats aren't falling over themselves to "embrace bipartisanship" and save Kevin McCarthy from the problem he and his party caused for themselves. Biden is right. This isn't the Democratic Party's problem, and they shouldn't be offering to save any republican. Republicans would NEVER come to the table and help Democrats if the situation were reversed. Not for one damn second. So all the calls for Democrats to "abstain" or "show some bipartisan leadership" are all disingenuous bullshit from a party that needs help wiping it's own ass. >
  
  For real.  Fuck them.  Let the Rs stew in their own pile of shit.  Who gives a fuck if they can't elect a speaker.  Maybe now people will see they don't intend to govern whatsoever, just make things a veritable circus instead.  Drama over country. >
  
  I am loving Biden’s “not my problem so fuck ‘em” energy right now. >
  
  Yesterday on Twitter, Lindsay Graham warned Republicans to get behind Kevin McCarthy, to stop Hakeem Jeffries and the Dems:
  
  How does this end? When Kevin McCarthy secures 213 votes - one more than Hakeem Jeffries.  
  To those Republicans who suggest it is better to have Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker you must understand that means backing policies like:  
  ▶️  DC statehood.  
  ▶️  Puerto Rican statehood.  
  ▶️  Abolishing the Electoral College.  
  ▶️  Packing the Supreme Court.  
  ▶️  Continued broken borders.  
  Trust me when I say the legislative filibuster in the Senate is hanging by a thread.  
  The last thing we need is Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker. >
  
  I doubt if the Dems have the votes for any of those but abolishing the Electoral College would require a constitutional amendment which they definitely do not have the votes for. >
  
  Yeah none of that made sense >
  
  Its all fear mongering >
  
  Statehood for DC and Puerto Rico is the right thing to do regardless of political ramifications but we are at a point where even mentioning the idea is seen as "fear mongering" >
  
  It threatens the balance of power and status quo within Congress. While there is other legitimate arguments for not doing so, we tax DC and Puerto Rico so they deserve real power in congress. Our Founding Fathers are rolling in their graves otherwise. >
  
  Our founding fathers only wanted rich white landowners to vote, so they probably have been rolling for quite some time. >
  
  Quite frankly, it could be used as a source of power. The only reason we don’t is that they just don’t stop spinning for even a second. >
  
  I feel embarrassed for myself right now as I watch the next vote unfold and feel the slightest bit of elation as Lauren Boebert votes against McCarthy. The only time I'll ever come close to acknowledging her decision on anything. >
  
  It’s almost as if republican voters elected clowns are we are all super surprised we got a circus.  The same party that didn’t do fuckall when they controlled the house, senate and the presidency. >
  
  Democracy falls apart when people start electing the worst person for the job. >
  
  It's one thing when it's the people's choice, like the fucking idiots in Texas who re-elected Governor Abbott.
  You get what you want, in that case.
  It's another when we have very clear and serious gerrymandering issues giving the GOP the House (maps being used that are not even legal according to their own state constitution). >
  
  It's true that in certain states there is pretty severe gerrymandering going on. However, this house election result is actually pretty close to the popular vote result. It's about 50.6% of people who voted, voted for republican representatives. And 51% of the representatives-elect are republican. >
  
  Huh?  All districts vote House Representatives in every 2 years.  That's the length of the term. >
  
  All districts vote for House reps, but there were more uncontested districts where only Rs were running than uncontested districts where only Ds we're running. That inflates Rs' popular vote percentage a bit, but probably not enough to say that Ds would have won the popular vote if all districts were contested. >
  
  This may seem cold to some, but it really isn't his issue.
  We elected the representatives to handle this, and frankly Biden leaning in would be an overreach in my opinion. >
  
  Exactly. Congress is a co-equal branch of government. This is their problem to fix, not his. >
  
  He's in perfect form when he's channeling Dark Brandon >
  
  In my language (French) the word "Darth" got translated as "Dark", as in Darth Vader became Dark Vador.
  So every goddamn time you guys mention Dark Brandon, I keep imagining Biden's Sidious-esque Sith alter-ego... and I'm kind of on-board with that. >
  
  I was going to try to speak what little French I know back at you, don't know how to do the accents on an American keyboard lol.
  But that is my new favorite fun fact, so thank you so much for that lmao >
  
  On mobile you just: Löñg préss thê lēttërs!!
  Here's the keyboard shortcuts! >
  
  But I am le tired 😴 >
  
  Well, have a nap.  Then fire ze missiles! >
  
  Wow, now I feel old. Thanks guys >
  
  The Democrats have no incentive to get involved.  They can just sit back and let the GOP keep embarrassing itself. >
  
  Unlike Trump, he has things better to do than watch Fox News and check his phone. >
  
  wait, i though George Santos’ bio had him as Speaker >
  
  The more this man speaks the more he wins me over. Like what a perfect response and a respect for the separation of powers. >
  
  Nothing will ever top his “a noun a verb and 9/11" takedown of Rudy G. >
  
  I’m not sure I’m familiar with this one. Can you share? >
  
  During the 07-08 presidential campaign, then-senator Biden criticized the presidential campaign of Rudy Giuliani saying that " Rudy Giuliani, there's only three things he mentions in a sentence -- a noun, a verb, and 9/11. There's nothing else!".  
  Rudy would go on to drop out of the race after losing the Florida primary where he has spent the bulk of his campaign resources. >
  
  God damn Giuliani got smoked. >
  
  This is all the result of gerrymandering the f*ck out of their districts. 
  ​
  Republicans, you played yourselves. >
  
  Republicans didn't vote for trailer trash, they didn't vote for clowns - they voted for white supremacists and fascists. They voted for hate and chaos and violence - and so far the only thing Republicans can agree on is to remove the metal detectors in the doors of congress. Stay frosty democrats. >
  
  
  Republicans didn't vote for trailer trash, they didn't vote for clowns 
  
  Well, they did. The trailer trash also just so happened (gasp) to be white supremacists and fascists.
  There is no other way to describe Boebert and MTG. >
  
  To be fair, not all the white supremacists and fascists are trailer trash, and SOME of that trailer trash has too much integrity to vote GOP. >
  
  Is this the Dark Brandon cameo to start the season? >
  
  These are the completely expectable natural consequences when a political party (GQP) actively recruits the most antagonistic, paranoid, conspiracy minded, narcissistic members of society into their ranks… Big surprise!!! GQP cannot cooperate or trust one another, even within their own tribal in-group. 😂 😝 >
  
  And the only reason they've gotten this far doing that is most of their voters "just don't like politics".
  They find it too complicated and distressful to be informed so they rely entirely on tradition (the Magic R effect, straight ticket R voting even for known conmen and dead Vegas pimps) or conservative media telling them what to think ("I know it sounds weird but this news site says democrats kill and harvest the brains of orphans, and they couldn't say something that wasn't at least a little true, so it must be happening."). >
  
  Love ya Joe … keep telling it like it is! >
  
  (Gestures broadly) “Behold the barren field of fucks I have to give” - JB >
  
  GOP platform is to obstruct. Once they get put in charge of something the only thing left to do is obstruct each other. It is natural for everyone usually targeted by these antics to experience a bit of schadenfreude. >
  
  I like his random Dark Brandon moments. >
  
  I love it >
  
  So, when will the GOP finally admit that they have no desire to govern? What a clown show. >
  
  Biden is very, very good at this type of politics in a way that’s actually quite rare even among presidents. >
  
  “never interrupt your enemy when he’s in the middle of making a mistake” >
  
  Dark Brandon strikes again >
  
  Dark Brandon is my favorite chapter of this timeline. >
  
  The Dems are in a situation where even IF they tried to help, they know McCarthy would just fuck them over the 1st chance he got.
  No reason to help at all... >
  
  Let's all be real. He's not wrong. This has been incredibly childish and embarrassing for all to see. The GOP have been obstructing for soo long that they've forgotten how to govern even from within. >
  
  Fuckin A Right Joe. Not your problem. The R’s are shitting their pants for the world to see. >
  
  Biden looking at the House GOP: "Damn, that's crazy" >
  
  House Democrats are in a good spot - they’re United with the new leadership and aren’t getting involved with the GOP mess. 
  Where’s my popcorn >
  
  Not his clowns, not his circus. >
  
  The crazy wagon that republicans embraced under trump is now preventing them from governing, who knew? >
  
  Republicans brought trailer trash to Congress and expect them to function? >
  
  How do you like Brandon now >
  
  Dark Brandon killin it >
  
  Great response. Biden has no business getting involved in this mess. >
  
  I hope all the folks that voted R in the recent midterms are duly impressed with how their guys are getting down to work. >
  
  This was a long time coming. From Boehner on down, with the foundations set as far back as Starr and the 2000 election. The right made itself into the party of drama, obstruction, and misdirection.
  It may be a a decade or so off, but the party that Reagan gave us is dying off and becoming only more and more inept.
  If only millions weren’t to perish along the way because of their science denial, obstructionism, and greed. >
  
  Reagan was a superficial performer with principles, fucked up principles, but they were principles. The entire R party, from Gingrich's "contract with America" is a story of increasing showmanship, gimicry, base cynicism. It peaked with the coup attempt, and now we are witnessing the beginning of the R's collapse and disintegration.    
  I'm being optimistic about that last part. >
  
  Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. >
  
  Not my circus, Jack! >
  
  That's exactly how I would have said it. >
  
  Good!  This reaching across the aisle bullshit never works, let the GOP drown in the problems of their own creation. >
  
  The upshot is that there are not 218 Republicans who want to govern. >
  
  Unlike the Republicans, who are so clearly displaying their priorities right now, Biden has an actual job to do. >
  
  How Joe Biden's lack of leadership led to Republican infighting---NYT headline tomorrow. >
  
  Ladidadida, it’s the motherfuckin d-o-double-g >
  
  Dark Brandon rides again. >
  
  "Never interrupt your enemy when they're making a mistake" >
  
  Separation of powers states pretty clearly that he's got nothing to do with it. >
  
  Lose 6 votes in one day..
  Still demand to be voted in.
  Democracy!! >
  
  Man, I like this guy more and more. >
  
  “When red states send their people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us." >
  
  Then he put on his aviators and peeled out in his custom electric '81 Trans Am. >
  
  National embarrassments is pretty on brand for modern conservatism. >
  
  Dark Brandon with another left! >
  
  NMZ: No Malarkey Zone >
  
  The constitution literally wants separation of powers.
  Different branches of government. Not his circus not his monkeys.
  Hilarious this has been going long enough he was asked to comment. >
  
  The GOP is shooting themselves in the foot, repeatedly, even after being warned that they're about to shoot their foot off, and now they're asking the Democrats who they've demonized for help.
  Nope.  They shit their own bed, now they need to lie in it. >
  
  Best answer he could give. >
  
  Dark Brandon >
  
  "Skill issue." - Dark Brandon >
  
  He’s not wrong about that >
  
  He’s right on both counts. >
  
  Republicans need to get their shit together. This hurts USA and we are wasting time. >
  
  Dark Brandon has entered the chat. >
  
  Dark Brandon strikes again >
  
  Anybody got a head of lettuce to place on McCarthy's speaker's desk? >
  
  Is anyone else sensing (and loving) all this Dark Brandon energy? >
  
  He has always had that edgy sense of humor.  Dont believe the republican propaganda,  they are just doing their Pravda spinning. >
  
  It’s the democrats! They’ve done it again! Just like they ruined my marriage with my ex-wife Linda! >
  
  IMO, this White House has shown excellent messaging discipline. >
  
  I mean he’s right there’s nothing he can actually do in this case. Can’t wait for Fox to spin it so it is. >
  
  Exactly. Republicans want voters to vote for them because they say they will fix the 'destruction of America' by the Democrats but they cannot even do a basic function which most Congresses have been able to achieve since this country s conception. This is not a Democrat's job to clean up this mess, it's the voters who voted these idiots into office. They need to recall or shut up. >
  
  He's right >
  
  Dark Brandon throwing some shade. >
  
  I love Biden so much. >
  
  Trump would blame that Dem cause this >
  
  Hows fox going to try and pin this circus on Joe?