RICH

McCarthy got voted out, Matt Gaetz is a loon of the Trump variety, and why the **** are the Dems not all over this!

robin1234

Agree with your first part, but what are the Democrats supposed to be doing? I mean, the McCarthy speakership was dodgy & untenable from the get-go, since the republicans had a very slim majority meaning a handful of crazies could choose to kick him out. So the democrats had a choice, they could support McCarthy or they could vote against him. There were cogent, reasonable arguments for both choices. They decided not to support him, he’s out, now republicans have to decide on a sensible way forward.

Oh, wait ..

RICH

Oops I was a bit slow. Let the meltdown pan out.

RICH

On 3rd thoughts, while not "kicking them while they are down" might be the right thing, it does not feel like a winner.

robin1234

I’m gonna rely on American Exceptionalism & the Genius of the Founding Fathers. The Shining City on a Hill. We Americans live in the Best of All Possible Worlds. The World’s Oldest Democracy. What could possibly go wrong?

porkedpie

What's your take on why the Dems backed kicking out McCarthy? I can only assume they felt it would sent the Rs into disarray/chaos, which to be fair it did. However, it feels cutting your nose of to spite your face since there's a good chance he's now replaced with a Trumpist/hard-righter. Surely the devil you know is better, and a short-term news-cycle "win" is not worth getting rid of someone who is actually open to compromise and get stuff done?

Finknottle

Gaetz condemns McCarthy for doing a deal with the Dems, then launches a motion which relies on the Dems support to succeed - or am I missing something?

Anian

It's all dumb The far right Republicans had enough leverage on McCarthy that they could have had a lot of their policies go through. They wasted it on trying to shut down the government for no real reason and then pulled the nuke card on him, losing all of their leverage. McCarthy was dumb in that he repeatedly broke promises to congress and stuck his fingers up at the Democrats the day before the vote for oust him. There is no way the far right will be able to get anyone as spineless as McCarthy or anyone sympathetic to their dumb idea, Gaetz has screwed over his own faction because he's too dumb to know when to stop his ego. They are only a small part of the Republican party, I wonder if the more moderate Republicans will start to sideline the idiot far right now that the whole party has become headless. Gaetz has so much dirt, from this suspiciously young girlfriends, underage callgirls across statelines, the person he calls his "son", this might be the thing to get them to actually give a crap about his misdeeds rather than covering them up.

porkedpie

Quite. It's all reactionary emotional moves. I would at least enjoy it if it were a masterclass of 3-d chess and Urquhart-eque political manoeuvring.

robin1234

Well, why can’t half the Dems plus half the Republicans get into a smoke-filled room and put up a moderate, reality-based candidate, who would sideline the Gaetz/M.T. Greene faction? I realise, easier said than done, since those republicans would then be primaried and lose their seats. The two year election cycle for the House really doesn’t work since people always have to be watching their backs..

Anian

They are really going after Gaetz now.
“He bragged about how he would crush E.D. medicine and chase it with energy drinks so he could go all night." said Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)
“I can tell you one thing about Mr. Gaetz, is that Mr. Gaetz is only doing this for himself and I believe that he should be looked at for an expulsion,” Ohio Republican Rep. Max Miller.

It's weird how people expect the Democrats to save the Republicans who are purely fighting among themselves.

robin1234

Yes, but the republicans are not just damaging the republican brand. They are destroying the Republic. (Potentially)

RICH

I suppose I am a Democrat, having voted for Obama and Biden, but I dont know who I would put trust in, in 2024. Same as I dont trust Sunak or the other guy in UK.. But I just got some new anti depressant meds, so I will figure it out next week!

robin1234

Yes, seems fair. As always in presidential election years, the house & senate are vitally important too. It’s one of those years that’s not looking good for democrats in the senate. The house could really go either way, so, assuming Trump is the “Republican” nominee, are his coattails gonna be positive or negative for Republican house candidates?