I guess that's possible, and at the end the day, there is a 0% chance that Congress kills the deal. The way the "approval" bill was structured requires a veto proof majority to kill it, which they will never get, so a lot of this is indeed just posturing for the cameras. It's still an incredibly dangerous and immature game to play when the stakes are this high.

I mean, some of this by the supposedly "sane" members of Congress is just off the wall. Here's Lindsey Graham for example,

Quote :

" Wrapping up the hearing, Graham demanded that Defense Secretary Ashton Carter answer a simple question: “Who wins the war between us and Iran? Who wins? Do you have any doubt who wins?” When he didn’t get the prompt answer he wanted, Graham thunderously answered the question himself: “We win!”"

[Edited on August 3, 2015 at 2:43 PM. Reason : .]

8/3/2015 2:40:22 PM

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/26/us/boehner-will-resign-from-congress.html?_r=1&referer

Quote :

"Speaker John Boehner Will Resign From Congress"

Holy shit???

This is actually really concerning to me. Congress has a ton of stuff to do over the next few months and it really seems like the reactionary wing of the GOP is officially in the drivers seat. We're talking about a crowd of like 50 House members, elected from skidmark america, calling the shots in the House. Where are the temperate republicans? They are completely spineless and running scared from the Alex Jones crowd - completely boggles the mind and like I said, its getting kinda scary out there.

9/25/2015 10:04:29 AM

This promises to be an entertaining train wreck.

9/25/2015 10:15:34 AM

^^ Because you've been so enthused with Mr. Boehner's leadership during his tenure?

He has not been responsive to the demands of Republican voters and I think he realized if a vote came up this month to replace him that he may not have the votes to remain. Most conservatives now seem to be more worried about what Mr. Boehner will try to force through before leaving next month since he no longer has any responsibility to his consituents.

[Edited on September 25, 2015 at 10:21 AM. Reason : ....]

9/25/2015 10:20:59 AM

So he's going to bring a clean CR to the floor, and then quit. What a joke.

9/25/2015 10:33:16 AM

What a relief. I hate it when a public boehner won't go away.

9/25/2015 10:36:59 AM

^^^Nope, I think Boehner sucks, just like any good liberal does; But I atleast recognize he is somewhat reasonable, that he doesn't furiously masturbate to the idea of burning down the entire federal government, that he still understands that compromise is a part of the legislative process. By all objective accounts he is pretty damn conservative (atleast relative to recent history) and he has fought and won what should be viewed as pretty decent wins for the conservative movement, even as congress has remained relatively split (no veto proof majority or anything).

But its not enough, it would have never been enough, because he wasn't able to restore our country to some christo-randian fantasy that the tea-party believes existed just a few decades ago.

And I don't think its correct to say he hasn't been responsive to republican voters. It's that he hasn't been responsive enough to the batshit group in the GOP. This is like 30-50 people in the house and maybe like 5 senators, but because these people are so good at screaming down the more temperate parts of the GOP, and some gerrymandering, and the use of fox news/breitbart headlines they've suddenly garnered all of this power, much more than they deserve based on the number of votes they'll be able to get. These people scare the shit out of me!!!!eleven

9/25/2015 10:49:21 AM

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/26/us/boehner-will-resign-from-congress.html

So Boehner's not just stepping down as Speaker, he's resigning from Congress entirely? the fuck?

[Edited on September 25, 2015 at 10:54 AM. Reason : ]

9/25/2015 10:52:44 AM

Yeah, he's essentially rage quitting. Thanks Obama!

9/25/2015 10:59:19 AM

Somebody put Boehner's head on this:

9/25/2015 11:03:27 AM

Terd, I wish I had time to continue the dialogue today, but let's just say I disagree with your assessment. I'm not an Alex Jones guy, don't know any current member of Congress who could reasonably be called that since Ron Paul left, and no one is advocating this christo-randian fantasy you speak of. Boehner didn't preside over any substantive victory for the GOP since getting the majority in 2010, hence he's seen as ineffective and needs to go.

9/25/2015 11:22:21 AM

Quote :

"^^^Nope, I think Boehner sucks, just like any good liberal does; But I atleast recognize he is somewhat reasonable, that he doesn't furiously masturbate to the idea of burning down the entire federal government, that he still understands that compromise is a part of the legislative process. By all objective accounts he is pretty damn conservative (atleast relative to recent history) and he has fought and won what should be viewed as pretty decent wins for the conservative movement, even as congress has remained relatively split (no veto proof majority or anything). But its not enough, it would have never been enough, because he wasn't able to restore our country to some christo-randian fantasy that the tea-party believes existed just a few decades ago. And I don't think its correct to say he hasn't been responsive to republican voters. It's that he hasn't been responsive enough to the batshit group in the GOP. This is like 30-50 people in the house and maybe like 5 senators, but because these people are so good at screaming down the more temperate parts of the GOP, and some gerrymandering, and the use of fox news/breitbart headlines they've suddenly garnered all of this power, much more than they deserve based on the number of votes they'll be able to get. These people scare the shit out of me!!!!eleven"

nailed it

gotta imagine dealing with the crazies on a regular basis would wear one out

9/25/2015 11:28:33 AM

Quote :

"The problem for the rest of us right now is they’re still a majority in Congress, and many are aiming to close down the government unless Planned Parenthood is defunded and then to default on the nation’s debt rather than lift the debt limit. John Boehner will not go down in history as one of America's greatest Speakers of the House, but at least he served as something of a buffer between the Republican crazies and the rest of America. (This morning when Marco Rubio announced Boehner's plan to retire, attendees at the Values Voter Summit in Washington roared their approval and then rose in a standing ovation.) After the end of October, that buffer is gone. Your view?"

-Reich





[Edited on September 25, 2015 at 11:46 AM. Reason : ]

9/25/2015 11:43:20 AM

^It would certainly be interesting to know if Francis had any role in this, seems like all I've seen online is pure speculation. Boehner crying really isn't a headline anymore, but the timing is just too good.

^^^

Louie Gohmert on Alex Jones Show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-9suE_IsA0

Ya boy Mark Meadows on Alex Jones Show:
http://tv.infowars.com/index/display/category/dailyshows/page/2/id/6744

Every member of the House "Freedom" Caucus may not espouse Alex Jones views all the time, but you can't tell me they aren't overly prone to similar conspiracy theories. Its part of appealing to their constituencies.

And Boehner did have some accomplishments. Just because the vast majority of the bills passed out of the House went to the Senate and died, I don't see how that is his fault? He presided over the sequester, banned earmarks, passed countless 20-week abortion bans, religious liberty bills, and repeals of Obamacare, pro Keystone XL bills, etc etc. I don't see how you can hold it against him that he is working within a legislative process that has been hamstrung for several years now.




unless.....you think putting a gun to the head of the government until you get your way is a respectable way to govern

9/25/2015 12:23:46 PM

Well, shooting hostages is consistent with the fickle mob wing of House Republicans. Birtherism, cantaloupe calves, Obama the Muslim-Socialist-Imperialist-Marxist-Manchurian, ACA, debt ceilings, Planned Parenthood... I wonder what impossible demand or imagined reality they'll use to oust the next Speaker?

9/25/2015 5:34:08 PM

basically, anything that makes Cruz happy makes me want to vomit. So, yeah this sucks for us and will probably usher in a very bumpy couple of months.

9/25/2015 5:34:33 PM

Quote :

"It would certainly be interesting to know if Francis had any role in this, seems like all I've seen online is pure speculation. Boehner crying really isn't a headline anymore, but the timing is just too good."

Listening to him it sounded to me like he was leaving on a good note with the popes visit, feeling like it doesn't get better than this...not due to a specific conversation, but yea, we'll never know. And I've seen the dude cry, but not like that. Was trying to grab some other non-crying Boehner vines but got distracted

9/25/2015 6:49:50 PM

I am trying to recount whom it was here that swore that the Republican Party was not in a Civil War and that the Tea Party faction was just a grumpy group. *grabs popcorn* Perhaps they can beat their old record of defunding Healthcare coupled with their new crusade of targeting Planned Parenthood.

9/25/2015 6:50:46 PM

He was supposed to retire last year, but then Eric Cantor lost his seat.

9/25/2015 7:02:05 PM

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/27/opinion/carly-fiorina-really-was-that-bad.html

9/26/2015 12:00:56 PM

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/09/29/republicans-are-uncomfortable-with-the-changing-face-of-america-this-poll-proves-it/?postshare=6791443544402567

oh word?

9/29/2015 12:42:05 PM

9/29/2015 12:44:10 PM

^^ isn't that implicit in the term "conservative"?

By nature, a conservative would oppose change, whether it makes sense or not.

9/29/2015 1:27:35 PM

Ted Cruz actually says something I agree with:

“Those donors, Cruz added, also view the people who elected the Republican majorities in Congress 'as a bunch of ignorant hicks and rubes.' "

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/09/ted-cruz-republican-donors-actively-despise-our-base-214203

9/29/2015 2:52:40 PM

Those donors he is talking about are fiscal conservatives, not moral conservatives. I figure he is pandering to his moral constituents, thinking he would already lock down the fiscal side simply by having an R next to his name.

9/29/2015 11:30:44 PM

This is interesting:
Supreme Court Justices Get More Liberal As They Get Older
http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/supreme-court-justices-get-more-liberal-as-they-get-older/?ex_cid=538twitter

Some hope for the future...

10/5/2015 6:16:28 PM

Not electing McCarthy as Speaker of the House - credibility +65

10/8/2015 1:11:43 PM

I love it. Forced to drop out because he actually spoke the truth about the Benghazi investigation, that it was nothing but a political witch hunt to hurt Hillary's poll numbers. Enjoy mother fuckers, you brought this on yourselves!

10/8/2015 2:28:13 PM

The motivations for his withdrawal from the Speaker race are still unclear. The more likely explanation is he simply didn't have 218 votes.

10/8/2015 2:32:03 PM

Quote :

"Robert Costa ?@costareports 5m5 minutes ago Rep. Peter King tells me that members are crying in cloakroom, unable to handle the unrest and confusion. "A banana republic," he says."

Hahahahahahahaha

10/8/2015 2:53:16 PM

Rumor is he was having an affair with NC's own Elmers

10/8/2015 3:14:00 PM

^^ To be fair, it was probably just Boehner crying again.

10/8/2015 3:25:16 PM

Rich Lowry ? @RichLowry
mccarthy in phone intv: asked if house is governable? "I dont know. sometimes you need to hit rock bottom"
1:38 PM - 8 Oct 2015

10/8/2015 3:31:38 PM

While I'm loving the chaos, I'm also somewhat terrified of the potential for recklessness that may be coming out of the house of reps in our near future.

10/8/2015 5:23:21 PM

Quote :

"ors, Cruz added, also view the people who elected the Republican majorities in Congress 'as a bunch of ignorant hicks and rubes.' ""

Well it is the truth isn't it?

10/8/2015 10:09:33 PM

^^ I can't wait. The only way the GOP can get fixed is through catastrophic failure.

From Mondale, the Dems arrived at Clinton. Now it's time for the GOP to take a dose of that bitter pill.

10/8/2015 10:23:25 PM

As long as Ted Cruz and his asshat tea party friends don't come out on top then lets see it

10/8/2015 10:53:37 PM

umm, Cruz is in the Senate.

regardless, that's exactly what I want to see. I want to see the most totally batshit members take a firm grasp on the reins, and turn the crazy train completely loose.

10/9/2015 6:33:55 PM

It doesn't matter that Cruz is a senator, it's still conceivable that he be speaker of the house. The Constitution leaves the procedure for choosing speaker open to the house. If they wanna choose someone outside the house, that's their prerogative. I don't think it's ever happened before, but it's not impossible.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ted-cruz-for-house-speaker/

10/9/2015 6:57:15 PM

The GOP probe into Planned Parenthood comes up with NOTHING!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jason-chaffetz-planned-parenthood-funding_5616ed01e4b0dbb8000de134

"Did I look at the finances and have a hearing specifically as to the revenue portion and how they spend? Yes. Was there any wrongdoing? I didn't find any," he said during a Judiciary Committee hearing on the family planning provider.

10/9/2015 7:05:24 PM

Add Chaffetz to the list of Speaker candidates who won't be speaker.

10/9/2015 7:35:11 PM

At least he admitted that he didn't find any wrong-doing...

10/12/2015 7:03:08 PM

Seems like the GOP is resigned to trump or Carson. I can actually see trump pulling in independent and democratic votes, but causing some republicans to vote Democrat.

I don't see Carson gaining traction in the general election.

10/27/2015 12:19:59 PM

i doubt it. look at the last election cycle:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html

Rick Perry was the leader at the beginning of October.
Then it was Romney for a hot minute in early October.
Then Cain caught up mid October and took over the lead until early November.
Then Gingrich lead the polls from late Nov until early Jan.
Then it went back and forth between Romney and Gingrich for a while.
Then freaking Santorum took the lead in for almost all of Feb.
And finally Romney regained the lead for good in March.

There is a long ass time for this to play out. No way in hell do Trump or Carson get the nomination.

10/27/2015 12:36:29 PM

at what point does the GOP admit it has a problem? at the national convention?

10/27/2015 12:38:25 PM

The 3rd round debate tomorrow night.

10/27/2015 12:42:08 PM

just like last time, it will admit it has a problem after they lose the election

10/27/2015 4:49:23 PM

^^^^
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/us/2016_republican_presidential_nomination-3823.html

I dunno, a lot can change, i do acknowledge this, but when you look at Trump's numbers, when he rises others drop-- he's drinking their milkshake. Looking at the 2012 numbers, this didn't happen until later in the game and was a sign of someone gaining a new base. Trump has been consistently high for a while now too, similar to Romney's trend.

10/27/2015 4:58:49 PM

Yeah, I gotta agree with moron here, Carson is having his bump, Fiorina had hers, but Trump is staying consistent.

So of the main stage, who is next to drop out?

10/27/2015 9:14:11 PM

Quote :

"So of the main stage, who is next to drop out?"

Gilmore
Pataki
Graham
Santorum
Jindal
Fiorina
The Huckster
Christie



in that order

[Edited on October 27, 2015 at 9:48 PM. Reason : <!--]

10/27/2015 9:48:21 PM