2023 Republican House Follies

[waitingtoconnect]

Things are going to be fine.

"Mike Johnson" was clearly grown in a lab for the purpose of looking like a reasonably successful suburban dentist while ushering in Margaret Atwood's Handmaid's Tale.

LOL!

And at least real Americans, and by that I mean the ones chosen by god to have health insurance, will have great teeth.

[Pyperkub]

I as m not a fan of Johnson as he is an election denier but his immediate budget plans are pretty reasonable. He knows they are behind the curve and so he is planning on asking for a 3 to 6 month continuing resolution to give the House time to do what needs to be done. So at least for now he’s not about blowing it up:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna122161

We’ll see what happens after that.

Other GOp'ers are tho. From the article:

Good said he personally “will not vote for an unconditional CR,” unless it has conservative policy provisions attached.

[Pyperkub]

An interesting analysis (which essentially portends that things are going to get worse):

In his maiden speech on Wednesday, the previously invisible new House speaker declared decentralization of his power as a central goal of his administration. A junior member of the House first elected in 2016, Johnson might be excused for not knowing the operational weaknesses of recent GOP speakers. Needless to say, if Johnson follows through on his decision, every subgroup within the Republican conference will believe itself empowered to interfere, obstruct and prevaricate whenever its interests are compromised, as they invariably will be.

There's a lot of good history of House leadership and functionality in the article over time as well.

Ultimately, America deserves better. What we're going to get is more empowerment of the bomb-throwers.

[Holman]

Mike Johnson is a close associate and defender of fundamentalist Creationist Ken Ham, who insists that the universe is just 6,000 years old.

I humbly suggest that any journalist who speaks to Johnson should ask about that.

He’ll almost certainly reject the question as an irrelevant distraction. But wouldn’t you agree that serious journalism should dig in to this question?

[Kurth]

I’m gonna say again: Strong religious zealot vibes. I don’t think he’s a Trumper. Also not a “burn it down” guy. I think he’s an “anything for the cause” guy, and the cause is his devotion to Jesus Christ and his particular understanding of what it means to be a Christian.

Not certain of the details of his hierarchy of priorities, but I’m pretty sure that Christian theocracy is at the top.

Again: Watch that 18 minute acceptance speech. He laid it out there.

[Smoove_B]

I'm sure they won't - to be polite. In the same way no one asked (or asks) Justice Barrett about her cult connections.

[Jaymann]

Yes, democracy was destroyed, but you can't say we weren't polite.

[LordMortis]

I’m gonna say again: Strong religious zealot vibes. I don’t think he’s a Trumper. Also not a “burn it down” guy. I think he’s an “anything for the cause” guy, and the cause is his devotion to Jesus Christ and his particular understanding of what it means to be a Christian.

Not certain of the details of his hierarchy of priorities, but I’m pretty sure that Christian theocracy is at the top.

Again: Watch that 18 minute acceptance speech. He laid it out there.

Well, Pence didn't try to subvert the election, so there's hope...

[Smoove_B]

Random clips from Johnson's interview last night with Lumpy:

Moments after saying he has no personal issues with Biden, Mike Johnson claims Biden is in cognitive decline. Johnson indicates it's likely House Republicans end up impeaching Biden

Asked about his past comments suggesting that homosexuality should be criminalized, Johnson claims "I don't even remember some of them."

Johnson suggests his position is that abortion should be left to the states and then quickly changes the topic

Mike Johnson says he wants to separate Ukraine aid from aid to Israel. Speaker Mike Johnson indicates he is skeptical at best about humanitarian aid to Palestinians

[malchior]

I'd rate Impeaching Biden at 75% chance and best guess is they might get 20-30 votes in the Senate to convict.

[Octavious]

‘Well, go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it. That’s my worldview.”

That's all I needed to know. That's a solid way to approach modern times.

[GreenGoo]

I’m gonna say again: Strong religious zealot vibes.

There's no vibes about it. He is on record. As I said, he makes Pence look moderate in his (public) religious views.

Again: Watch that 18 minute acceptance speech. He laid it out there.

Yes.

[Unagi]

I’m gonna say again: Strong religious zealot vibes. I don’t think he’s a Trumper. Also not a “burn it down” guy. I think he’s an “anything for the cause” guy, and the cause is his devotion to Jesus Christ and his particular understanding of what it means to be a Christian.

Not certain of the details of his hierarchy of priorities, but I’m pretty sure that Christian theocracy is at the top.

Again: Watch that 18 minute acceptance speech. He laid it out there.

So for instance, if he was an OO forum member, his signature would likely be filled with a short list of things Jesus said.

[Jaymann]

I’m gonna say again: Strong religious zealot vibes. I don’t think he’s a Trumper. Also not a “burn it down” guy. I think he’s an “anything for the cause” guy, and the cause is his devotion to Jesus Christ and his particular understanding of what it means to be a Christian.

Not certain of the details of his hierarchy of priorities, but I’m pretty sure that Christian theocracy is at the top.

Again: Watch that 18 minute acceptance speech. He laid it out there.

So for instance, if he was an OO forum member, his signature would likely be filled with a short list of things Jesus said.

Like maybe some of these:

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26

“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs. Matthew 15:24-26

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” Matthew 5:44

[Blackhawk]

"Be obedient and do as you're told or you'll be destroyed forever" isn't exactly a compelling argument to begin with. It's an invitation to live a life based on dogmatic subservience and fear.

[Isgrimnur]

[Smoove_B]

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

[Formix]

Ah, yes. Let's take an anthology of allegorical stories passed down through the depths of human history, retconned 2,000 years ago, written a century after the main character's death, then retconned again 200 years later, then calcified for 1,700 years and assume it has all the answers for 21st-century legislative actions. Genius! (and not Sharia-like at all, nope)

[Zarathud]

It’s the very definition of backwards and primitive thinking. And most often practiced by those without historical context of the book.

[Kurth]

I’m gonna say again: Strong religious zealot vibes. I don’t think he’s a Trumper. Also not a “burn it down” guy. I think he’s an “anything for the cause” guy, and the cause is his devotion to Jesus Christ and his particular understanding of what it means to be a Christian.

Not certain of the details of his hierarchy of priorities, but I’m pretty sure that Christian theocracy is at the top.

Again: Watch that 18 minute acceptance speech. He laid it out there.

So for instance, if he was an OO forum member, his signature would likely be filled with a short list of things Jesus said.

The problem isn't that he's Christian and might fill his OO signature with Bible verses he finds significant. The problem is that he's in charge of the House (to the extent anyone is in charge of that broken chamber) and 3rd in line to be POTUS and has signaled that, if given the chance, he would likely turn this country into a Christian theocracy.

[Unagi]

Obviously. Right?

[Alefroth]

2nd in line.

[Kurth]

2nd in line.

Huh? (1) President, (2) VP, (3) Speaker, no?

[Edited: Oh, I see. I guess that makes the Speaker 2nd in line if the President isn't actually in the line. That makes sense.]

[Kurth]

Obviously. Right?

You've lost me, Unagi.

[Unagi]

Obviously. Right?

You've lost me, Unagi.

You took what I said and countered it (it seemed) to highlight that the problem wasn't just that he was a Christian, but that he wanted to make everyone else live as a Christian, and was now the Speaker - and that someone with that outlook being Speaker should be frightening. I totally agree, and I think that it's very frightening, and my statement was not meant to imply otherwise.

But yeah, that's Christianity. It's a missionary religion and it has a mission, I'm sure you've read.

So what was my point? Just that some people shove their religion on other people and it's never something I enjoy.

So, with regard to this ass-hat new Speaker, sadly - I need to just have the serenity to accept the things I cannot control (who the GOP nominates and elects as Speaker), but to have the courage to maybe change the things that I can - like any random OO members that shove their religion on other people with every single post.

That's all. It wasn't directed at you. And, I do apologize for semi-derailing your point, which is what we should be talking about.

[Holman]

Johnson has already failed his own "biblical worldview" litmus test wrt to George Santos.

When asked about Santos's all-but-proven record of lying and left theft, Johnson refused to endorse calls for his resignation explicitly because of the GOP's "razor-thin majority" in the House.

[fixed typo]

[Kurth]

Johnson has already failed his own "biblical worldview" litmus test wrt to George Santos.

When asked about Santos's all-but-proven record of lying and left, Johnson refused to endorse calls for his resignation explicitly because of the GOP's "razor-thin majority" in the House.

Hypocrite is a word that immediately comes to mind, but I don’t think that’s right.

Zealot. I think he’s an “ends justify the means” guy. He isn’t being a hypocrite. He’s compromising his deeply held values to hold on to a majority and advance his worldview.

[Unagi]

Jesus said, "The ends justify the means"

[Holman]

Zealot. I think he’s an “ends justify the means” guy. He isn’t being a hypocrite. He’s compromising his deeply held values to hold on to a majority and advance his worldview.

He'll still try to wrap it in religion.

Once you truly believe that your purposes are God's purposes, everything is permitted. George Santos is a lying grifter? Fine, he's a lying grifter that God has elevated to the House in order to make xyz happen.

The Trump hold on Evangelicals works exactly the same way. When you remind them that many of Trump's crimes and his lies were committed well after he first got their blessing for doing God's work for America, they can comfortably fall right back on the "divine plan" explanation.

[LordMortis]

The Trump hold on Evangelicals works exactly the same way. When you remind them that many of Trump's crimes and his lies were committed well after he first got their blessing for doing God's work for America, they can comfortably fall right back on the "divine plan" explanation.

So much of this. It's a prime example of why can't even start a conversation.

[Skinypupy]

The Trump hold on Evangelicals works exactly the same way. When you remind them that many of Trump's crimes and his lies were committed well after he first got their blessing for doing God's work for America, they can comfortably fall right back on the "divine plan" explanation.

Also makes it much easier to simply brush off any criminal behavior as “deep state persecution of God’s chosen messenger”.

[Pyperkub]

This description from a Republican "insider" seems rather apt (tho when they ban that book, nobody will understand...):

The House will face this new normal with a weak speaker in a scenario that one veteran Republican insider compared to “Lord of the Flies” after the defenestration spree of the past three weeks that led not only to McCarthy’s ouster but to Republicans electing and then rejecting three speaker-designates in turn.

[Carpet_pissr]

When you remind them that many of Trump's crimes and his lies were committed well after he first got their blessing for doing God's work for America, they can comfortably fall right back on the "divine plan" explanation.

I really think we are beyond this. I've seen this sentiment several times here lately, and may have even used it myself, but the current vocal GOP is well beyond feeling any kind of need to respond with an excuse for their deplorable behavior...I think the meme of when the current speaker was elected and giving a speech, and someone asked a question and got loudly boo'd? That's where we are.

They don't and haven't for a while IMO, needed any kind of sensible response, or even the pretense of one....when their voters cheer on and celebrate this kind of behavior, that's what we get. We seem to keep pretending (maybe because we hate the reality) that this new faction is like what came before. They need cover. They need an excuse, etc. Bullshit. They don't need or care about any of the typical, normative answers that politicians have needed to use in the past, and the rowdier and louder, and more boorish they are, it just seems to help them.

[LordMortis]

I don't know about vocal but the still quiet GOP think like I do, voting for TFG and the nutcases and the slimeballs and the grifters is a defensive play against socialism and democratic corruption. They think the democrats are out to take thars and that is a full stop. Nothing else gets through to them. It's something I have to guard against myself, while knowing that I dismiss all of the GOP because of that GOP is and following its trajectory.

[Jaymann]

This guy is generally over the top in the "This time we got him for sure" vein, but he makes some good points relative to the Mike Johnson speakership.

[LordMortis]

"We don't live a democracy.... We live in a Constitutional Republic" is all you need to hear... No wait "The founders set that up because the followed the Biblical admonition."

I'm just waiting for "All taxation is theft"

Oh we're in trouble.

[Holman]

Johnson has said that he is influenced by Christian Nationalist pseudo-historian David Barton,who is certainly worth knowing about.

[Isgrimnur]

House GOP demands IRS budget cuts along with Israel aid

The legislation, released by the House Rules Committee, calls for approving roughly $14 billion primarily in military aid to Israel and cutting about the same amount from the IRS budget. President Biden has proposed giving Israel roughly the same amount in aid but did not call for offsetting cuts to other parts of the budget. The new House speaker, Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), has said the new expenditure must be covered by other spending reductions to avoid adding to the debt.

[Kraken]

The new House speaker, Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), has said the new expenditure must be covered by other spending reductions to avoid adding to the debt.

...so cut your income stream. That'll put a dent in the ol' debt!

[Zarathud]

The Republicans are desperate to prevent the IRS from hiring auditors. It’s like they’re under the influence of a tax cheat … like former President Trump. It’s not criminal tax evasion if you’re never audited (sigh).

Even if the funds are allocated, there isn’t enough qualified people to work for the IRS. My firm would love to find more competent estate tax attorneys — and we’ll pay much more than a government wage.