Jordan falls short of 217 votes; minority leader Jeffries gets 212 votes to Jordan’s 200

[Right_in_Virginia]

Scott Adams
@ScottAdamsSays

Don't blame @mattgaetz for breaking something that was already broken.

8:57 AM · Oct 22, 2023

[Right_in_Virginia]

Scott Adams
@ScottAdamsSays

I'd like to thank @mattgaetz for doing the only useful thing that happened in Congress lately. Since removing the Speaker, Congress has not given away any of my money to people I don't want to have it.

It's progress. Let's keep it going.


9:21 AM · Oct 23, 2023

[Cyber Liberty]

1:19 PM · Oct 22, 2023

Meanwhile, the Murder Turtle was doing the exact same thing in the Senate.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

I'm simply trying to educate you on how our system of government works and who controls the purse strings ---- it's Congress.

No, that's not what you're doing.  You're trying to deflect from your history of openly ridiculing efforts to reform entitlements, and from your support of Trump attacking anyone who raises it.

Entitlement reform cannot pass without support from the President. That is a political reality that you are trying to ignore so you can support the contradictory positions of supporting Trump's attacks on those who want entitlement reform, while claiming that you support entitlement reform.  It's absurd.  I suppose it is equally absurd for pro-Trump members of Congress to endorse him while also demanding entitlement reform.  Pure cognitive dissonance.

As long as your beloved Uniparty controls the legislature, nothing will change.  You calling for fiscal conservatism while protecting and rallying for the Uniparty's power is, IMO, the very definition of "disingenuous".

First, I'm not defending the Uniparty.  I'm defending the process of supporting whomever wins the most votes in caucus, because the alternative is untenable.  If Jordan had won in January, I'd have been thrilled, and pissed at any RINO's who tried to extract concessions from him.  As would everyone here.

I'd point out once again that it was McCarthy who pushed a bill that cut 8% from everything except veterans and defense, and added border security, and alleged conservatives who killed it.

It is not the Speaker who determines which legislation passes, but rather the individual members casting their votes.  Rather than focusing on the Speaker, the focus should be on "how do we get the RINOs to support the most conservative bill possible."  Pissing them off by removing with 8 votes a Speaker who got 210 GOP votes is not the way to do that.  All Gaetz & Co. did was piss off the one voting bloc conservatives absolutely must have to pass better legislation.

[Bigun]

DC_Draino
@DC_Draino

People forget that Kevin McCarthy put tens of millions of dollars into GOP primaries attacking MAGA candidates

When they survived his onslaught, he left them high and dry during the general and many lost close races

We could’v easily had a 20-30 seat cushion if popular MAGA candidates were supported

Some blame Trump for our tiny House majority

But it was Kevin using GOP funds to damage MAGA and boost unlikable establishment candidates

Raheem.
@RaheemKassam
·19h

Kevin McCarthy and Tom Emmer’s refusal to back MAGA congressional candidates is the reason they have a shitty majority. Yet somehow these two clowns feel entitled to lead their party? The GOP will not be considered serious until they dispose of these goons.

Both are EXACTLY right and when you add in what Mitch the bitch has done to conservative senate candidates the REAL picture emerges!

Those clowns are exactly why I only donate to candidates I personally choose now.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Both are EXACTLY right and when you add in what Mitch the bitch has done to conservative senate candidates the REAL picture emerges!

Those clowns are exactly why I only donate to candidates I personally choose now.

Ha!  Freaking Mega-MAGA Representative Matt Rosendale (Moron, Montana) is on record saying that he wanted as small a GOP majority as possible to give maximum leverage to a small group of conservatives.  If it's anyone who didn't want a bigger majority, it was them.

I also think it is absurd to claim that we lost races in swing districts because our candidates weren't MAGA enough.

[Bigun]

Ha!  Freaking Mega-MAGA Representative Matt Rosendale (Moron, Montana) is on record saying that he wanted as small a GOP majority as possible to give maximum leverage to a small group of conservatives.  If it's anyone who didn't want a bigger majority, it was them.

I also think it is absurd to claim that we lost races in swing districts because our candidates weren't MAGA enough.

But that isn't what I said is it?  What I DID say is that we've lost MANY winnable races because the clowns I referred to CUT OFF THEIR CAMPAIGN $$$ because THEY don't want conservatives in either body!

The people I mentioned would much prefer a left-wing democrat fill a seat over a conservative. They insist on is business as usual and will accept nothing else.

[Right_in_Virginia]

First, I'm not defending the Uniparty.  I'm defending the process of supporting whomever wins the most votes in caucus, because the alternative is untenable.

In this battle, it's a difference without a distinction.   You're simply throwing colorful sprinkles on your fight for the Uniparty.

[Hoodat]

As long as your beloved Uniparty controls the legislature, nothing will change.  You calling for fiscal conservatism while protecting and rallying for the Uniparty's power is, IMO, the very definition of "disingenuous".

In other words, electing Trump won't make any difference.  So why vote for him?

[DefiantMassRINO]

Trump will make a difference ... more votes for Dems.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

But that isn't what I said is it?  What I DID say is that we've lost MANY winnable races because the clowns I referred to CUT OFF THEIR CAMPAIGN $$$ because THEY don't want conservatives in either body!

Where's the evidence of that?  Because from what I've read, McCarthy maxed out on supporting a lot of the people who have been lining up against him.  Here's some data:

McCarthy’s political operation spent millions on lawmakers now opposing his speaker dreams
The GOP leader’s PAC donated directly to many, and the super PAC aligned with McCarthy spent heavily backing several rebels in past battleground races.

In the 2022 election cycle alone, political groups affiliated with Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) spent over $1 million supporting Republican representatives who have now voted against him for speaker, according to a review of federal campaign finance records.

Of the 20 Republicans who voted for someone other than McCarthy — leaving the House in deadlock — 14 received a total of $120,000 in contributions from McCarthy’s leadership PAC, the Majority Committee, the filings show. That includes Reps. Dan Bishop (N.C.), Michael Cloud (Texas), Andrew Clyde (Ga.), Byron Donalds (Fla.), Bob Good (Va.), Andy Harris (Md.), Ralph Norman (S.C.), Scott Perry (Pa.) and Matt Rosendale (Mont.), along with incoming freshmen Anna Paulina Luna (Fla.), Josh Brecheen (Okla.), Andy Ogles (Tenn.), Eli Crane (Ariz.) and Keith Self (Texas).


The donations were among hundreds McCarthy spread around to the Republican conference and GOP challengers as he sought to help Republicans win the House majority in 2021 and 2022. Most candidates received the maximum $10,000 — $5,000 each for the primary and the general election — although a few only got support for the general election.

Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Lauren Boebert (Colo.), Matt Gaetz (Fla.), Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Mary Miller (Ill.) and Chip Roy (Texas) did not receive any contributions from McCarthy’s PAC in the last election cycle, although some have benefited from the political operation in the past. Most of the incumbents — with the exception of Boebert, whose contest went to an automatic recount due to its surprisingly close margin — faced easy paths to reelection in the midterms.

“This is not personal,” Roy said on the House floor on Tuesday.

In addition to McCarthy’s leadership PAC, the McCarthy-aligned House GOP super PAC, Congressional Leadership Fund, also threw its support behind some of the lawmakers who are now spoiling his speaker bid. Crane received $10,000 in contributions from CLF during both the primary and general election. Harris and Self each received $5,000 during their primary and general elections, respectively.

CLF didn’t just donate to Crane, however. The super PAC also spent over $900,000 on ads in support of him as he challenged incumbent Democratic Rep. Tom O’Halleran in Arizona’s 2nd District. Crane, a political newcomer backed by former President Donald Trump, went on to beat O’Halleran, who was one of the most vulnerable House Democrats in 2022 due to redistricting, by about 8 points.

One TV spot touted that Crane would “stand up to [President Joe] Biden and stop the spending.”

First, though, Crane is standing up to McCarthy.

As the main House Republican super PAC, CLF has spent heavily in previous elections bolstering other Republicans who are now playing the role of anti-McCarthy rebels. In 2020, the super PAC poured over $1.5 million into Perry’s race in Pennsylvania, targeting Democratic opponent Eugene DePasquale. It also spent $1.8 million opposing Democrat Cameron Webb, who was Good’s opponent in central Virginia. Perry won his election by 12 points, but it was a closer race for Good, who won by 5 points....

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/01/04/mccarthy-political-action-committee-opposition-00076377

Obviously, you can't spend max money in every race because funds are limited, but the idea that he didn't support conservatives appears false.

[Right_in_Virginia]

In other words, electing Trump won't make any difference.  So why vote for him?

We're talking about the importance of a MAGA Congress here.  President Trump is the lynchpin.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

We're talking about the importance of a MAGA Congress here.  President Trump is the lynchpin.

A MAGA Congress that believes in the same things in Trump is just doubling down on fiscal stupidity.

[berdie]

My only comment on this fiasco at this point is...

These yahoos need to stay there until there is a resolution. No recesses. Period. End of story.

[Kamaji]

A MAGA Congress that believes in the same things in Trump is just doubling down on fiscal stupidity.

[Right_in_Virginia]

A MAGA Congress that believes in the same things in Trump is just doubling down on fiscal stupidity.

 

Who the hell do you think Gaetz ---- fighting for fiscal sanity in the House ---- aligns with?    Maybe it's time you consider buying a vowel ----- actually, give some consideration to buying all five. 

[jmyrlefuller]

Who the hell do you think Gaetz ---- fighting for fiscal sanity in the House ---- aligns with?    Maybe it's time you consider buying a vowel ----- actually, give some consideration to buying all five.

Which only goes to show there isn't a single soul in that swamp that actually wants to drain it. It's all sport. Whose team are you on, who are you against. The few that do seem to care seem to care about the wrong things and want to make things worse.

And the voters who put them there are to blame.

[Kamaji]

Who the hell do you think Gaetz ---- fighting for fiscal sanity in the House ---- aligns with?    Maybe it's time you consider buying a vowel ----- actually, give some consideration to buying all five. 

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Who the hell do you think Gaetz ---- fighting for fiscal sanity in the House ---- aligns with?

1) I don't believe Gaetz is actually fighting for fiscal sanity

2) I believe that he aligns only with himself and his own interests.  Everything he says or does is aligned to advance his own political future, and that's it.

It's amusing to watch you ignoring the contradiction between your Trumpian declarations on the absurdity of entitlement reform, and you arguing for fiscal restraint by Congress.

So which is it?  Should Republicans be pushing entitlement reform, or not?

[Hoodat]

We're talking about the importance of a MAGA Congress here.  President Trump is the lynchpin.

Trump is the reason why  a GOP takeover in the Senate failed and why their hold over the  House is so tenuous.  Trump killed the red wave.

[Hoodat]

Who the hell do you think Gaetz ---- fighting for fiscal sanity in the House ---- aligns with?    Maybe it's time you consider buying a vowel ----- actually, give some consideration to buying all five.

Didn't Gaetz just depose Trump's pick for Speaker?

[roamer_1]

The US GDP for 2022 was 25.462 trillion dollars. So that $1.7T is about 6.7% of what the country produces each year. Still bad, but definitely not a third of our annual GDP.

My some-timers kicking in... Somehow I get stuck in the early 2ks... Do the same with prices.

I stand corrected. Thank you.

[bilo]

1) I don't believe Gaetz is actually fighting for fiscal sanity

2) I believe that he aligns only with himself and his own interests.  Everything he says or does is aligned to advance his own political future, and that's it.

It's amusing to watch you ignoring the contradiction between your Trumpian declarations on the absurdity of entitlement reform, and you arguing for fiscal restraint by Congress.

So which is it?  Should Republicans be pushing entitlement reform, or not?

If you truly believe that, you haven't been paying attention.

The only other possibility is you are so infected with TDS that you immediately reject anything a MAGA-America First Pub says and does.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Which only goes to show there isn't a single soul in that swamp that actually wants to drain it. It's all sport. Whose team are you on, who are you against. The few that do seem to care seem to care about the wrong things and want to make things worse.

And the voters who put them there are to blame.

Actually, I think there are a lot of them who want to do what we consider is the "right thing".  The problem is that there also are a lot of folks on the other side whose "right thing" is the exact opposite of ours.  So it's hard to get a majority.  Then, when you factor in those who really don't want to do the right thing, and the disagreement in tactics among those who do...it's tough.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

If you truly believe that, you haven't been paying attention.

Politicians say all sorts of crap to get elected, appeal to a target constituency, etc..   So I prefer to focus on the results of what they do, rather than the words or basic actions.  I don't see anything Gaetz has done as likely to lead to more conservative results.  More likely the opposite because he's fractured the only opposition to an even more rapid slide into leftism.

It's not that I think he's a leftist.  I just think he's a...Gaetzist.   Kind of like Trump is a Trumpist.  So self-absorbed that they think whatever is good for them personally is necessary good for the country.