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Cont: The thread for stupidity from GQP politicians who don't have their own thread Part II

Matt Gaetz made good on a continuing threat, introducing a resolution late this afternoon to dump Kevin McCarthy as Speaker. This was apparently in retaliation for McCarthy cooperating with House Democrats to delay a government shutdown. The Hill reports Gaetz telling reporters:
“He doesn’t have my support anymore and he doesn’t have the support of a requisite number of Republicans to continue as the Republican Speaker,” Gaetz told reporters following his announcement on the House floor. The Hill link
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Stacyhs said:
I'm terribly worried about Trump and his extremist ilk. I don't think I've said anything to indicate otherwise.

But your question is moving the goalpost as my comment was in regard to Kyrsten Sinema being a 'far right nutjob' when her voting record shows she is not. As I've noted before, just because someone is not as far left as you (the general/plural 'you') does not mean they are far right. There is a lot of area between far left and far right.
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I think it is also Important to look at what the issues she voted against are
 
Stacyhs said:
I'm terribly worried about Trump and his extremist ilk. I don't think I've said anything to indicate otherwise.



But your question is moving the goalpost as my comment was in regard to Kyrsten Sinema being a 'far right nutjob' when her voting record shows she is not. As I've noted before, just because someone is not as far left as you (the general/plural 'you') does not mean they are far right. There is a lot of area between far left and far right.
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I think it's more the narcissistic behaviour that gives her away. That stupid thumbs down for the minimum wage did it for me. She did that right after being pals with the Republican senators. She has a serious mental problem that she hides.
 
newyorkguy said:
Matt Gaetz made good on a continuing threat, introducing a resolution late this afternoon to dump Kevin McCarthy as Speaker. This was apparently in retaliation for McCarthy cooperating with House Democrats to delay a government shutdown.
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I wonder if Gaetz has any idea of any sort of end-goal here. (Or is he just after chaos.) He should know that the extreme-right "freedom caucus" does not have enough sway to install one of their own as leader, and anyone acceptable to the rest of the republican caucus is probably going to have the same problem appealing to the extremists that McCarthy did.

The extremists already had more power/influence than their numbers warranted. Why mess with that, and throw them into another vote for republican leadership?

I wonder if McCarthy is regretting not removing Gaetz when he had the chance. (Remember when Gaetz was linked to sex trafficking. Would have been a great opportunity to have him kicked out. Ok, would have narrowed the republican margin in the house, but would have saved McCarthy some headaches.)
 
Segnosaur said:
I wonder if Gaetz has any idea of any sort of end-goal here. (Or is he just after chaos.) He should know that the extreme-right "freedom caucus" does not have enough sway to install one of their own as leader, and anyone acceptable to the rest of the republican caucus is probably going to have the same problem appealing to the extremists that McCarthy did.

The extremists already had more power/influence than their numbers warranted. Why mess with that, and throw them into another vote for republican leadership?

I wonder if McCarthy is regretting not removing Gaetz when he had the chance. (Remember when Gaetz was linked to sex trafficking. Would have been a great opportunity to have him kicked out. Ok, would have narrowed the republican margin in the house, but would have saved McCarthy some headaches.)
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The GOP has a recent tendancy to allow the tail to wag the dog. Maybe the Freedom Caucus will be successful in having their candidate elected - if only to keep them quiet and allow the Republicans to continue to frustrate all Democratic attempts to govern. :confused:
 
Segnosaur said:
I wonder if Gaetz has any idea of any sort of end-goal here...
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I wonder if Gaetz isn't primarily trying to promote himself to the Republican rank-and-file who seem to value aggressiveness and belligerence above all. I think Gaetz's continuing belligerent behavior is the reason Republican voters -- supporters of the so-called Party of Family Values -- have been willing to ignore allegations that Gaetz, while serving in Congress, had a sexual relationship with a teenage girl and paid for her to travel with him. Republican members of Congress, however, are reportedly fed up with Gaetz and the misconduct allegations may provide an avenue to remove Gaetz from Congress.

Newsweek reported yesterday:
Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz could face expulsion proceedings from the House of Representatives as his fellow Republicans appear to grow weary of his personal vendetta against House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, according to reports. House GOP members are said to be looking into trying to oust Gaetz from the party if the findings of an Ethics Committee report into allegations of sex trafficking, bribery and drug use against the congressman reveals findings of guilt. Newsweek link
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newyorkguy said:
I wonder if Gaetz isn't primarily trying to promote himself to the Republican rank-and-file who seem to value aggressiveness and belligerence above all. I think Gaetz's continuing belligerent behavior is the reason Republican voters -- supporters of the so-called Party of Family Values -- have been willing to ignore allegations that Gaetz, while serving in Congress, had a sexual relationship with a teenage girl and paid for her to travel with him.
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Well, that and their razor-thin majority in the house means that they may not want to lose even one seat in congress.
Republican members of Congress, however, are reportedly fed up with Gaetz and the misconduct allegations may provide an avenue to remove Gaetz from Congress.

House GOP members are said to be looking into trying to oust Gaetz from the party if the findings of an Ethics Committee report into allegations of sex trafficking, bribery and drug use against the congressman reveals findings of guilt.
Newsweek reported yesterday:
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I was unaware that they had a committee looking into various scandals linked to Gaetz. (I figure once they dropped the threat of an indictment for sex trafficing, Gaetz was in the clear.)

Of course, if they do expel him, it will raise the question: Why Gaetz and not Santos, who's ethics violations are probably on par with that of Gaetz. (Well, we know why they might want to expel Gaetz and not Santos, but it will still be an embarrassment.)

I wonder what might happen to his district. Its solidly republican, so you would expect the republicans to win it again in 2024. But if Gaetz runs as an independent I wonder if his "fame" might allow him to win his seat.
 
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I suspect the Dems may eventually help McCarthy to retain his speakership. But only after making him sweat a while and, hopefully, getting him to make a deal with them on video.
 
CNN reported in July:
Investigators from the House Ethics Committee have begun reaching out to witnesses as part of a recently revived investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, focused on allegations that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct, illicit drug use or other misconduct...A source familiar with the House panel’s work told CNN that the Justice Department’s decision not to bring charges against Gaetz does not impact what the committee will and won’t investigate. The committee plans to examine the same allegations they were looking into when they opened the investigation in 2021, the source told CNN. CNN news link
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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has already questioned, why Gaetz but not Santos?

[IMGW=450]http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1474&pictureid=13772[/IMGW]
 
I hate how the Dems fall into that trap and think:

Republicans: "We'll punish one of our own."
Democrats: "Well that's hypocritical. Why this person but not that person?"
Republicans: "Fine we won't punish either of them."

is an actual moral victory they tricked the Republicans into.
 
Trebuchet said:
I suspect the Dems may eventually help McCarthy to retain his speakership. But only after making him sweat a while and, hopefully, getting him to make a deal with them on video.
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McCarthy (in the future): "Yes I made a deal with the democrats but the circumstances have changed and I no longer need to abide by it".
 
I can't image the Republicans are ready to toss McCarthy without already knowing who they want to take his place.

Like I can't help but feel this is more about getting someone in that positions then it is about getting rid of McCarthy.

But again the whole idea that political party leaders have any actual codified power in Congress is absolutely absurd to me.
 
JoeMorgue said:
I can't image the Republicans are ready to toss McCarthy without already knowing who they want to take his place.

Like I can't help but feel this is more about getting someone in that positions then it is about getting rid of McCarthy.

But again the whole idea that political party leaders have any actual codified power in Congress is absolutely absurd to me.
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This isn't really THE Republicans, though, is it? It's 5 or so right-wing crazies that just want to watch it burn down, and the Democrats have stated they aren't going to save McCarthy.

So that's all it's going to take apparently.
 
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I'm watching C-SPAN, and the motion to Table just failed. So now Gaetz gets 30 minutes then McCarthy's allies get 30 minutes to speak against/for and then the vote to vacate.

Vote was 208 Yea, 218 Nay, 7 no votes.
 
JoeMorgue said:
I hate how the Dems fall into that trap and think:

Republicans: "We'll punish one of our own."
Democrats: "Well that's hypocritical. Why this person but not that person?"
Republicans: "Fine we won't punish either of them."

is an actual moral victory they tricked the Republicans into.
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I get your point, But the Dems shouldn't be in a hurry to help the Republicans get their act together. It's pretty much a certainty that they will need the Dems to help at some point. But there has to be something in it for the Democrats.
 
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