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FSogol
FSogol's Journal
FSogol's Journal
January 5, 2023
Help me out with the math: McCarthy lost 2 votes in six rounds.
He'll be down to zero votes by which round?
January 4, 2023
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jan/04/republicans-split-congress-govern-far-right
I love this headline: "The House speaker fiasco shows that Republicans are unable to govern"
After a new session begins, the first order of business for the House of Representatives is to pick a speaker. For a century this has been a mere formality, with the party in power having enough organization and respect for the country to move swiftly on to other matters. But on Tuesday the Republican party broke this streak of basic competence, failing in three separate ballots to come up with the votes to install Kevin McCarthy, the presumed frontrunner, as speaker.
With the group of hard-right irreconcilables opposing McCarthy getting larger rather than smaller as the day went on, it quickly became clear that the wannabe speaker had no plan for breaking the deadlock. If he hoped that his opponents would eventually tire of symbolism and bow down to practical reality, he was mistaken – for a large group of Republican lawmakers, particularly those in the far-right Freedom Caucus, symbolism is the entire purpose of holding office. They came to Washington not to construct but to destruct, and taking down McCarthy is just the beginning.
The spectacle of a party unable to even decide who should lead it is illuminating to voters, and Democrats should certainly celebrate these Republican misfortunes. It was the Democrats’ surprisingly strong performance in the fall’s midterms which put Republicans in this position to begin with. Having only a thin majority in the House means that McCarthy can easily be held hostage by his party’s most far-right members – not a good look for a party already suffering from the perception that it is extreme and out of touch.
But Republican irresponsibility doesn’t just endanger the party’s own electoral prospects – it also endangers the country. America needs a functioning House of Representatives with a responsible speaker in order to discharge basic functions like funding the government and increasing the debt limit. The stakes are huge, and gridlock is not an option. The last shutdown cost the economy $11bn, and a failure to increase the debt limit could be even worse, leading to the US defaulting on its debt and shattering the global economy.
With the group of hard-right irreconcilables opposing McCarthy getting larger rather than smaller as the day went on, it quickly became clear that the wannabe speaker had no plan for breaking the deadlock. If he hoped that his opponents would eventually tire of symbolism and bow down to practical reality, he was mistaken – for a large group of Republican lawmakers, particularly those in the far-right Freedom Caucus, symbolism is the entire purpose of holding office. They came to Washington not to construct but to destruct, and taking down McCarthy is just the beginning.
The spectacle of a party unable to even decide who should lead it is illuminating to voters, and Democrats should certainly celebrate these Republican misfortunes. It was the Democrats’ surprisingly strong performance in the fall’s midterms which put Republicans in this position to begin with. Having only a thin majority in the House means that McCarthy can easily be held hostage by his party’s most far-right members – not a good look for a party already suffering from the perception that it is extreme and out of touch.
But Republican irresponsibility doesn’t just endanger the party’s own electoral prospects – it also endangers the country. America needs a functioning House of Representatives with a responsible speaker in order to discharge basic functions like funding the government and increasing the debt limit. The stakes are huge, and gridlock is not an option. The last shutdown cost the economy $11bn, and a failure to increase the debt limit could be even worse, leading to the US defaulting on its debt and shattering the global economy.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jan/04/republicans-split-congress-govern-far-right
January 4, 2023
https://wtop.com/gallery/dc/president-teddy-roosevelts-teenage-relative-takes-office-in-dc/
President Teddy Roosevelt's teenage relative takes office in DC
The youngest elected leader in D.C., who was just sworn in Monday, is still looking forward to attending senior prom and choosing which college he will attend.
Quentin Colón Roosevelt, 18, is the great, great, great grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt, and now represents Spring Valley, the Palisades and Kent as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner. ANCs usually serve two-year terms, working directly with area residents on multiple issues and present their recommendations to D.C. government agencies.
The distant relative to the former president told WTOP’s news partner at NBC Washington that he hoped to continue his family’s legacy as public servants.
“My grandfather was a lawyer for the CIA,” Roosevelt said. “His grandfather did politics and government stuff, as well. I think we just want to be involved in what’s going on around us because we feel we have to give back to this country that’s given my family so much.”
https://wtop.com/gallery/dc/president-teddy-roosevelts-teenage-relative-takes-office-in-dc/
January 3, 2023
What the GOP House doesn't have a speaker yet? Republicans in disarry!
Where are all these articles from the main street media?
December 4, 2022
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/sean-quinns-downfall-is-fairies-revenge-say-locals-in-cavan-26794562.html
Sean Quinn's downfall is fairies' revenge say locals in Cavan
HE was once Ireland's richest man, with a fortune of €4.7bn, before his huge gamble on Anglo Irish Bank shares toppled him into bankruptcy. But for some in his heartland on the Cavan/Fermanagh border, the downfall of Sean Quinn has more to do with the wrath of the fairies than risky business moves.
According to these locals, it was the decision to move a megalithic burial tomb 20 years ago which led to the fall of his cement, hotels, and insurance empire. The Aughrim Wedge Tomb stood for 4,000 years in the townland after which it is named, two miles outside Ballyconnell, Co Cavan. But when it got in the way of the expansion of a massive quarry for Quinn Concrete in 1992, permission was granted by the Office of Public Works to move it.
Following a full excavation of the site, it was moved -- stone by stone -- and relocated in the grounds of Mr Quinn's Slieve Russell Hotel on the other side of the village. Mr Quinn has since lost the cement works, the hotel, a raft of other businesses and his multi-billion euro fortune. According to bankruptcy documents, he now claims to have just €11,000 in the bank.
Some locals have linked the movement of the tomb to Mr Quinn's financial woes.
According to these locals, it was the decision to move a megalithic burial tomb 20 years ago which led to the fall of his cement, hotels, and insurance empire. The Aughrim Wedge Tomb stood for 4,000 years in the townland after which it is named, two miles outside Ballyconnell, Co Cavan. But when it got in the way of the expansion of a massive quarry for Quinn Concrete in 1992, permission was granted by the Office of Public Works to move it.
Following a full excavation of the site, it was moved -- stone by stone -- and relocated in the grounds of Mr Quinn's Slieve Russell Hotel on the other side of the village. Mr Quinn has since lost the cement works, the hotel, a raft of other businesses and his multi-billion euro fortune. According to bankruptcy documents, he now claims to have just €11,000 in the bank.
Some locals have linked the movement of the tomb to Mr Quinn's financial woes.
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/sean-quinns-downfall-is-fairies-revenge-say-locals-in-cavan-26794562.html
November 13, 2022
Didn't Mitch McConnell say he would retire if his party didn't retake the Senate?
Or am I remembering that wrong?
November 8, 2022
Important day DUers. Don't let anything stop you from voting. Call family members, friends,
talk to co-workers, and anyone else you can think of. We need a big turnout.
GOTV.
November 4, 2022
I voted today!
Stopped by the library to pick up a book I had on reserve and it turns out my local library was a County early election polling place. There was no line, so placed my vote for the awesome Rep Gerry Connolly. I was voter 1,972 for the day.
GOTV, DU.
November 1, 2022
https://www.theonion.com/disappointed-trick-or-treater-was-really-hoping-to-get-1849654379
Disappointed Trick-Or-Treater Was Really Hoping To Get At Least One Pack Of Fentanyl
KANSAS CITY, MO—Scouring the bag of candy before throwing it across the room in defeat, disappointed trick-or-treater Olivia Vercetti, 8, told reporters Monday that she was really hoping to get at least one pack of fentanyl this Halloween. “Aw, man, everybody was supposed to be giving out rainbow fentanyl this year, and I didn’t even get a single pill,” said Vercetti, adding that she even examined her haul of candy for any packages that were open or looked tampered with just in case the colorful opioids were hidden inside, but she still came up empty. “I was expecting my neighborhood to be flooded with rainbow fentanyl to get kids addicted, and instead I get a box of Whoppers? I can’t OD on that!
https://www.theonion.com/disappointed-trick-or-treater-was-really-hoping-to-get-1849654379
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