Random Politics Thread

[The Cat]

Nothing to see here, i guess...

Republicans Announce New Speaker Candidate After Tom Emmer Drama

Jonathan Ernst/ReutersLouisiana Rep. Mike Johnson is the Republican Party’s latest nominee for House speaker after a late-night Tuesday vote—just hours after Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) bailed out of his nomination after less than a day in the hot seat.Johnson, the Republican Vice Conference...

www.yahoo.com

Welcome to Capitol Hill. You simply must try the tea. It's America's Unbirthday after all.​

 

[Virtual ghost]

Why it is such a problem that temporary house speak can't become formal speaker ? That should be kinda the simplest solution.

 

[The Cat]

Why it is such a problem that temporary house speak can't become formal speaker ? That should be kinda the simplest solution.

You put a bunch of people together who famously dont want the government to function and they are doing everything they can to bungle the running of the government. I'll stop the presses and call the president at Camp David. This is unprecedented.

 

[Virtual ghost]

You put a bunch of people together who famously dont want the government to function and they are doing everything they can to bungle the running of the government. I'll stop the presses and call the president at Camp David. This is unprecedented.

I know, that was more of a rhetorical question from my side.
The situations like these are exactly why I am strong supporter of having the option of "snap elections". Because when politicians mess it up among themselves the best option is that they return the mandate to the people. So when this happens there should be snap elections within 4 to 8 weeks, and that should it. In other words at this rate the odds are that the mess will last all the way to regular elections in 2024. What is evidently bad for the country. Plus this is also why it is good to have multiparty system. Because in that case the factions of the two main parties would become parties themselves. What would allow you to pick specific flavor. Therefore your entire political system evidently needs a major update. What you have was visionary a few centuries back but history did stop there.

 

[Totenkindly]

Elections are run on the state and/or local level, in the USA, correct? Even for national elections -- and funded from the local level, with volunteers gotten on the local level?

If this is true, forget a 4-8 week election or getting everyone to agree on this in any regard, the voters and local/state abuses are what contributed to this mess.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Elections are run on the state and/or local level, in the USA, correct? Even for national elections -- and funded from the local level, with volunteers gotten on the local level?

If this is true, forget a 4-8 week election or getting everyone to agree on this in any regard, the voters and local/state abuses are what contributed to this mess.

Don't worry, I have no illusions that this can't be arranged anytime soon (mostly because of mental blockades in people's minds).
My argument was simply on the basis of talking about alternatives. In other words as politics is getting more complicated and diverse over time it is kinda bad idea to try to put it into black and white vote that can't really be changed for 4 years. In other words without brakes the odds are that you are going to hit more walls than you really have to. Therefore when there is a situation like in US house at the moment most developed countries would organize snap elections due to that. That is all I was trying to say.

 

[ceecee]

Why it is such a problem that temporary house speak can't become formal speaker ? That should be kinda the simplest solution.

Yeah I've been saying that since the beginning. They do have to grant him the speakers powers because as pro temp they're limited but he can remain until the election.

 

[ceecee]

Elections are run on the state and/or local level, in the USA, correct? Even for national elections -- and funded from the local level, with volunteers gotten on the local level?

If this is true, forget a 4-8 week election or getting everyone to agree on this in any regard, the voters and local/state abuses are what contributed to this mess.

Yes. Elections are run at the state and local levels - national one get funding locally although there is stuff like the US Election Assistance Commission that can provide funding. Poll workers are volunteers - I worked the polls in 2018, 2020 and 2022.

I cannot even imagine what the Republicans would do if confronted with something like snap elections. Complete crying meltdowns and lawsuits.

 

[Virtual ghost]

I cannot even imagine what the Republicans would do if confronted with something like snap elections. Complete crying meltdowns and lawsuits.

This is exactly why I said what I said. Since I know that this wouldn't really be on anyone's mind. However that is how other developed countries tend to solve situations like the current house mess. Also you guys have just two relevant parties and everyone knows where they stand on most of the issues. Plus today you have modern media and thus you don't have to travel to just about every swing district in the country. There really is no practical reason why there can't be snap elections. Even with primaries you can do one month for that and one month for general. It really isn't that the parties need some special introduction.

Plus the good thing about snap elections is that they can basically happen at any time. So politicians have to be careful regarding their base all the time. What then prevents good chunk of nonsense from even getting on the table.

 

[SensEye]

Looks like another Trump sycophant (Mike Johnson) is the new nominee. Lets see if the moderate Republicans cave this time. You know the crazies never will.

 

[ceecee]

Awesome.

The New House Speaker Is a Far-Right Extremist Who Helped Plot 2020 Coup

House Republicans elected far-right extremist Mike Johnson as the new House Speaker following weeks of dysfunction following Kevin McCarthy's ouster.

www.rollingstone.com

 

[Virtual ghost]

Awesome.

The New House Speaker Is a Far-Right Extremist Who Helped Plot 2020 Coup

House Republicans elected far-right extremist Mike Johnson as the new House Speaker following weeks of dysfunction following Kevin McCarthy's ouster.

www.rollingstone.com

Perhaps but if he is really this radical he could serve as a bogyman for 2024. So that people get out and vote in larger numbers.

 

[Stigmata]

Looks like another Trump sycophant (Mike Johnson) is the new nominee. Lets see if the moderate Republicans cave this time. You know the crazies never will.

Ah, yes, the fabeled "moderate" Republicans that are going to swoop in, take a stand, and push back on the extremist elements within their party and restore a missing sense of civility and decorum within our political ecosystem

Any day now........









Any minute now.








Just you guys wait and see, any minute now those benevolent moderates are going to restore the balance in the force.









Any second now......

 

[The Cat]

​

Ah, yes, the fabeled "moderate" Republicans that are going to swoop in, take a stand, and push back on the extremist elements within their party and restore a missing sense of civility and decorum within our political ecosystem

Any day now........









Any minute now.








Just you guys wait and see, any minute now those benevolent moderates are going to restore the balance in the force.









Any second now......

Probably just stuck in traffic.

 

[Totenkindly]

Figures they pick an election denier and all around anti-everything guy unanimously. At least they're on brand.

 

[Stigmata]

Figures they pick an election denier and all around anti-everything guy unanimously. At least they're on brand.

What gets me though: this isn't some aberration within the party, this is just who they are. The MSM likes to downplay the extremism because most of our media is owned by a handful of wealthy individuals who benefit from the legislative gridlock and tax breaks from the GOP, so the CNN/MSNBCs of the world frame the conversation from this like pseduo-centrist, yet pro-corporate perspective, but never actually call them out in a substantive way.

The base that elects these people to represent them is just as if not more extreme than the politicians themselves.

 

[Totenkindly]

The base that elects these people to represent them is just as if not more extreme than the politicians themselves.

That's rather what I was referring to earlier when I said both "the voters and local/state abuses are what contributed to this mess."

 

[The Cat]

What gets me though: this isn't some aberration within the party, this is just who they are. The MSM likes to downplay the extremism because most of our media is owned by a handful of wealthy individuals who benefit from the legislative gridlock and tax breaks from the GOP, so the CNN/MSNBCs of the world frame the conversation from this like pseduo-centrist, yet pro-corporate perspective, but never actually call them out in a substantive way.

The base that elects these people to represent them is just as if not more extreme than the politicians themselves.

The goal seems to be to bring all of this to a crashing halt, tear it all down and they haven't thought much further than that. The MSM needs to stop having shocked surprised reactions, but that's what they're paid for I reckon.

 

[Virtual ghost]

As I said before the only real way to fight this while respecting the law is by finding ways to increase the turnout. The far right government of Poland was ousted recently and that was probably just because there was literally record turnout. Thus you just have to find ways that will bring none voters to the table. Plus forget all the maps and polls and whatever, since those don't include none voters. In other words they are the only ones that can brake the struggle and truly tip the scales. What has no real alternative since the other side is going completely off the rail in what they want. As it was said: this is no longer the republican party of your grandparents.

The problem is that they can't really work with most of your allies that tend to be stable democracies that go far beyond even what the democratic party is offering. However once you disrupt those partnerships you are creating global landscape where various autocrats can more quickly expand across the world, while tilting countries that are in undefined state. What in the end erodes your own power and makes even more pressure at home. Therefore you guys just don't have too much of a choice. You just have to find ways to increase the turnout: from improving your own party, finding better talking points, finding better candidates across the map(s), finding people that are "yours" but they are too shy to vote on their own, fix problems in areas where you govern .... etc etc. This really has to be a team sport way of playing the game if you want it to work.

 

[SensEye]

Ah, yes, the fabeled "moderate" Republicans that are going to swoop in, take a stand, and push back on the extremist elements within their party and restore a missing sense of civility and decorum within our political ecosystem

I'm just calling them out on their bullshit. You know how every time the media ask one of these guys (or one of those running for the Republican nomination) they say: "I really don't think Trump will be the nominee." They are either deliberately lying or straight up stupid (or both). This was a chance for these moderates (if they exist) to try and show Trump doesn't still have full control of the party. They failed.