My nominee for line of the day: "I just feel like we could have done this significantly better," Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) said while watching Gaetz outside.
It was a funny scene. We were chasing Republicans in the dark, while this mob with lights was surrounding Gaetz on the stairs. Donalds and Ogles were about to get in their car to leave, and you could see they were just shaking their heads. Once again, a number of Democrats walked by and stopped to listen, also wincing and muttering.
Is there not a tunnel that directly connects the Canon Building to the Capital? Also, wouldn’t a former high school principal, having conducted multiple fire drills, be familiar with how a fire alarm works?
Yes there is a tunnel connecting Cannon to the Capitol. But again - nothing that happens in the Cannon would result in an evacuation of the Capitol. I fully agree that it seems hard to believe he would pull the fire alarm. But those doors that he tried to open are normally open for lawmakers to walk across the street.
I think from a campaigning perspective, if you’re the Democrats you vote against McCarthy and stand back and watch the implosion and probably repeat the close government shutdown situation in November. Could easily pin that on the Republicans.
From a “we’re here to run a country” perspective, you support McCarthy and get on with working on spending bills that can pass.
It would be a tough choice. I think I would go with the latter. But the former would probably be fun for them to watch.
As others have stated, any alternative to McCarthy could be worse. Am looking forward to your analysis of today, tomorrow morning. Scott McFarland seems nice enough but he doesn’t have your résumé.
You taught me years ago that earmarks are the best way for money to be allocated. As much of the budget as possible should have a congressional name or two attached. Otherwise anonymous federal executive branch employees will decide where money is spent.
If a ban for raises has been in place since 2009, why did "no raises" have to be explicitly added to what was passed on Saturday? Not that I think they should get a raise, just curious about the mechanics and why adding the language was such an issue.
Not only that, but Republicans left the language out of the Legislative Branch bill for Congress - hoping that they might be able to get the pay raise in there. Then this blew up.
Perhaps I’m reading in to this, but it seems the House Democrats are in a pretty good position to make some basic demands of Speaker McCarthy in exchange for bailing him out—things as basic as sending House-approved bills to the Senate. I suspect the Dems aren’t really champing at the bit to help McCarthy, but as Mr. Brock said above, the Devil you know...
"Stop the absurd drama," counseled Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ah yes truth is stranger than fiction.
I did enjoy that one
Depends on who the Dems might think would replace McCarthy. Maybe, at this point, the devil you know is better to keep than to discard.
My nominee for line of the day: "I just feel like we could have done this significantly better," Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) said while watching Gaetz outside.
Ya think?
It was a funny scene. We were chasing Republicans in the dark, while this mob with lights was surrounding Gaetz on the stairs. Donalds and Ogles were about to get in their car to leave, and you could see they were just shaking their heads. Once again, a number of Democrats walked by and stopped to listen, also wincing and muttering.
Is there not a tunnel that directly connects the Canon Building to the Capital? Also, wouldn’t a former high school principal, having conducted multiple fire drills, be familiar with how a fire alarm works?
Yes there is a tunnel connecting Cannon to the Capitol. But again - nothing that happens in the Cannon would result in an evacuation of the Capitol. I fully agree that it seems hard to believe he would pull the fire alarm. But those doors that he tried to open are normally open for lawmakers to walk across the street.
Principals in NY are required to conduct 10 fire drills a year. They know how an alarm works.
I think that Democrats should be very careful since they could get someone in that seat that is worse.
Heck of a week, eh, Jamie?
It doesn't stop!
I think from a campaigning perspective, if you’re the Democrats you vote against McCarthy and stand back and watch the implosion and probably repeat the close government shutdown situation in November. Could easily pin that on the Republicans.
From a “we’re here to run a country” perspective, you support McCarthy and get on with working on spending bills that can pass.
It would be a tough choice. I think I would go with the latter. But the former would probably be fun for them to watch.
As others have stated, any alternative to McCarthy could be worse. Am looking forward to your analysis of today, tomorrow morning. Scott McFarland seems nice enough but he doesn’t have your résumé.
Scott sits across from me. He suggested that I charge for all the parliamentary procedure answers I'm providing
You taught me years ago that earmarks are the best way for money to be allocated. As much of the budget as possible should have a congressional name or two attached. Otherwise anonymous federal executive branch employees will decide where money is spent.
If a ban for raises has been in place since 2009, why did "no raises" have to be explicitly added to what was passed on Saturday? Not that I think they should get a raise, just curious about the mechanics and why adding the language was such an issue.
Congress is supposed to get the yearly cost of living pay hike as other federal workers, but every year since 2009, that has been blocked.
Ohh, ok. In that case, the bill authors would have known (or should have, at least) that the language to skip COLA needed to be there.
Not only that, but Republicans left the language out of the Legislative Branch bill for Congress - hoping that they might be able to get the pay raise in there. Then this blew up.
Perhaps I’m reading in to this, but it seems the House Democrats are in a pretty good position to make some basic demands of Speaker McCarthy in exchange for bailing him out—things as basic as sending House-approved bills to the Senate. I suspect the Dems aren’t really champing at the bit to help McCarthy, but as Mr. Brock said above, the Devil you know...
Strange times, indeed.