Category Archives: Congress

It’s Not So Bad

The results in the Senate are not, as many are proclaiming, a victory for the GOP establishment, but a big win for the Tea Party.  Yes, Karl Rove and Reince Preibus got them to don sheep’s clothing for the campaign, but they will govern as the wolves they are.  Take the issue of Personhood — that a fertilized egg has the same constitutional rights you and I do.  Cory Gardner, Thom Tillis, Tom Cotton, Steve Daines, and Joni Ernst all believe that.

On the one hand, you might see it as bad news to have more crazies in Congress.  And a Tea Party senator like Joni Ernst can do a lot more damage than a Tea Party congressman like retiring Michele Bachmann, since one of 100 is far more influential than one of 435.  But the good news is that these new senators aren’t going to shut up for the next six years (or even two) and will hurt the GOP with their extremist views.  They will be baggage for the 2016 presidential nominee.

Having Republican control — especially batshit Republican control — of both houses of Congress hurts their White House prospects.  Voters will pause before turning the entire government over to this GOP, you need someone who can at least veto the wingnut stuff.

So a GOP-controlled Congress helps the Dem presidential nominee.  The Dems also have a good chance of taking back the Senate in 2016.  They’ll have the young/minority voters who don’t bother to show up for mid-terms, and they’ll have seven states up that went GOP in 2010, but for Obama in 2008 and 2012 — New Hampshire, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

If the Dems win the White House in 2016 and take back the Senate, what then?  Not much.  Even a President Elizabeth Warren would have to face a GOP House, so a progressive agenda would be DOA.

Our best shot at actually getting stuff done?  That would be a Republican president with a Dem Congress.  The Dems will work with a Republican prez, the GOP won’t work with a Dem.

 

Anarchists Running the House

“You just had a lot of members who just don’t want to vote for anything.”  Devin Nunes (R-CA)

The House couldn’t pass a border bill today despite House leaders’ efforts to get their most intransigent members on board by sweetening the deal for them.

The Anarchist wing of the GOP has taken over.  Hey, Boehner, you reap what you sow, and you sowed a crop of nut jobs.

Prez Leaves Door Open for Air Strikes in Iraq

President Obama announced that he will send up to 300 advisers/trainers to Iraq to help the government in its struggle against ISIS militants.

We will also have continued surveillance and intelligence gathering.  The President did not announce any air strikes at this point, but left the door open for such strikes in the future.

He said that he would continue to consult with Congress, but did not say that he would seek authorization if he decides to do air strikes.

He reiterated the need for the Iraqis to unite and form a more inclusive government, saying that the solution ultimately must be political, not military.

Prez Slow Walks Iraq

Not that I blame him, but President Obama definitely is slow walking if/how we will get involved in Iraq again.

As ISIS takes the fight to Baquba, just forty-five minutes from Baghdad, Obama is planning to meet with Congressional leaders (Boehner, Pelosi, Reid, McConnell) tomorrow afternoon.  So not exactly urgent…

Aside from protecting our embassy personnel, the Prez really doesn’t seem eager to join the fray.

Your New Majority Leader

Ok, so Eric Cantor says he will stop being Majority Leader on July 31.  Who replaces him?

Technically next in line is the #3 in the House, Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy of California.  Cantor says he’s supports him, which may or may not be a good thing for McCarthy.

Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas, a Boehner loyalist, says he’s running.  And the Tea Party is lining up behind another Texan — Jeb Hensarling.

Not THAT Princeton

When I heard that David Brat got a Masters in Divinity from Princeton, I thought of the Ivy League school — you know, the Princeton of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Woodrow Wilson, Tigers, orange and black.

But then I thought, wait, Princeton has a divinity school?

Actually, they don’t.  David Brat went to Princeton Theological Seminary, which has nothing to do with Princeton University except that they are in the same town of Princeton, New Jersey.

This Brat guy is going to be a lot of fun.

Not Ready for Early Morning

So soon-to-be Virginia Congressman David Brat went on Chuck Todd’s show this morning.  It didn’t go well…

Asked “should there be a minimum wage in your opinion,” Brat replied, “I don’t have a well-crafted response on that one.”

Turning to foreign affairs, Todd asked if we should arm Syrian rebels.  Brat had no clue, whining, “Hey, Chuck, I thought we were just going to chat today about the celebratory aspects.”

Since the media describe Brat as an “economics professor,” you may wonder why he can’t answer a question on the minimum wage.  Actually, he teaches Ayn Rand.  So he’s a fiction professor.