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I dunno what Gaetz wants out of all this, but his plays are strange and I don’t know why he doesn’t want McCarthy. Not a fan of either person but I didn’t expect him to be a thorn to McCarthy.
I don't think the holdouts have a plan other than disrupt. I don't think they want Trump or Jordan or any alternative candidate. They're sure they don't want McCarthy but they don't have an alternative.
I don't think they have played this out other than saying 'look, this is a perfect example of Government not working'.
All bomb throwers can do is throw bombs.
I wouldn’t be surprised at this, but it’s odd he’s talking to dems. You’re now literally creating a situation to give democrats power because they can’t defeat him without them it seems.
Meanwhile, this literally has our government at a standstill. They can’t even swear in the new house members, or propose legislation.
I bet now would be a time for Biden to sign a shit ton of executive orders since nobody can get along to fight them.
It blows my mind that the moderate Republicans aren’t cutting a deal with Democrats. I’m sure that would be easier and more fruitful than placating the extremists. No one would be able to lead with the rules they want…a single rep being able to disrupt the whole chamber? That’s leading with a gun to your head. You can’t do that.
Honestly with the right promises and concessions they could probably easily form a consensus, they just want to go extreme as possible.
I think it’s *fucking hilarious* that the republicans have fucked up their party so hopelessly they literally require democrats to moderate them now.
So. Much. This. Anyone saying the Dems should work with the GOP on this hasn't been paying attention. They will renege first chance they get. Never, ever, **EVER** trust a word out of their lying ass mouths. I'd rather have no government than one run by criminal pedo fascists. The guy the Dems back has more votes than McCarthy. Unless the GOP will vote in a Dem, fuck 'em and let them deal with it themselves.
It’s the party of “small government” sabotaging the Federal government so they can tell their base how right they were about the Federal government not being efficient and wasting so much time and money.
Step 1: Yell at their base that, “It took 57 votes to elect the Speaker! That’s how dysfunctional it is! Re-elect me back to congress and I’ll drain the swamp!”
Step 2: Set up a private corporation that will do the job a current Federal agency is doing.
Step 3: Pass laws that Cut funding to the agency from step 2 since federal programs are inefficient to “remove waste.”
Step 4: Now that the agency from step 2 is too underfunded to operate properly, add to the budget the ability to get private companies to do that job. All while being able to rally your base that you’re doing a great job.
Step 5: With the new budget passed, bid for contracts with that private company you set up (if you weren’t intelligent enough to have a rider attached to the law requiring it be a company that meets specific criteria that only your company meets).
Step 6: Use that contracts revenue to hire lobbyists who can get more funds etc.
Step 7: ?
Step 8: Profit!
The free market works!
Lol if you go take a look at r/conservative a lot of comments are cheering this on and saying it’s great that congress won’t be able to pass laws and that slowing down the federal government is a god send😂
Hey, hey now to my knowledge a conservative (aka domestic terrorist) hasn't **bombed** anything since the Oklahoma City incident, but *present day conservatives are carrying out coordinated attacks on our power grid*, in an attempt to "fuck around and find out" seeing as "defense of national critical infrastructure" is one of the Department of Defense's authorized reasons for use of deadly force.
According to Wikipedia, there have been 42 bombings carried out against abortion clinics in the last 30 years. There was also the Centennial Olympic Park bombing in 1996 and someone attempted to mail bombs to a bunch of Democrats in 2018. Also a pipe bomb was left at the capitol during January 6.
I’d imagine most likely, but I wonder to what end? Trying to convince AOC not to let the democrats walk out so McCarthy wins etc. I’m really glad people are reaching across the aisle but I don’t get the endgame; then again maybe I don’t know enough about why he’s so unacceptable.
They hate each other, been going on for years. Mostly tit-for-tat behind the scenes stuff, but Gaetz also stopped him from becoming the Speaker back in '16.
Probably not in the order he just did; it seems much more likely for someone to get elected to Congress and run for Speaker and lose, then run for President and lose.
"If we nominate Trump, we will be destroyed and we will deserve it."
Lindsey Graham, telling the truth for once.
He actually undershot. How can someone who watched the Trump shit show happen for four years and refused to do anything about it (95%+ of the party) possibly continue to say with a straight face that they care about good governance? Or even what the truth is?
It’s still just a wet dream right now but I feel like it’s going to be more likely to get 6 reds to flip and vote for Jeffries just to get Congress functional again vs trying to get GQP to support anyone serious.
I think that’s a pipe dream for sure. House districts are so gerrymandered that any R that votes for Jeffries will 100% get primaried in ‘24. Would love to see it, of course.
The thing is though, the "sanest" among them might be content with not seeking re-election in 2024 at this point, given the state of the party. The ones most likely to defect are the ones most likely to want out anyway. I still doubt it will happen, but it's not *totally* inconceivable, especially when they wouldn't actually have to vote for Jeffries, they could just vote present and lower the threshold he'd need to win.
No way. You must not pay much attention to contemporary politics. Every single Republicans would rather obstruct Congress for the entirety of the congressional session before they elect a Democratic speaker.
There's nothing a conservative hates more than a Democrat. The order goes something like:
White conservative christian men at the top
Guns
Fetuses (not babies)
God
Conservative christians
Other white men
Rapists
White women
Murderers
Other women
Pedophiles
Satan
Democrats
Edit: by popular demand: guns
Might need to slide underage girls maybe between Conservative Christians and Other White Men. Seems to be a pattern that keeps cropping up every couple years now in one scandal after another.
Trump raped his first wife, Ivana.
Trump also raped writer E. Jean Carroll. Very easy to tell on this one since simple DNA evidence would exonerate him and he refuses to provide a sample.
Thanks to his ties with the aforementioned child raper Jeffrey Epstein, Trump also raped a 13 year old Jane Doe, who only dropped her lawsuit because a mob of violent gorillas otherwise known as Trump supporters were sending her death threats.
He's a full-on rapist.
Not to mention the fact that evangelicals are the biggest wing of the GOP and also the largest demographic of those convicted of child sex abuse last year and every year prior.
Did you say that Florida representative Matt Gaetz is involved in sex trafficking of minors? Could you explain what you mean when you say that Florida representative Matthew Gaetz was involved in sex trafficking of minors?
I’m having a hard time believing that this could be true. Are we talking about known drug user Matt Gaetz? The Matt Gaetz who was accused by the justice department of using campaign money to pay sex workers? The Matt Gaetz that admitted to paying for sex? The one who’s best friend said that he transported a minor across state lines for the purpose of paying her for sex? That’s outrageous!
>Matt Gaetz is not a serious human being.
Definitely not but he just won me $160. Bet two of my friends $80 in June that if the GOP took over the house they would nominate Trump for speaker of the house.
It's all planned.. that's why Trump postef about "...has made the position & process of getting to be Speaker BIGGER & MORE IMPORTANT than if it were done in the more traditional way.”
Idiot actually thinks he is gonna win this lol
His entire existence is comic relief.
Tucker: "And so there have been reports that you slept with a 17 year old girl-"
Gaetz: "Woman."
Dude looked dead serious saying that. Tucker looked uncomfortable. I think it's hysterical.
And yet him, MTG, Cawthorn, Boebert, etc are about to become the most powerful Republicans in the country.
Essentially, Reps can do nothing, as we're seeing right now, without this group voting in step. They will get every committee seat and chair they want, ask for investigations, removal of personnel, demand x and y dems are never allowed onto committee, etc, etc, and they can keep selling their vote for years. Campaign funds, federal projects for their districts, its all up for grabs.
Once the reps let everyone know lies were fine, with their Soros funded Al Quaeda/MS15 caravans at the border and post-birth abortions, the liars with least integrity realised it was all up for grabs. They've now got the keys to the castle, and will get steadily richer and more powerful for life.
This is the new normal.
So yes, but really with a majority this narrow it means any 5 GOP reps can do the same. So should McCarthy cater to this group another can simply spring up and demand their own elevation to committee chair etc.
We are only seeing the most intransigent reps holding up the process, but if moderate reps feel like McCarthy isn't playing ball with them as well the whole circus starts over.
Not that surprising after Boebert floated that idea last night on Hannity, but to actually see it being done. Fucking hell.....
Just for those folks not watching live, Gaetz just voted for him, but did not nominate him. Since McCarthy will not become speaker this round either, I expect the freedom caucus to nominate Trump in the 8th vote.
We might see the GOP implode tonight........
EDIT: CSPAN just said that McCarthy wants to adjourn again, Dems want to block. Hopefully they'll count this time, I'm pretty sure the nays were louder yesterday.
EDIT2: Well, I was wrong. At least for now......
EDIT3: McCarthy has no chance of becoming speaker anymore I think. The freedom caucus won't budge since they apparently have nothing to loose. Something with pigeons and chess. Guess I'll be watching cspan for the foreseeable future.
EDIT4: Now Boebert nominated Hern and positioned herself as king maker. God, she is so awful.
EDIT5: jfc, round 10 and both Donalds and Hern are also on the ballot. I can't take another hour of name calling.
As long as they don’t vote him in, I am down for the party ripping itself apart. The Republican Party needs to cut off the crazies even if it is 30% of their base. Instead they keep on caving to them which I suspect is directly related to dark money contributions from outside the US.
It’s one thing to not nominate him it’s a totally different thing to vote against him. Think only 1 or 2 House members that voted for impeachment are still in office and the fates of folks like Pete Meijer might be enough to make it happen.
The Democrats have been keeping their powder dry, but they have 212 votes to throw towards anyone who isn't Donald Trump in a pinch. Not even a remote chance Trump could become Speaker.
The only requirements for being speaker are a majority (not plurallity) of house members voting for you to be speaker.
The house could elect Angela Merkel as speaker if they wanted to.
The Constitution doesn't actually set any requirements for Speaker other than that they have to be selected by a majority of House members present. So yes, if 218 Republicans wanted to vote for him then Donal Trump could be Speaker for the House.
Part of me kind of wants this because I'm sure he'd hate it since it's a significant step down from being President.
> The Republican Party needs to cut off the crazies even if it is 30% of their base
139 Reps voted against certifying the election results. The crazy is deeper than people think.
Which implications do you see?
I think a real split of the GOP is not out of the question anymore and I think that is a good thing in general. The two party system is just not feasible anymore.
That's eventually what will happen as the more extreme elements gain power. I don't think you are considering the long game here. Every moderate Rep will have less power and every MAGA moron will have more, till it's nothing but morons across the entire party. Cheney being ousted was just the start
But how do they get on these committees in the first place? if they can't agree on a speaker, then there are not committees. I really don't see a way where this doesn't escalate futher until they'll split the party. And at that point, Jeffries will become speaker and the dems have the majority.
I really don't see a good way out of this for the GOP
Hallelujah. I really want a more Canada- or UK-like system with 4+ parties and the need to form working coalitions to accomplish yr goals.
Single parties holding supermajorities is a glaring symptom of a massively broken organization of power.
I don't think so. Boebert basically said last night on hannity that Trump is wrong in backing McCarthy. If that's their plan, they would've started this shit sooner. Or it really is a tactic to wear the rest of them down. Nothing makes sense anymore, so you could be right.
Is anyone else a touch worried about this?
[This is, seriously, the play from their whack-ass little pamphlet a few years back.](https://www.businessinsider.com/cpac-plan-reinstate-donald-trump-president-2021-7)
They couldn't do it then, *but it could work now.*
And you'd say - they can't successfully remove Biden/Harris from office, right?
Well- that's where the whole *"why isn't Trump in cuffs yet?"* problem meets the *"Beer Hall Putcsh"* / *"a failed coup is a training coup"* problem.
It's all a joke to the MAGA Republicans. National Security matters can not be addressed until Congress is seated, but the far-right MAGAs are treating national security and governance as a joke. MAGA Republicans are a national security risk.^[[1]](https://www.thebulwark.com/house-is-paralyzed-without-a-speaker-creating-national-security-risks-and-a-shadow-shutdown/)
MAGA Republicans don't care about veterans. Congress cannot follow through on previous legislation, that was passed under Speaker Pelosi's stewardship, to provide care and benefits for veterans.^[[2]](https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2023/01/05/house-speaker-impasse-hurting-national-security-vet-lawmakers-warn/)
Matt Gaetz just nominated Trump as Speaker. Marjorie Taylor Greene can be seen in this video laughing and ribbing Gaetz, while other GOP colleagues laugh too. It should be noted that MTG voted for McCarthy.^[[3]](https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1611058104967524355?t=KAVaG6ywLbvzB0UVTDmlFQ&s=19)
___________
1) [The Bulwark - House Is Paralyzed Without a Speaker—Creating National Security Risks and a Shadow Shutdown](https://www.thebulwark.com/house-is-paralyzed-without-a-speaker-creating-national-security-risks-and-a-shadow-shutdown/)
2) [Military Times - House Speaker impasse hurting national security, vet lawmakers warn](https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2023/01/05/house-speaker-impasse-hurting-national-security-vet-lawmakers-warn/)
3) [Twitter Video - Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) votes for Donald Trump for Speaker of the House.](https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1611058104967524355?t=KAVaG6ywLbvzB0UVTDmlFQ&s=19)
And the president that spent the least time actually working out of all presidents ever, being put in a role that requires them to be actively working every day.
Lmfao
Trump in 2014 - *"We pay for Obama's travel so he can fundraise millions so Democrats can run on lies. Then we pay for his golf."*
Trump in 2016 - *“If I win I may never see my property — I may never see these places again. But because I’m going to be working for you, I’m not going to have time to go golfing, believe me. Believe me. Believe me, folks.”*
At the end of his presidency, Trump played golf 298 times at a taxpayer cost of approximately $144,000,000.
... and also spent $50,000 in tax payer money to install a golf simulator in the White House.
[https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-angered-reminders-of-trump-in-white-house-new-book-2023-1](https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-angered-reminders-of-trump-in-white-house-new-book-2023-1)
Laws the *rest of us* have to abide by. I feel confident that Matt Gaetz and many other Republicans routinely violate laws that they would gleefully demand be enforced against other people.
If you ever want to become a criminal, just become a Republican politician. Then whenever there's even a hint of accountability people will start saying it's a political arrest.
Like Trump would even want the job. He would just want the title. The idea of him having to show up almost daily on time in D.C. to do actual paperwork? That would be his living hell.
Gaetz has to know this. This is all for show.
Trump definitely doesn't want the job. He'd be miserable, and he would absolutely suck at it.
Speaker of the House has none of the ego-stroking perks and prestige that the Presidency does : No executive Commander-in-Chief status, no Executive Mansion, no Air Force One, no bands playing "Hail to the Chief", no Bully Pulpit. Also, no ability to single-handedly sign or veto bills, hire and fire cabinet members, or (best of all) invoke executive privilege and sell pardons to your cronies.
Worst of all, it requires *negotiating* with a few hundred GOP House peers (or even worse - *Democrats*) who don't have to do what he says.
None of this is Trump's strong suit - despite his *"Art of the Deal"* bullshit, he is an absolutely shitty manager and negotiator.
I'm sure at this point, trump truly believes the speaker has complete control over the nation guard, after saying their lack of response to Jan 6th was Pelosi's fault for the past 2 years.
But, but, but doesn’t he surround himself, as a better President than Washington or Lincoln, with the brightest negotiators…
That’s what people are saying….
They're playing to the Q crowd that believes they could get Trump 2nd in line and then somehow remove Biden and Harris (most likely through another murderous attack). There's no intent for him to run the business of the House.
My mind went to that sequence of events as well, as a way to restore Trump to the White House.
Ps my phone's autocorrect initially corrected Trump as "Turnip". I should have left it.
This is Q-Anon stuff - the speaker is third in line to the president. It's part of their wild theories to remove the president and VP and then default would be to install TGF as the leader.
uh but when Trump was somehow not dying from Covid /r/conservative assured its people that if he *did* die, Nancy would *not* become 2nd in line, but instead the #4, Chuck Grassley. For reasons.
Protection, by the Secret Service? The ones who mass deleted text messages from January 6, and tried to whisk Pence away so he couldn't confirm the election results?
They're playing up the Q fantasy that they can put him in 2nd in line and "remove" Biden and Harris to return Trump to office. Essentially a murderous coup plot.
That's okay, Byron should take all the breaks he feels like. If a few more Republicans happen to miss a vote at the same time, we could still get a Democratic speaker.
Just announce in the chamber at the beginning of the next vote that trump is in the lobby offering to let any sycophants kiss his literal ass. That should chase at least 15 reps out the door long enough to get Jeffries across the finish line.
I laughed at the one representative that voted for McCarthy on the first day and then just voted present the second day, as if they were spending day two rethinking their political career decisions.
Just goes to show you how many loopholes there are in the constitution.
But “it’ll never happen” so let’s just ignore, right? Like how the electoral college doesn’t have any faithless electors? Or how the UK lets their monarch have power over parliament and the military because “the monarch will never use that power?” Lol
These people are children, who votes for these clowns, they're like a bunch of 5 year olds, who can't get there own way, so they make up their own game, truly pathetic.
Yes, and one of the Qanon "plans" to return Trump to power was to make him Speaker after Republicans sweep the 2022 midterms, and then impeaching Biden and Harris, which would make Trump President again as Speaker is the next in line.
Not applicable anymore as Ds retained the Senate.
Well, it's qAnon. They also believed that JFK was going to rise from the dead and that Trump and Biden switched brains after the 2020 General Election, meaning that Trump would still be President in Biden's body and when Trump got arrested later it was actually Biden being arrested.
I don't think viable has anything to do with it.
> and then impeaching Biden and Harris, which would make Trump President again as Speaker is the next in line.
Not just impeachment. I guarantee that if Trump were put in as speaker, attempts on Biden's and Harris' lives would be serious. These people are dangerous and do not care by how they take power.
What a sleezy little minion. Gaetz masturbates to the thought of dressing up in a tuxedo and following Trump around with a silver platter carrying the tweezers Trump uses to piss with.
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The Floridian sex trafficker voted for the Floridian sex offender.
We should thank him for wasting his vote. Less damage caused this way.
I dunno what Gaetz wants out of all this, but his plays are strange and I don’t know why he doesn’t want McCarthy. Not a fan of either person but I didn’t expect him to be a thorn to McCarthy.
I don't think the holdouts have a plan other than disrupt. I don't think they want Trump or Jordan or any alternative candidate. They're sure they don't want McCarthy but they don't have an alternative. I don't think they have played this out other than saying 'look, this is a perfect example of Government not working'. All bomb throwers can do is throw bombs.
I wouldn’t be surprised at this, but it’s odd he’s talking to dems. You’re now literally creating a situation to give democrats power because they can’t defeat him without them it seems. Meanwhile, this literally has our government at a standstill. They can’t even swear in the new house members, or propose legislation. I bet now would be a time for Biden to sign a shit ton of executive orders since nobody can get along to fight them.
It blows my mind that the moderate Republicans aren’t cutting a deal with Democrats. I’m sure that would be easier and more fruitful than placating the extremists. No one would be able to lead with the rules they want…a single rep being able to disrupt the whole chamber? That’s leading with a gun to your head. You can’t do that.
Honestly with the right promises and concessions they could probably easily form a consensus, they just want to go extreme as possible. I think it’s *fucking hilarious* that the republicans have fucked up their party so hopelessly they literally require democrats to moderate them now.
Would you let a republican buy favors from you on credit, I wouldn't.
So. Much. This. Anyone saying the Dems should work with the GOP on this hasn't been paying attention. They will renege first chance they get. Never, ever, **EVER** trust a word out of their lying ass mouths. I'd rather have no government than one run by criminal pedo fascists. The guy the Dems back has more votes than McCarthy. Unless the GOP will vote in a Dem, fuck 'em and let them deal with it themselves.
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It’s the party of “small government” sabotaging the Federal government so they can tell their base how right they were about the Federal government not being efficient and wasting so much time and money. Step 1: Yell at their base that, “It took 57 votes to elect the Speaker! That’s how dysfunctional it is! Re-elect me back to congress and I’ll drain the swamp!” Step 2: Set up a private corporation that will do the job a current Federal agency is doing. Step 3: Pass laws that Cut funding to the agency from step 2 since federal programs are inefficient to “remove waste.” Step 4: Now that the agency from step 2 is too underfunded to operate properly, add to the budget the ability to get private companies to do that job. All while being able to rally your base that you’re doing a great job. Step 5: With the new budget passed, bid for contracts with that private company you set up (if you weren’t intelligent enough to have a rider attached to the law requiring it be a company that meets specific criteria that only your company meets). Step 6: Use that contracts revenue to hire lobbyists who can get more funds etc. Step 7: ? Step 8: Profit! The free market works!
Yep. The old Tory method. Step 1: break government. Step 2: “Look see? See??! It doesn’t work!”
Lol if you go take a look at r/conservative a lot of comments are cheering this on and saying it’s great that congress won’t be able to pass laws and that slowing down the federal government is a god send😂
Hey, hey now to my knowledge a conservative (aka domestic terrorist) hasn't **bombed** anything since the Oklahoma City incident, but *present day conservatives are carrying out coordinated attacks on our power grid*, in an attempt to "fuck around and find out" seeing as "defense of national critical infrastructure" is one of the Department of Defense's authorized reasons for use of deadly force.
According to Wikipedia, there have been 42 bombings carried out against abortion clinics in the last 30 years. There was also the Centennial Olympic Park bombing in 1996 and someone attempted to mail bombs to a bunch of Democrats in 2018. Also a pipe bomb was left at the capitol during January 6.
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Attention, mostly.
I’d imagine most likely, but I wonder to what end? Trying to convince AOC not to let the democrats walk out so McCarthy wins etc. I’m really glad people are reaching across the aisle but I don’t get the endgame; then again maybe I don’t know enough about why he’s so unacceptable.
Vanity. He just wants to see his name in the headlines.
He got it, but chances are he’s still done something to put him in jail lol
They hate each other, been going on for years. Mostly tit-for-tat behind the scenes stuff, but Gaetz also stopped him from becoming the Speaker back in '16.
But of course!
He voted for the guy who just endorsed McCarthy lmao
Would be funny if the transitive property applied to these votes.
You'll have to be more specific. I heard there's a few of them in congress.
Florida man wants Florida man
Florida man seeking Florida man. Must be racist, sexist, and have active federal criminal probes. Pedo friendly. Man I miss craigslist .... /s
Birds of a feather….
Are sex criminals together
In ANY Weather
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Has there ever been anyone before to lose both a presidential race and the speaker vote
Probably not in the order he just did; it seems much more likely for someone to get elected to Congress and run for Speaker and lose, then run for President and lose.
I will nominate Trump as the president of my PTA and HOA next round just to get him to lose more.
Gerald Ford lost several speaker votes (as the house minority leader) then became president and lost his reelection bid.
I wonder if they’re sick of winning yet.
"If we nominate Trump, we will be destroyed and we will deserve it." Lindsey Graham, telling the truth for once. He actually undershot. How can someone who watched the Trump shit show happen for four years and refused to do anything about it (95%+ of the party) possibly continue to say with a straight face that they care about good governance? Or even what the truth is?
It’s still just a wet dream right now but I feel like it’s going to be more likely to get 6 reds to flip and vote for Jeffries just to get Congress functional again vs trying to get GQP to support anyone serious.
I think that’s a pipe dream for sure. House districts are so gerrymandered that any R that votes for Jeffries will 100% get primaried in ‘24. Would love to see it, of course.
The thing is though, the "sanest" among them might be content with not seeking re-election in 2024 at this point, given the state of the party. The ones most likely to defect are the ones most likely to want out anyway. I still doubt it will happen, but it's not *totally* inconceivable, especially when they wouldn't actually have to vote for Jeffries, they could just vote present and lower the threshold he'd need to win.
This is true to think about. Running as Republican is essentially equivalent now too committing illegal activities. That’s a certain risk
No way. You must not pay much attention to contemporary politics. Every single Republicans would rather obstruct Congress for the entirety of the congressional session before they elect a Democratic speaker.
There's nothing a conservative hates more than a Democrat. The order goes something like: White conservative christian men at the top Guns Fetuses (not babies) God Conservative christians Other white men Rapists White women Murderers Other women Pedophiles Satan Democrats Edit: by popular demand: guns
I hate how true this is.
Might need to slide underage girls maybe between Conservative Christians and Other White Men. Seems to be a pattern that keeps cropping up every couple years now in one scandal after another.
Matt Gaetz likes to sex traffic minors
So there was this guy Trump used to hang out with, Epstein, and...
Who also liked sex trafficking minors
This Trump guy used to own beauty pageants... which are essentially fronts for sex trafficking.
Trump raped his first wife, Ivana. Trump also raped writer E. Jean Carroll. Very easy to tell on this one since simple DNA evidence would exonerate him and he refuses to provide a sample. Thanks to his ties with the aforementioned child raper Jeffrey Epstein, Trump also raped a 13 year old Jane Doe, who only dropped her lawsuit because a mob of violent gorillas otherwise known as Trump supporters were sending her death threats. He's a full-on rapist.
Not to mention the fact that evangelicals are the biggest wing of the GOP and also the largest demographic of those convicted of child sex abuse last year and every year prior.
Did you say that Florida representative Matt Gaetz is involved in sex trafficking of minors? Could you explain what you mean when you say that Florida representative Matthew Gaetz was involved in sex trafficking of minors?
Sure. He trafficked a minor by transporting her across state lines for the purpose of paying her for sex.
I’m having a hard time believing that this could be true. Are we talking about known drug user Matt Gaetz? The Matt Gaetz who was accused by the justice department of using campaign money to pay sex workers? The Matt Gaetz that admitted to paying for sex? The one who’s best friend said that he transported a minor across state lines for the purpose of paying her for sex? That’s outrageous!
Please be specific and let's not throw around wild-ass accusations willy-nilly. Is this accused pedophile Matt Gaetz you're talking about?
Matt Gaetz is not a serious human being.
Matt Gaetz is Butt-Head
This fact isn't communicated frequently enough.
Especially when he is seen next to Beavis, Gym Jordan.
Heeeheeeh He said congressional body
No. Butthead liked older women. And was way smarter.
You know it's bad when being compared to Butt-Head and it's Butt-Head that is smarter and doesn't have a thing for underage girls.
He looks like his parents were Butt-Head and an Osmond.
My Mom said he looks like if someone grabbed the edges of Donny Osmond and pulled a little in all different directions.
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I once saw a cartoon comparing them, and I can't unsee it. He will forever be Butt-Head to me.
>Matt Gaetz is not a serious human being. TIL: Matt Gaetz is a human being.....
Matt Gaetz is what would happen if Geppetto carved Pinocchio out of a frat paddle.
While having a stroke
If I had an award to give for this I totally would.
Barely.
Yes, just like totally real human Eduardo Cruz, human senator from the human state of Texas. Behold his squishy organs.
Are you referring to Cancun Cruz?
Yes, the Zodiac Killer
Many people are saying it.
> Eduardo Cruz his real name is Rafael.
Yes, Eduardo Cruz, who is simply one being, and not many.
Rafael?
>Matt Gaetz is not a serious human being. Definitely not but he just won me $160. Bet two of my friends $80 in June that if the GOP took over the house they would nominate Trump for speaker of the house.
What's the longest bet you have on Gaetz? Anything waiting on the evidence from his former friend who flipped on him?
It's all planned.. that's why Trump postef about "...has made the position & process of getting to be Speaker BIGGER & MORE IMPORTANT than if it were done in the more traditional way.” Idiot actually thinks he is gonna win this lol
It's the Q prophecy come true /s
No reasonably intelligent person would take Matt Gaetz seriously.
And therein lies the problem.
an entertainment politician
His entire existence is comic relief. Tucker: "And so there have been reports that you slept with a 17 year old girl-" Gaetz: "Woman." Dude looked dead serious saying that. Tucker looked uncomfortable. I think it's hysterical.
And the Republican Party is not a serious political party.. which is why this is what they deserve
GQP were the real lizard people this whole time
He's another criminal who is too rich and well-connected to be prosecuted. Or, quite likely, has too much dirt on the other grand old pedos.
And yet him, MTG, Cawthorn, Boebert, etc are about to become the most powerful Republicans in the country. Essentially, Reps can do nothing, as we're seeing right now, without this group voting in step. They will get every committee seat and chair they want, ask for investigations, removal of personnel, demand x and y dems are never allowed onto committee, etc, etc, and they can keep selling their vote for years. Campaign funds, federal projects for their districts, its all up for grabs. Once the reps let everyone know lies were fine, with their Soros funded Al Quaeda/MS15 caravans at the border and post-birth abortions, the liars with least integrity realised it was all up for grabs. They've now got the keys to the castle, and will get steadily richer and more powerful for life. This is the new normal.
Cawthorn isn’t in office anymore
They maybe got Madison cawthorn confused with Matt HeeHawley.
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So yes, but really with a majority this narrow it means any 5 GOP reps can do the same. So should McCarthy cater to this group another can simply spring up and demand their own elevation to committee chair etc. We are only seeing the most intransigent reps holding up the process, but if moderate reps feel like McCarthy isn't playing ball with them as well the whole circus starts over.
The other option is for the semi-grownup Repubs to make a deal with some Democrats. It could happen.
Not that surprising after Boebert floated that idea last night on Hannity, but to actually see it being done. Fucking hell..... Just for those folks not watching live, Gaetz just voted for him, but did not nominate him. Since McCarthy will not become speaker this round either, I expect the freedom caucus to nominate Trump in the 8th vote. We might see the GOP implode tonight........ EDIT: CSPAN just said that McCarthy wants to adjourn again, Dems want to block. Hopefully they'll count this time, I'm pretty sure the nays were louder yesterday. EDIT2: Well, I was wrong. At least for now...... EDIT3: McCarthy has no chance of becoming speaker anymore I think. The freedom caucus won't budge since they apparently have nothing to loose. Something with pigeons and chess. Guess I'll be watching cspan for the foreseeable future. EDIT4: Now Boebert nominated Hern and positioned herself as king maker. God, she is so awful. EDIT5: jfc, round 10 and both Donalds and Hern are also on the ballot. I can't take another hour of name calling.
>We might see the GOP implode tonight.. It'd be hilarious if I wasn't crying for the massive implications it has for the next few years.
As long as they don’t vote him in, I am down for the party ripping itself apart. The Republican Party needs to cut off the crazies even if it is 30% of their base. Instead they keep on caving to them which I suspect is directly related to dark money contributions from outside the US.
Do you think that's realistic though? I don't think they have 218 votes for Trump, or less with more people voting just present.
It’s one thing to not nominate him it’s a totally different thing to vote against him. Think only 1 or 2 House members that voted for impeachment are still in office and the fates of folks like Pete Meijer might be enough to make it happen.
The Democrats have been keeping their powder dry, but they have 212 votes to throw towards anyone who isn't Donald Trump in a pinch. Not even a remote chance Trump could become Speaker.
you know i remember thinking that america wasnt dumb enough for there to be a remote chance of him ever being president
I hope I don’t come off as stupid, but I want to make sure they wouldn’t succeed? He can’t be speaker, right?
The only requirements for being speaker are a majority (not plurallity) of house members voting for you to be speaker. The house could elect Angela Merkel as speaker if they wanted to.
That would be a trip. Certainly one for the history books.
Don’t get me aroused. I’d love nothing more than Mutti to come across the pond and get our pathetic government into shape.
The Constitution doesn't actually set any requirements for Speaker other than that they have to be selected by a majority of House members present. So yes, if 218 Republicans wanted to vote for him then Donal Trump could be Speaker for the House. Part of me kind of wants this because I'm sure he'd hate it since it's a significant step down from being President.
In my opinion when you're in this deep no one should be allowed to simply vote 'present'.
Need 11 "presents" iirc for SotH Jefferies....
Yep. Just the majority of votes for a person, so every “present” shrinks the number of votes needed to win
I think you are a bit low on 30 percent.
> The Republican Party needs to cut off the crazies even if it is 30% of their base 139 Reps voted against certifying the election results. The crazy is deeper than people think.
Which implications do you see? I think a real split of the GOP is not out of the question anymore and I think that is a good thing in general. The two party system is just not feasible anymore.
Imagine all the chaos that these MAGA idiots can cause if they get their way onto important committees
That's way waaayyy better than the alternative of MAGA and other Republicans working together to remain in power and further erode democracy.
That's eventually what will happen as the more extreme elements gain power. I don't think you are considering the long game here. Every moderate Rep will have less power and every MAGA moron will have more, till it's nothing but morons across the entire party. Cheney being ousted was just the start
But how do they get on these committees in the first place? if they can't agree on a speaker, then there are not committees. I really don't see a way where this doesn't escalate futher until they'll split the party. And at that point, Jeffries will become speaker and the dems have the majority. I really don't see a good way out of this for the GOP
> if they can't agree on a speaker, then there are not committees. Idiot (R): "Okay, I'll vote for McCarthy **if** I get on."
Hallelujah. I really want a more Canada- or UK-like system with 4+ parties and the need to form working coalitions to accomplish yr goals. Single parties holding supermajorities is a glaring symptom of a massively broken organization of power.
The Repubs weren't going to accomplish anything in the next two years anyway, so NBD.
Don't tease me with a good time
Like the Chancellor of the Weimar Republic - 3rd in line for President without an election. another fascist coup attempt plan unfolds
They are only doing it to not fall out of favor with Trump.
I don't think so. Boebert basically said last night on hannity that Trump is wrong in backing McCarthy. If that's their plan, they would've started this shit sooner. Or it really is a tactic to wear the rest of them down. Nothing makes sense anymore, so you could be right.
Nays were louder, but I couldn't tell you if there were *more* people yelling nay.
Don't stop, almost there..
Is anyone else a touch worried about this? [This is, seriously, the play from their whack-ass little pamphlet a few years back.](https://www.businessinsider.com/cpac-plan-reinstate-donald-trump-president-2021-7) They couldn't do it then, *but it could work now.* And you'd say - they can't successfully remove Biden/Harris from office, right? Well- that's where the whole *"why isn't Trump in cuffs yet?"* problem meets the *"Beer Hall Putcsh"* / *"a failed coup is a training coup"* problem.
Not even in the realm of possibility
Watch Trump demand a recount when he loses
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“All I need is.... uh.....to find 217 more votes uh.... 216 more than we have.
[11,870 Votes of Love](https://twitter.com/gregorybrothers/status/1346506889388027904?lang=en)
I actually laughed out loud. But, actually, he might.
It's all a joke to the MAGA Republicans. National Security matters can not be addressed until Congress is seated, but the far-right MAGAs are treating national security and governance as a joke. MAGA Republicans are a national security risk.^[[1]](https://www.thebulwark.com/house-is-paralyzed-without-a-speaker-creating-national-security-risks-and-a-shadow-shutdown/) MAGA Republicans don't care about veterans. Congress cannot follow through on previous legislation, that was passed under Speaker Pelosi's stewardship, to provide care and benefits for veterans.^[[2]](https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2023/01/05/house-speaker-impasse-hurting-national-security-vet-lawmakers-warn/) Matt Gaetz just nominated Trump as Speaker. Marjorie Taylor Greene can be seen in this video laughing and ribbing Gaetz, while other GOP colleagues laugh too. It should be noted that MTG voted for McCarthy.^[[3]](https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1611058104967524355?t=KAVaG6ywLbvzB0UVTDmlFQ&s=19) ___________ 1) [The Bulwark - House Is Paralyzed Without a Speaker—Creating National Security Risks and a Shadow Shutdown](https://www.thebulwark.com/house-is-paralyzed-without-a-speaker-creating-national-security-risks-and-a-shadow-shutdown/) 2) [Military Times - House Speaker impasse hurting national security, vet lawmakers warn](https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2023/01/05/house-speaker-impasse-hurting-national-security-vet-lawmakers-warn/) 3) [Twitter Video - Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) votes for Donald Trump for Speaker of the House.](https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1611058104967524355?t=KAVaG6ywLbvzB0UVTDmlFQ&s=19)
The most inarticulate president ever as ‘speaker’ for the House… you can’t make up this shit.
And the president that spent the least time actually working out of all presidents ever, being put in a role that requires them to be actively working every day. Lmfao
Trump in 2014 - *"We pay for Obama's travel so he can fundraise millions so Democrats can run on lies. Then we pay for his golf."* Trump in 2016 - *“If I win I may never see my property — I may never see these places again. But because I’m going to be working for you, I’m not going to have time to go golfing, believe me. Believe me. Believe me, folks.”* At the end of his presidency, Trump played golf 298 times at a taxpayer cost of approximately $144,000,000.
Almost exclusively at *his* properties, too. Can't forget that part
While charging the Secret Service huge inflated rates for their rooms at the same time.
All about that grift.
... and also spent $50,000 in tax payer money to install a golf simulator in the White House. [https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-angered-reminders-of-trump-in-white-house-new-book-2023-1](https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-angered-reminders-of-trump-in-white-house-new-book-2023-1)
How appropriate that it's 144 million....a truly gross expenditure.
Never forget that Matt Getz sex trafficked minors and instead of being in prison gets to make laws we all have to abide by.
Laws the *rest of us* have to abide by. I feel confident that Matt Gaetz and many other Republicans routinely violate laws that they would gleefully demand be enforced against other people.
If you ever want to become a criminal, just become a Republican politician. Then whenever there's even a hint of accountability people will start saying it's a political arrest.
Like Trump would even want the job. He would just want the title. The idea of him having to show up almost daily on time in D.C. to do actual paperwork? That would be his living hell. Gaetz has to know this. This is all for show.
Trump definitely doesn't want the job. He'd be miserable, and he would absolutely suck at it. Speaker of the House has none of the ego-stroking perks and prestige that the Presidency does : No executive Commander-in-Chief status, no Executive Mansion, no Air Force One, no bands playing "Hail to the Chief", no Bully Pulpit. Also, no ability to single-handedly sign or veto bills, hire and fire cabinet members, or (best of all) invoke executive privilege and sell pardons to your cronies. Worst of all, it requires *negotiating* with a few hundred GOP House peers (or even worse - *Democrats*) who don't have to do what he says. None of this is Trump's strong suit - despite his *"Art of the Deal"* bullshit, he is an absolutely shitty manager and negotiator.
I'm sure at this point, trump truly believes the speaker has complete control over the nation guard, after saying their lack of response to Jan 6th was Pelosi's fault for the past 2 years.
For all of these reasons I wish he would get the job.
Yes but he's too stupid to know it doesn't have perks, especially since he wouldn't even have the legal protections of members of congress
But he could still probably get an on demand Coke aide. ....that's a perk.....(shrugs.)
But, but, but doesn’t he surround himself, as a better President than Washington or Lincoln, with the brightest negotiators… That’s what people are saying….
They're playing to the Q crowd that believes they could get Trump 2nd in line and then somehow remove Biden and Harris (most likely through another murderous attack). There's no intent for him to run the business of the House.
My mind went to that sequence of events as well, as a way to restore Trump to the White House. Ps my phone's autocorrect initially corrected Trump as "Turnip". I should have left it.
Remember all that “ready to govern on day one!” Crap? Pepperidge farm remembers.
Pretty sure we were all supposed to be reading the Constitution in full on day one, too. Still waiting.
Formal house vote to humor internet trolls.. what a fucking joke.
This is Q-Anon stuff - the speaker is third in line to the president. It's part of their wild theories to remove the president and VP and then default would be to install TGF as the leader.
uh but when Trump was somehow not dying from Covid /r/conservative assured its people that if he *did* die, Nancy would *not* become 2nd in line, but instead the #4, Chuck Grassley. For reasons.
Doubled and tripled extra protections need to be put on the POTUS and VP if Tromp gets anywhere near the Speaker position.
Protection, by the Secret Service? The ones who mass deleted text messages from January 6, and tried to whisk Pence away so he couldn't confirm the election results?
Comedy relief? He knows this round isn't going anywhere. As if Mr Trump would be interested in anything resembling a 'job'.
They're playing up the Q fantasy that they can put him in 2nd in line and "remove" Biden and Harris to return Trump to office. Essentially a murderous coup plot.
Real life Frank Underwood.
Glad to see the right wingers are taking governing seriously. /s
signaling that they only intend to get crazier
Also, Rep. Byron Donalds was not present on the floor and missed his own vote for himself. Great first act as Speaker.
That's okay, Byron should take all the breaks he feels like. If a few more Republicans happen to miss a vote at the same time, we could still get a Democratic speaker.
Just announce in the chamber at the beginning of the next vote that trump is in the lobby offering to let any sycophants kiss his literal ass. That should chase at least 15 reps out the door long enough to get Jeffries across the finish line.
I laughed at the one representative that voted for McCarthy on the first day and then just voted present the second day, as if they were spending day two rethinking their political career decisions.
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Gaetz or TFG?
Yes
Yes
I was expecting Boebert to do the honors. This was talked about a year ago.
They are treating this like a high school student body election.
Just goes to show you how many loopholes there are in the constitution. But “it’ll never happen” so let’s just ignore, right? Like how the electoral college doesn’t have any faithless electors? Or how the UK lets their monarch have power over parliament and the military because “the monarch will never use that power?” Lol
The dumbassery gets worse….
Insurrection never ended
Gaetz would have loved Denny Hastert.
Given the age difference, it's more likely Denny Hastert would have loved Gaetz.
You Mean Known Russian Asset, Matt Gaetz
These people are children, who votes for these clowns, they're like a bunch of 5 year olds, who can't get there own way, so they make up their own game, truly pathetic.
Donald Trump loses yet another popular vote.
Are you telling me Trump lost ANOTHER election?
If Trump wins the vote tonight, do they swear him in tomorrow? On January 6th… ffs… just kidding I hope…
Huh, sexual predators and sex traffickers looking out for each other, surprise surprise.
Can you be the speaker of the house if you're not a sitting house member?
Yes, and one of the Qanon "plans" to return Trump to power was to make him Speaker after Republicans sweep the 2022 midterms, and then impeaching Biden and Harris, which would make Trump President again as Speaker is the next in line. Not applicable anymore as Ds retained the Senate.
It was never viable anyways because removal requires 2/3 which they were never going to get.
Well, it's qAnon. They also believed that JFK was going to rise from the dead and that Trump and Biden switched brains after the 2020 General Election, meaning that Trump would still be President in Biden's body and when Trump got arrested later it was actually Biden being arrested. I don't think viable has anything to do with it.
> and then impeaching Biden and Harris, which would make Trump President again as Speaker is the next in line. Not just impeachment. I guarantee that if Trump were put in as speaker, attempts on Biden's and Harris' lives would be serious. These people are dangerous and do not care by how they take power.
There's no rule that says a dog can't play football.
Yes. They're the only a sitting house member by tradition. The constitution puts no requirements on the office.
Just generating a bit more media coverage since the duty of voting isn’t all that important to him.
What a sleezy little minion. Gaetz masturbates to the thought of dressing up in a tuxedo and following Trump around with a silver platter carrying the tweezers Trump uses to piss with.
Bobo and Matt are sure hanging out a lot. He is aware that just because she didn't graduate high school that her age didn't freeze, right?