“I can hear those champagne bottle corks popping in Moscow — like it’s Christmas every fucking day": US Politics, February 2024

Boring, I am shocked (SHOCKED) to hear that the knee-slappin' rib-ticklin' humor of Scott Adams might be somewhat recycled.

disgusted that this is probably good politics

President Biden: The toughest reforms to secure the border ever likely won't even move forward to the Senate floor. Why? Donald Trump. He’d rather weaponize this issue than actually solve it. So he’s threatening Republicans and they are caving to him pic.twitter.com/74IvYZ3sW5

— Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) February 6, 2024

(as suggested in https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/06/upshot/biden-economy-border-polls.html)

Yeah, I think they tacitly agreed to several really awful provisions because they knew it wouldn't pass anyway

Another case of 'dog catches car' for the GOP

doesn't seem thrilled

McCONNELL when asked by @frankthorp if he misread his conference: “I followed the instructions of my conference… It was my side that wanted to tackle the border. We started it. Obviously with a Democratic president and a Democratic Senate, our negotiators had to deal with them.”

— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) February 6, 2024

pretty bleak that trump-era policy is basically the official democratic party line on immigration though.

We're currently harvesting what the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, formerly known as the School of the Americas, sowed.

GOP- “policy not quite inhumane and racist as it needs to be.”

When the GOP presidential nominee says he wants to setup huge concentration camps to deport migrants, I guess they have a (sick) point.

The problem is, I don't know what the Dems want except what they're proposing: the most ruthless border policy bill in history, giving a president unprecedented power. Schumer and Jeffries know the GOP will reject it because Trump will, and so the Dems like the GOP stall until November. The Dem governors bleat because it's an election year and They Can't Look Weak. It's all a fucking pantomime.

except it isn’t, it has real consequences and people die because of it

i mean obviously you know that but that any of this is a debate at all makes me absolutely livid, sorry for my fire, not directed at you

That's my point, though! People will die between now and November.

The political class seems largely indifferent to such deaths.

It's not Aunt Dottie crossing into Macallan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AhhXAe_mxE

And of course it’s the same fucking strategy that they tried under Obama, of looking so tough on immigration that Republicans will definitely give them credit and certainly not accuse them of supporting open borders anyway.

I thought this was a worthwhile interview on Radio War Nerd:

Radio War Nerd EP 424 — Iran Inside Washington's Head, feat. Trita Parsi
Feb 06 2024
Guest: Trita Parsi
Recorded: February 5, 2024
We talk to Trita Parsi about Washington's unhealthy obsession with Iran, what it means to be an Iran-backed Iraqi militia group & the absurdity of Late American Empire.

ppl generally like to be where they are. What policies would reasonably promote THAT? what does that mean for just policy?

Thread title delivers:

Tucker Carlson apparently pictured in Russia amid rumours of interview with Putin
Former Fox News host, who is sympathetic to the Russian president, appeared in Kremlin media at a performance of Spartacus in Moscow

(pops champagne bottle)

Impeachment fails I think

Holy shit-- Blake Moore of Utah voted no, final tally is 214-216.

— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) February 6, 2024

nice

Jesus, imagine putting impeachment on the floor when you haven’t counted the votes

https://i.imgur.com/S5bmWcu.gif

PBS News Hour confirms it has failed

hahahahah

Three Republicans — Colorado Rep. Ken Buck, Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher and California Rep. Tom McClintock — joined the Democrats in voting against the resolution to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

GOP Rep. Blake Moore joined the no side to allow House Republicans to bring up the vote again.

The House GOP also has three vacancies after the departures of Kevin McCarthy and Bill Johnson, and the expulsion of George Santos.

Lol

What a fucking embarrassment.

cool country

too bad, so sad

When you can't even get your shit together to do meaningless trolling.

Mike Johnson has obviously got off to a stumbling start, this is a self-inflicted face plant at the worst time for his conference

Such a shame.

putting impeachment on the floor when you haven’t counted the votes

Another triumph for Speaker Mike Johnson!

I’m sure they’ll learn a lesson from this

they should impeach Buttigieg, there are potholes everywhere and no bullet trains

I have criticized Pelosi. Her public statements can sometimes feel like Mickey Mantle in 1969. But not the vote counting. Most people outside politics don’t understand what a skill that is. Pelosi is at least Rayburn’s equal there. Lyndon Johnson would understand her. https://t.co/LIhrtmBweK

— Richard M. Nixon (@dick_nixon) February 7, 2024

gerontocracy issues aside, I must grudgingly agree

How often have Dems been caught flat footed by not having the votes in high profile moments? All the examples I can think of are GOP, which might just be my bias, but have the Dems had any major “John McCain gives McConnell thumbs down” disasters?

I can't think of any w/in recent memory

I remember Pelosi withdrawing a bill on the floor in 2021 or 2022 but otherwise she ran a stunningly tight ship.

The Dems have been saying they’ll call a vote to oust Speaker Johnson the third time they find themselves with more members in a session. It’s happened two times now. I still doubt it though.

Ronna McRomney is reportedly stepping down. I bet her Trump-approved replacement will be even more reasonable.

Qanon Shaman

I think he's in jail, but that shouldn't really be an issue

btw I saw a real live fucking Q bumper sticker today, complete with flag plates and predator decal

It goes to show how odd everything is these days that the fact that Nevada had both a Republican primary and a caucus with different winners is just another thing. Everybody wins in Nevada right?

How is Nevada even a state.

Our states are so weird, some of them are these densely populated hives of diverse communities and cultures and some of them are just, like, one industry (or church) that owns the whole thing.

Or in Nevada's case, three industries -- gambling, mining and cattle.

You forgot sex workers, who are God’s chosen.

(I am being 100% serious)