Is there a floor?
There are famous lows in our nation’s history. I suppose one would see the signs beforehand, but everything is a lot clearer in the rearview mirror. We could see the signs of Civil War when we look backwards. I wonder what they saw when Charles Sumner was beaten on the Senate floor in 1856.
Will we look back on this latest flap over Rep. Paul Gosar as a blip on the radar or a precursor of things to come? For those that don’t want to go down the rabbit hole, essentially Gosar released a video on Twitter and Instagram of him killing Alexandria Ocasio-Cortes and also stabbing President Biden. As always, it is the aftermath of this situation that is so unsettling.
Democratic leadership is at a loss of what to do. On a number of levels I get it. A lot of this has to do with the momentum thing I discussed earlier this week. How much political capital do you want to expend to get rid of a guy that probably has zero political power? It was a lot like dealing with Marjorie Taylor Greene. If you do too much you end up martyring a nobody and giving them more oxygen. If you don’t do enough you encourage the behavior. It’s the no win scenario.
Kevin McCarthy apparently has been neutered for his own protection. He is not willing to stand up to anybody or anything. He’s the kid on the playground that all the bullies hit up for his lunch money. The only question is which bully will get to him first.
AOC is one of the more polarizing members of Congress. She might be the most polarizing member of Congress. Even for Democrats, you feel like you alternately love her and then want to shake some sense into her. That’s what happens when you speak your mind and never self-censor yourself. On some level, it is enviable that someone can go through life like that. On another it is frightening to see someone get that much vitriol for just speaking their mind.
In one of the oddities of this case, Gosar’s sister is one of his most vocal critics. That must be an interesting family come Thanksgiving. I think everyone should keep their head on a swivel lest the gravy bowl wind up on top of their head. However, no one can disagree with a word she says.
Everyone remembers the story of Kathy Griffin and the flap over 45’s severed head. The comedian had a somewhat promising career that went up in smoke. People don’t think that even subtle threats are funny and it doesn’t particularly matter who the subject is. Republicans and Democrats should be able to agree on this much.
That was a B-list comedian doing that. Now it is an actual member of Congress. I suppose there can be no greater illustration of where we are as a country. On one side, fringe entertainers are going a bridge too far or sound crazy. On the other side, actual representatives are going a bridge too far and sound crazy. Unfortunately, some people still don’t see the difference.
Well, this jus may be on point. Remember in history class when the history books told us of Members of Parliament in England being murdered or suddenly disappeared (at least 300 years ago) on their way to do their Parliamentary duties? Whoever was behind all this got away with it for a time. Gosar’s big mouth an small mind is what I would equate with the murderers of the members of parliament. Gosar can lie about his disposition all he wants but karma actually does know where he lives.
1The problem with not expending any political capital to swat a fly is that pretty soon, you’ll be covered in flies. Something needs to be done about Paul Gosar (and Marjorie Taylor Greene, too). Members of Congress should be required to maintain at least a minimum of gravitas.
2It would seem that a censure vote after a member of congress threatens to murder another member of congress and/or the President would be a no-brainer. So appropriate for most congress-varmints.
3All of this makes me picture Boehner lighting up another fatty and laughing! I bet he’s happy every day!
4Two members of the British Parliament have been murdered in recent years. You might think this would make members of Congress at least think about their personal safety, especially after surviving the January coup attempt. I’m afraid it will take something drastic happening here to wake them up.
As for the Demented Dentist, he was only following his leader. Remember the tweet portraying the “Trump Train” smashing into CNN? Fascists love violent fantasies.
5Please Nick, speak for yourself. tia
“Even for Democrats, you feel like you alternately love her and then want to shake some sense into her. That’s what happens when you speak your mind and never self-censor yourself.”
Some find her speaking the truth very refreshing and applaud her willingness to shake up the old world order of accepting crumbs as progress. One might argue that the US is a centrist nation, but that belies the fact that the QOP has been driving us hard right over a cliff since FDR hurt their fee fees. Want progress and nice things, then a serious progressive course correction is what’s needed.
As for the Qcumber Caucus in the House, if Qevin McQarthy is too afraid of them to do his job there is nothing preventing either Speaker Pelosi or Steny Hoyer from stepping up to protect members of the House.
6Point taken. I love her policy aims and her tireless efforts. I guess my frustration is not with her politics but with the instincts to be a gadfly. For instance, I feel they use her own words against her. Obviously, they twist what she says (defund the police for instance). She can’t help whats already been done but a little wisdom moving forward would be nice.
I think when all progressive aims are explained without the code words attached they become overwhelmingly popular. So, it’s not a policy problem. It’s a messaging problem. That’s really all I’m saying.
7Nick.
8Maybe there’s something I missed.
A.O.C. might be the most polarizing member of Congress?
To who?
alex jones, tuckems carlson, and terry jones (the Qur’an burner, not the Python)?
I realize those aren’t names of Congresspersons.
But to some of the folks in Congress right now, they’re just barely right of center.
And those congressfolks have long since quit even pretending to distance themselves.
And the dehumanizing, demonizing crap they actually do say about Democrats and journalists is authoritarianism/fascism 101.
To them, rush limbaugh is mainstream middle of the road.
To me,thinking of A.O.C. as polarizing is drinking the bothsiderism Kool-Aid.
Damn. What I missed was your comment.
9I started mine several hours ago, got busy with something else and picked it back up without refreshing.
Sorry.
Thanks for your response, Nick. But AOC a gadfly? Please. Don’t bring back the attack of the generation gap. Empty Greene? Matt Gaetz? Maddie Cawthorne? Focus. The gadflies sit on the other side of the aisle.
10