United States Congress

[clueliss]

https://www.flippable.org/upcoming-elections/

 

I'll cross post this under what next resources.  Listing of upcoming elections where seats might be able to be flipped.  

[RosyDaisy]

What's long overdue is silencing the Republicans. Sen. Warren won't stay silent.

[Mecca]

Awwww, the poor GOPers are mad at the town halls demonstrations going on. They did not seem to mind those types of demonstrations when the Tea Party was doing it in 2009 and still do it. 

BTW, Mike Carlson, one of the people that spoke at the GOP event with U.S. Rep. Diane Black at MTSU, said Black's staff and others holding the event tried to stack the audience with Republicans. They asked the attendees before entering the room if they were Republicans. If they were, they were moved to the front. They were hoping to push out the people that were there to confront her and the other GOP state reps. What they did not bank on was more people showed up that were against them than for the repeal of the ACA. There were only enough Republicans to fill the first two rolls. That is why we were able to hear from Mike Carlson and Jessi Bohon and why they were in the back. 

ETA:  Rep. Black is a R.N. Way to think about all those patients and their needs, ya goob. 

[RoseWilder]

6 hours ago, GreyhoundFan said:

"In Congress, Republicans are quiet and meek as mice"

 

 

The author is so right. The hysteria if Obama or Hillary did even a single one of the insane things that has been foisted on us since the Orange Menace came to power would have been beyond belief. It would be nice if Chap-ass would get voted out, but I read he has always won by huge margins in Utah.

 

His constituents are currently pretty unhappy with him: 

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/9/1632117/-Jason-Chaffetz-is-getting-his-a-handed-to-him-at-his-town-hall-right-now

 

[GreyhoundFan]

32 minutes ago, RoseWilder said:

His constituents are currently pretty unhappy with him: 

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/9/1632117/-Jason-Chaffetz-is-getting-his-a-handed-to-him-at-his-town-hall-right-now

 

Yes, that warmed my heart. I read that he usually draws 60-80 people at his town halls and there were over 1,000 people at this one. I hope the resistance keeps going.

[GreyhoundFan]

Chaffetz is going to get an earful from DC residents as well.  A couple of quotes:

Quote

Rep. Jason Chaffetz is not yielding.

When he gavels in his House committee Monday night, the Utah Republican will begin the rare act of dismantling a D.C. law — one that allows for assisted suicide — despite the wrath of District residents who are planning a massive “Hands off D.C.” rally and accuse him of bullying the city to pander to his conservative base.

Chaffetz, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, faced another horde of protesters at a town hall in his Utah district last week, though they were irate because of his inaction.

Why, they demanded to know, was he not investigating President Trump’s financial dealings? In both cases, Chaffetz said, he would not be swayed by angry crowds, phone calls, emails or tweets.

“It doesn’t faze me,” the 49-year-old congressman said at an In-N-Out Burger in his Utah district last Thursday, where he devoured a cheeseburger and french fries moments after his security detail whisked him away from the town hall meeting filled with protesters chanting “Do your job!”

Glad to know he cares so much about how his constituents feel. /sarcasm font.

Quote

Chaffetz, who is “leaning toward” a 2020 campaign for governor, voiced no concern over support in his overwhelmingly Republican district, which extends from just south of Salt Lake City to the state’s southern border. “I’m very reflective of my district,” he said, noting that he has won all his elections by massive margins.

I hope that, if he does run for, and win, governor, whomever replaces him in the House isn't such an ass.

[candygirl200413]

My hate for Chaffetz has just grown immensely, like he is total trash ugh just like everything on him makes me so mad!!

[fraurosena]

Here's Keith Olbermann on the grim practicalities of the mass deportation of 11 million people:

http://video.gq.com/watch/the-closer-with-keith-olbermann-is-this-how-trump-will-deport-millions

 

And here's his video on how the Tangerine Toddler has made life worse for pets in America. Another example of how money trumps everything for these alt-righters. 

http://video.gq.com/watch/the-closer-with-keith-olbermann-life-in-trump-s-america-just-got-worse-for-your-pet

 

[GreyhoundFan]

Oh, for pity sake. Chapass is at it again: "While Trump scandals mount, Chaffetz decides to investigate... a cartoon character". A few quotes:

Quote

In fairness to Chaffetz, he is busy with more pressing matters.

True, Chaffetz, after his unending probes of the Obama administration and Hillary Clinton, hasn’t shown any appetite to examine, say, the Trump administration’s ties to Russia or its many conflicts of interest. But the chairman has shown determination to probe, without fear or favor, the threat to America posed by Sid the Science Kid.

The chairman of the powerful panel — the main investigative committee in the House — sent a letter to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention demanding to know why, in an attempt to raise awareness of the Zika virus, “CDC appears poised to make a sole source award to the Jim Henson Company for $806,000 to feature Sid the Science Kid in an educational program about the virus.”

Quote

Chaffetz was quick to recognize the danger. On Jan. 26, the day after TMZ reported that the CDC was planning a Zika-education partnership with Sid, Chaffetz fired off a letter to acting CDC director Anne Schuchat, demanding a “written explanation” and “communications between CDC and the Jim Henson Company and also PBS.”

Great, his boss gets his "news" from Breitbart and Faux, and Chapass gets his from TMZ.

Quote

Chaffetz, in closing, reminded the CDC that his committee can investigate “any matter” at “any time.”

Yes, it can — which is why it’s so appalling that Chaffetz is focusing on an animated preschooler.

Well, since Drumpf is a semi-animated preschooler, maybe that makes sense...

Quote

Chaffetz never met a probe he didn’t like during the Obama administration, from Benghazi to the IRS. In September alone, Democrats complain, his committee held five days of “emergency” hearings probing Clinton’s emails and issued 12 subpoenas.

Now, as my Post colleagues have reported, several U.S. officials have confirmed that national security adviser Michael Flynn discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with the Russian ambassador in the month before the inauguration — contradicting public assurances by Vice President Pence and other administration officials. But Chaffetz has showed no curiosity about that, nor about Russia’s attempts to tilt the election in Trump’s favor, nor about much of anything Trump-related.

Instead, Chaffetz is targeting the head of the Office of Government Ethics for questioning the Trump administration’s conflicts of interest.

Chaffetz thought Clinton’s use of a private email server threatened national security. But over the weekend, Trump proved more brazen: He plotted his response to North Korea’s latest missile test from the main dining area of his Mar-a-Lago Club. Club members posted photos on Facebook of Trump and Japan’s Shinzo Abe discussing the matter and poring over documents in proximity to waiters, club members and guests.

Good grief, would the people of Utah please stop electing this idiot?

[fraurosena]

Guys, who is Roy Blunt? Is he for realz and should I rejoice in his call for an exhaustive investigation into the presidency's connections with Russia? Or is this posturing and bluster and will it fizzle out into nothing?

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/02/14/politics/kfile-roy-blunt-flynn-investigation/index.html

[candygirl200413]

I think my eyes got prematurely stuck rolling my eyes reading that @GreyhoundFan because this man is wasting our tax dollars looking at things that don't need to be looked at. We get it Jason you don't want to go against your "fellow republicans" even if they put the nation in harms way!

I'm watching MSNBC and Rep Elijah Cummings is talking and essentially in more eloquent words is like YOU SUCK JASON, DO YOUR EFFING JOB!!

@fraurosena We can only hope!

[clueliss]

3 hours ago, fraurosena said:

Guys, who is Roy Blunt? Is he for realz and should I rejoice in his call for an exhaustive investigation into the presidency's connections with Russia? Or is this posturing and bluster and will it fizzle out into nothing?

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/02/14/politics/kfile-roy-blunt-flynn-investigation/index.html

 

Roy did what?  (He's the republican senator from Missouri.  Balanced out by the Democratic Senator from Missouri Claire McCaskill).  So if Roy has broken ranks (he tweeted that he was voting for his 'friend' Sessions)  and is calling for an investigation - that could be good news.  Not holding my breath.  

[fraurosena]

Here's an article praising the fact that the fourth estate will not be bullied by the Tangerine Toddler:

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/editorials/donald-trump-mike-flynn-resignation-russia-putin-a7580286.html

Quote

The persistence of the American news media, then, has paid dividends and should be applauded. Journalists refused to be cowed by the bullying attitude of President Trump and his henchmen and instead redoubled their efforts to get to the true nature of Mr Flynn’s conversation with Mr Kisylak. The Fourth Estate in the US, hated though it may be by America’s head of state, is not taking the presidency lying down. There are lessons here for journalists across the world. 

I particularly liked this bit:

Quote

In a typically bullish tweet on Tuesday the President sought to lay the blame for the mess at the door of those in the intelligence community who had leaked details of the Flynn-Kisylak contacts to the media. That is a remarkable dereliction of office by Mr Trump, yet nonetheless is hardly a surprising response from this most un-statesmanlike of Presidents.

 

[GreyhoundFan]

"Republicans are running away from their constituents". Lots of whining from snowflake Congresspeople. Here's the beginning:

Quote

Republican Rep. Peter Roskam of Illinois has a safe seat in Congress. So what’s he running from?

First, supporters of the Affordable Care Act showed up at his office for a previously scheduled meeting with his staff. But the 16 of them were turned away when Roskam staffers discovered they were accompanied by a reporter, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Next, Roskam went to the Palatine Township Republican Organization’s monthly meeting, billed as open to all. But organizers shut out the general public because of intense interest. With hundreds of protesters massed outside, Roskam left through a back door. Some chased on foot after his fleeing car.

Then, Roskam announced he would hold a “telephone town hall meeting” instead of the real thing. “I have no plans to have one of these big, sort of circus meetings,” he said, informing WGN’s Rick Pearson that he’s always thought “those larger meetings are just not productive.”

They certainly aren’t productive for Roskam and his fellow Republicans — not now, anyway. An early backlash against the Trump presidency has led to many verbal confrontations between Republican lawmakers and the citizenry. President Trump’s face plant since the inauguration — most recently the resignation of national security adviser Michael Flynn over dealings with Russia — is only making matters worse.

The article continues to discuss several Repubs who are either cancelling appearances or finding other ways to dodge constituents. Poor widdle babies, having to answer to the people.

 

Here's another interesting analytical piece: "Congressional Republicans have finally come up with a strategy to deal with Trump. It won’t work."

Quote

Congressional Republicans have developed a foolproof two-step plan to deal with President Trump in the White House. Step one: Have their cake. Step two: Eat it too.

Here's how Jonathan Martin and Matt Flegenheimer described that strategy in the New York Times on Monday:

After three weeks in the White House, Mr. Trump has made clear that he is going to continue promulgating conspiracy theories, flinging personal insults and saying things that are plainly untrue. And the Republican-controlled House and Senate seem to have made a collective decision: They will accommodate — not confront — his conduct as long as he signs their long-stalled conservative proposals on taxes, regulations and health care into law.

That reflects something similar to what Speaker Paul Ryan told PBS's Judy Woodruff in an interview earlier this month. "I reject the premise of this notion that the head of the legislative branch of government should just reject the duly elected head of the executive branch of government," said Ryan. "That makes no sense to me."

Down this road lies real danger for Republicans. Here's why.

At the core of this strategy is the idea that the average voter will differentiate between Trump and congressional Republicans. Or, even more unlikely, that people will separate Trump's words from their actions.

The article goes on to discuss how the 2018 mid-term elections will be a referendum on Drumpf. Man, I hope so. BTW, to the bolded, FUCK YOU, Paul Ryan, your weaselly ass did NOTHING but reject the duly elected head of the executive branch of government for the last eight years.

[RoseWilder]

I just saw this on twitter: 

 

[RoseWilder]

Another interesting tweet: 

 

[GreyhoundFan]

Senator Warner is also pushing on the Russia mess:

Quote

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement on the resignation of National Security Adviser General Michael Flynn:

“Reports that the White House may have been briefed weeks ago on the nature of Gen. Flynn's calls raise deeply troubling questions. The American people deserve to know at whose direction Gen. Flynn was acting when he made these calls, and why the White House waited until these reports were public to take action.

“These developments underscore how many questions still remain unanswered to the American people more than three months after Election Day, including who was aware of what, and when. This reinforces both the urgency and the significance of the Senate Intelligence Committee's bipartisan investigation into Russian interference, which will include a thorough examination of contacts between Russia and individuals associated with political campaigns, as well as interviews with current and former government officials.

“Nothing about this resignation, or resignations that could occur in the future, precludes the Senate Intelligence Committee from continuing to investigate Gen. Flynn, or any other campaign official who may have had inappropriate and improper contacts with Russian officials prior to the election.

“It is clear that our task is more urgent than ever.”

I hope the Senate Intelligence Committee actually uncovers the festering crap we all know is there.

[RoseWilder]

The Republican inaction on this Russia thing is infuriating. Can they make it any more obvious that all the Benghazi investigations and their outrage over the emails were politically motivated (not that we didn't already know that.) They have even less integrity than I realized. 

[RoseWilder]

23 Republicans voted against a bill that would have given Congress access to Trump's tax records. I hope this gets trending on twitter. Everyone needs to see this and start questioning the 23:

 

[47of74]

The Senate just voted to block the restrictions for mentally disabled to purchase guns.

kcrg.com/content/news/Senate-votes-to-block-rule-on-guns-and-mentally-impaired-413847783.html

Quote

The Republican-led Senate has voted to block an Obama-era regulation that would prevent an estimated 75,000 people with mental disorders from being able to purchase a firearm.

The 57 to 43 vote to revoke the regulation now sends the measure to President Donald Trump, who is expected to sign it.

The Obama administration rule strengthened the federal background check system by requiring the Social Security Administration to include the names of beneficiaries with mental impairments who also have a third party to manage their benefits.

<sarcasm>

Nice.  What possibly could go wrong there? 

</sarcasm>

[sawasdee]

21 minutes ago, 47of74 said:

The Senate just voted to block the restrictions for mentally disabled to purchase guns.

kcrg.com/content/news/Senate-votes-to-block-rule-on-guns-and-mentally-impaired-413847783.html

<sarcasm>

Nice.  What possibly could go wrong there? 

</sarcasm>

This is so surreal that I feel I am living in 1984.....So if you cannot handle the day to day details of your own life, you are still competent enough to own a GUN? Where the fuck did this Senate come from?

OK, so I come from a country where gun ownership is VERY strictly limited - but to allow the mentally incompetent to own guns? That weird whirring sound you hear is the Founding Fathers rolling over very fast in their graves - the 2nd amendment did not intend this!

I only now appreciate the buying power of the NRA.

[clueliss]

Well, I'm going to trust that the fine citizens of Lawrence KS will give Lynn Jenkins hell for that.  They're in her district (KS, 2nd - aka Eastern KS from Nebraska to Oklahoma minus suburban KC).  

[Childless]

1 hour ago, 47of74 said:

The Senate just voted to block the restrictions for mentally disabled to purchase guns.

kcrg.com/content/news/Senate-votes-to-block-rule-on-guns-and-mentally-impaired-413847783.html

<sarcasm>

Nice.  What possibly could go wrong there? 

</sarcasm>

How many Sandy Hooks do they need before they buy a clue?  I now have to have a security card to get into my kids' damn school.  Don't remember my parents having to go through security systems to pick me up from school.

[47of74]

Just now, Childless said:

How many Sandy Hooks do they need before they buy a clue?  I now have to have a security card to get into my kids' damn school.  Don't remember my parents having to go through security systems to pick me up from school.

Yeah I remember when I went back to the elementary school I attended in 2010 to give a teacher some stuff I had for the school's 50th anniversary the doors were locked.  I had to use the intercom at the entrance and they buzzed me through the door.  When I was a student there the doors were never locked during the day and people just walked up to the office.

[fraurosena]

@MeccaI have some other encouraging news for you: Andy Puzder has withdrawn his nomination after losing Republican support.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38987930?ocid=socialflow_twitter

Quote

US President Donald Trump's choice for labour secretary has withdrawn from consideration on the eve of a long-delayed confirmation hearing. 

The fast-food billionaire lost the support of several Republican senators after admitting employing an illegal immigrant as a former housekeeper. 

The CKE Restaurants chief executive has also been criticised for his remarks on women and employees at his employees.

The fallout from a rancorous 1980s divorce had also returned to dog him.