It sometimes seems like I’ve been waiting my whole life for this. When Obama was sworn in in 2009, I was filled with hope for the future. Sure, Obama had multiple crises to deal with, but he also had a larger majority in both chambers than Biden has now, and the best people.
What Obama didn’t have was inside intel. To get big things done, Obama wanted GOP buy in, the dreaded bipartisanship. He had no way of knowing that McConnell had already sworn to use pure obstructionism to make Obama a one term President. Obama tried, McConnell rope-a-doped and faux negotiated, and in 2010, the Democrats lost the House, and the ability to set the agenda.
President Biden had a ring side seat for that debacle, and he learned his lesson. And part of that lesson was to let his two most trusted lieutenants, Schumer and Pelosi, do what they do best.
The first beatdown was a thing of beauty to watch. McConnell tried some lame procedural bullshit to delay the formal transfer of power to the Democrats, demanding a signed agreement that the Democrats would not touch the filibuster. Schumer, the smiling assassin, nodded politely, and then went on the Rachel Maddow show to gleefully explain how he would deal with the problem, and assure the world that McConnell wasn’t getting hack shit. McConnell folded the same night, in a public statement.
And now it’s Nancy’s turn to party hearty. The GOP House caucus is a literal blivit, meaning ten pounds of shit in a five pound bag. They hit the triple play. For starters, the House Minority Leader, political Gumby Kevin McCarthy, has so knotted himself to Trump that he doesn’t know whether to shit, go blind, or wind his watch. Throw in far right wingnut Marjorie Taylor Greene, a freshman House member who has called Parkland and Sandy Hook false flag operations, and has loudly advocated shooting Speaker Pelosi in the head. And the cherry on top is an insurgent 1trump wing of the House that wants to strip Liz Cheney, a well connected member, of her leadership positions for taking her oath seriously and voting to impeach Trump.
Pelosi has got to be feeling like a kid in a candy store. She has the opposition doing all of her conniving and heavy lifting for her. McCarthy’s own political and financial backers have repeatedly ordered him to ditch Greene, strip her of her assignments, soundproof her mask, and relocate her congressional office to Pakistan. Even McConnell, seeing not only what a slow motion train wreck Greene is, but also how politically suicidal it would be to try to sanction a member for a legitimate vote of conscience. Had to put out a strongly worded statement, condemning Greene and demanding stripping her committee assignments, and strongly supporting Cheney for her moral courage. McCarthy refused.
So now Nancy will finally have her fun. Tomorrow morning, the House Ethics Committee will forward a sanction resolution to the whole floor for a vote. If passed, it will forcibly strip Greene of her committee assignments, and formally censure her. This is liquid gold for the Democrats, since it forces every GOP member to cast a ballot defining whether they are actually a functional human with common sense, or a Q-Anon dipshit. And the votes will be public record.
And Pelosi will slide the shiv in the backs of McConnell and the GOP Senate. In their closing arguments at Trump’s impeachment trial, the House prosecutors will frame every Senator’s vote as a vote of conscience. Their vote will show whether they stand with democracy, law, and order, or stand with Trump’s seditious mob.
See what I man? This is how you wield power. And it’s critical, because every time the Democrats do something like this, they lay down a marker they’ll collect on later. because 2022 is going to be here before you know it. And every GOP incumbent is going to have to go back home, and explain those votes, and their non existent accomplishments.
Because every time that the Democrats laugh, flip the GOP double barrel birds, and go do something big and popular, it follows the old advertising dictum, Image is everything. The Democrats come off as looking strong, confident, and competent, while the GOP looks weak and feckless. After all, everybody loves a winner.
If you enjoyed this article, you might also like to check out President Evil, and the sequel, President Evil II, A Clodwork Orange . They comprise a pretty much daily report from the front of the 2016 GOP primaries, as well as the general election
Follow me on Twitter at @RealMurfster35
A thing of beauty….
That part about looking strong and ACTING strong AND on very popular (even with Republican voters) stuff is something to put a pin in. You might be on to something huge. One of the things about GOP voters that’s gotten lost in the noise of Trump’s attention grabbing antics is that part of what has drawn a lot of those white, working class voters to the GOP is their perception of the GOP being strong and the Democrats being weak. Right now the GOP is looking weak to a lot of their long time voters. Sure, a strong majority of them including those who as you recently noted changed Party registration away from Republican but probably has every intention of voting that way in 2022 and beyond are beyond hope. However, we don’t need a majority, half or even a third of those white working class voters that shifted to the GOP in the Reagan years. As few as twenty percent will make a HUGE difference.
Right off the bat Democrats on the Hill are making it clear that the GOP can either get on board with some very popular legislation that WILL provide a noticeable improvement in people’s lives right away. Yes, it’s true things were left in an even bigger mess than we feared (no wonder Trump and his people fought the transition to the very end!) not every career employee left or was forced out of some key agencies (been watching the new CDC director on Maddow for instance) and for all they’ve been ground down the last four years they will I believe get a huge second wind from this new administration. They will work themselves to the bone to rebuild their agency’s capabilities now that they know someone’s got their backs.
Vaccine production will improve and at least one new one is likely to be added into the mix soon. Add that in no major holidays where lots of folks will travel for months, and warmer weather in a couple of months which will get people outside more AND improvements in treatments for Covid and by late spring or early summer even unpopular stuff like mask mandates will suddenly seem not as bad after all to a lot of those working class voters. Seeing actual measures being put in place at work because employers will have resources to do so (I’m pretty sure the new Covid relief bill will have actual controls to monitor and address those employers who try to cheat) and again, these folks will start to ask the unthinkable question. Which is “Is it possible Democrats know better what we need, and care more about meeting my needs even if it costs them politically? Maybe THEY aren’t the wimps after all! Should I start actually taking them seriously and even consider voting for them?
THAT is how we might peel off that twenty percent I mentioned earlier. These are people who aren’t leaders but followers and they will follow leaders who don’t screw around. Especially if those leaders actually provide multiple example of their way/policies delivering a string of stuff they not only want but need and in a fairly limited span of time. If our leaders keep up what they are doing and actually get it right this time they will have reset the playing field by fall. As the holidays are coming up, and people can once again have some semblance of the normal that existed prior to Covid. Just in time for 2022 and the start of midterms year!
The GOP will need (in most places) every one of the voters they have left AND those who as you noted changed their registration so as not to be identified as a Republican but still think that way. Losing just five percent in some key races would hurt bad. Ten percent would spell real trouble and twenty percent would be devastating because that would carry through to state and local races. It’s no wonder Moscow Mitch is freaking out right now. Yertle isn’t just a cold blooded and evil reptile, he’s also politically savvy and knows numbers and why the white working class base of the GOP has stuck with them through four decades of getting screwed by the Party they’ve supported. I think you’ve hit on something which is that Chuck Schumer of all people is going to smack him in the face with just about every dirty trick and stunt HE has pulled and when McConnell whines just smile. And behind closed doors tell him to suck it. And mockingly add “Just get over it.” It’s probably already happened at least once.
If you’re right about our side projecting strength and I think you are we have a unique opportunity. Pelosi long ago proved she’s got the chops to play hardball. Frankly, I’ve never thought Schumer had it in him. But now? Looks like he finally grew a backbone and decided he was tired of taking McConnell’s and the GOP’s crap, and maybe even jealous of the quite accurate perception that Speaker Pelosi was far more effective than him because she was tougher and willing to wield her power. Well, the why isn’t as important is that it looks like Schumer is finally throwing hard punches, and even slipping in some cheap shots too!
Since I’m in a quotation mood this evening, a gem from Blade 2 as spoken by Wesley Snipes seems apropos: “You obviously…do not know…who you are F///ING WITH!”
God, I love the Blade movies!!! lol Thank you…
Blade 2 remains my fave to this day, as it was absolutely the most fun.
It’s good having a minority leader in the house as stupid as McCarthy. At least Ryan and Boehner were experienced, calculating old hands. McCarthy is a dimwit.
I sometimes don’t give LEADER Schumer his due, not because I have any complaints, I just focus on Pelosi and Harris and others because I’m such a fan.
But Sen Schumer has worked so diligently in holding the line during the wretched McConnell era, and he’s so enthusiastic and engaged at pushing forward, that I think it deserves mention. If anyone missed his interview with Maddow, I recommend it. It got me fired up to press onward with our agenda…he has a great energy.