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Tuesday, October 03, 2023

ABC reports: "House speaker ousted for first time in US history." [UPDATED]

 Link. Stating in part:

Eight Republicans voted to take away McCarthy's gavel.

In addition to Gaetz, who introduced the motion to vacate, the following Republicans voted to oust McCarthy: Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ken Buck of Colorado, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, Eli Crane of Arizona, Bob Good of Virginia, Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Matt Rosendale of Arizona.

Every Democrat present also supported the motion to vacate.

The government will be interim funded for forty-five days, while the Republicans screw around over the speakership. A guess here: It won't be Gaetz.

There is no certitude that our friends the Republicans will resolve anything within that forty-five day window. Were they less polarized, McCarthy would not have been voted out. The guess is the Dems will nominate Jeffrey each ballot, and vote as a bloc, forcing the Republicans to mend their own differences. If possible.

People deserve responsible government, which was the last minute thing delivered on the CR (continuing resolution) keeping the government funded for forty-five days.

Ukraine further funding remains in limbo

___________UPDATE____________

In a locally authored item, Strib reported how Reps in Minnesota voted; and in quoting Rep. McCollum, Strib likely hit upon the prevailing Democrat sentiment when McCarthy's tenure was at issue:

Betty McCollum said that "McCarthy has never asked for my vote, much less offered to listen to the priorities of the people I represent."

In effect, McCarthy's plight was irrelevant to McCollum's representation of her district. He was from the other party, without real interest in McCollum's district's needs and priorities. Why would she have had any motivation to vote against the ouster motion? McCarthy, in effect, did nothing of substance to earn a favorable vote from McCollum, or from any other Democtats, who voted accordingly. He did push through a last minute funding package which was not anathema to Dems, but was not "their" package either. His fate was left in the hands of his party, and now the Republicans face mop up behind Gaetz and his insurgents. With Democrats likely to propose Rep. Hakeem Jeffries as their nominee and then vote accordingly, as before, then sitting back to watch how the Repubs handle mop up behind Gaetz.

Gaetz in turn, has been reported as fundraising over his insurgent hubris. Bless him. 

Politico.

Presidential candidate Mike Pence spoke with AP and was quoted

Pence was onstage at a national security and foreign policy event at Washington’s Georgetown University co-hosted by The Associated Press when the news broke.

When told of the historic vote, Pence waited several seconds before he responded. He then described it as a distraction from the issues that matter to Americans.

“Well let me say that chaos is never America’s friend. And it’s never a friend of American families that are struggling,” he said. “And I’m deeply disappointed that a handful of Republicans would partner with all the Democrats in the House of Representatives to out the Speaker of the House.”

There was no clear path forward Tuesday night after the vote to dislodge McCarthy, a first in American history. Pence said that he expected additional votes to take place this week and predicted that McCarthy would eventually be reelected to the post.

But he said what took place underscored the need for new leadership in Washington.

“Political performance art in Washington, D.C., does little to address the issues the American people are facing," he said, vowing to “focus on the needs and the challenges and the opportunities and the future of the American people” if he is elected.

That was typical Mike Pence. He distanced himself from Trump who wanted a shutdown, blamed the Democrats who merely voted their own interests on what was solely a SNAFU within Pence's own party, and tried to shift focus from it to his campaign and self felt fitness to lead the nation. Bullshitting, in effect. Typical Mike Pence, in effect.

Strib had an item, "Minnesota boy, 13, drops massive 1,000-pound bull elk," and were Pence asked his opinion of it, he'd have said it sounds like a really large elk, and then have segued to his self felt fitness to lead the nation.

 Why else is Pence a single digit favorite to gain the Republican nomination? 

Do you need more?