What happened to the immigration thread?

[jhawks99]

Do I understand this correctly?

We're going to impeach Mayorkas for not doing anything at the border while refusing to pass a bill to do something about the border.

When do they impeach themselves?

[jfish26]

Do I understand this correctly?

We're going to impeach Mayorkas for not doing anything at the border while refusing to pass a bill to do something about the border.

When do they impeach themselves?

In a manner of speaking, they do. Every day, they do. It’s on the voters to convict.

[zsn]

Do I understand this correctly?

We're going to impeach Mayorkas for not doing anything at the border while refusing to pass a bill to do something about the border.

When do they impeach themselves?

In a manner of speaking, they do. Every day, they do. It’s on the voters to convict.

And yet a majority of these charlatans will be re-elected!

[jfish26]

Do I understand this correctly?

We're going to impeach Mayorkas for not doing anything at the border while refusing to pass a bill to do something about the border.

When do they impeach themselves?

In a manner of speaking, they do. Every day, they do. It’s on the voters to convict.

And yet a majority of these charlatans will be re-elected!

Yes. But if only a small handful aren't...

[Shirley]

In a manner of speaking, they do. Every day, they do. It’s on the voters to convict.

And yet a majority of these charlatans will be re-elected!

Yes. But if only a small handful aren't...

I hope you're right, but I'd be more confidant if, along with their SCOTUS enablers, Republicans hadn't been so fastidious about picking their voters, i.e., gerrymandering like rabid dogs, in every state they control, for well over a decade. Which is why they get away with accomplishing nothing for their heavily curated constituents, and rarely pay a price.

[jfish26]

And yet a majority of these charlatans will be re-elected!

Yes. But if only a small handful aren't...

I hope you're right, but I'd be more confidant if, along with their SCOTUS enablers, Republicans hadn't been so fastidious about picking their voters, i.e., gerrymandering like rabid dogs, in every state they control, for well over a decade. Which is why they get away with accomplishing nothing for their heavily curated constituents, and rarely pay a price.

Didn't know I was the resident optimist. That's probably a bad sign in and of itself.

[Sparko]

Republicans are awful. They are lazy loony liars. If one feels compelled to empower their anarchy and mindless destruction, please see a mental health professional. If you still have your wallet.

[KUTradition]

https://www.wired.com/story/day-one-tak ... voy-texas/

[jfish26]

https://www.wired.com/story/day-one-tak ... voy-texas/

I especially enjoyed the part where they got lost in a convenience store. I am aware that it’s a very large convenience store. I still very much enjoyed that part.

[Sparko]

Buccee's is huge. Easy to get lost in the rustic wood lawn furniture section.

[Overlander]

Part of me would love it if these idiots bumped into the Mexicans that truly came to play the game

[japhy]

https://www.wired.com/story/day-one-tak ... voy-texas/

It's great to see such motivated patriots! They are what makes this country awesome. You can never have too much awesome!

I salute these brave Americans!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GytxTq8wQw4

[Overlander]

https://www.wired.com/story/day-one-tak ... voy-texas/

It's great to see such motivated patriots! They are what makes this country awesome. You can never have too much awesome!

I salute these brave Americans!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GytxTq8wQw4

That is a LOT of Four Loco!

[KUTradition]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna132911

Key senators say they have a deal to toughen immigration and asylum laws

… The tentative agreement, struck by Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., represents an ambitious effort to tackle a problem that has bedeviled Congress for decades — in the middle of an election year.

“For all intents and purposes, we have an agreement,” Murphy said...

[jfish26]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna132911

Key senators say they have a deal to toughen immigration and asylum laws

… The tentative agreement, struck by Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., represents an ambitious effort to tackle a problem that has bedeviled Congress for decades — in the middle of an election year.

“For all intents and purposes, we have an agreement,” Murphy said...

I have gained a LOT of respect for Lankford this week.

[Shirley]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna132911

Key senators say they have a deal to toughen immigration and asylum laws

… The tentative agreement, struck by Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., represents an ambitious effort to tackle a problem that has bedeviled Congress for decades — in the middle of an election year.

“For all intents and purposes, we have an agreement,” Murphy said...

I have gained a LOT of respect for Lankford this week.

Lankford remains repulsively conservative, but at least he appears to have some principles, so that's something, especially when we're talking about Republicans these days.

And this tells you everything you need to know, and is hopefully instructive to Illy, et al, that there is no comparison between the willingness to do what's right for the country on a bipartisan basis when possible, when it comes to Democrats, and Republicans. That is, Lankford was censured by fellow republicans, for negotiating with Democrats...

The Oklahoma Republican Party approved a resolution censuring Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., and attacking the Republican lawmaker for negotiating with Democrats on a potential border deal.

The resolution, shared by Oklahoma State Sen. Dusty Deevers on X, formerly Twitter, accuses Lankford of “playing fast and loose with Democrats on our border policy." Lawmakers for months have been struggling to reach an agreement to address the challenges on America's southern border, and Lankford has been the lead GOP negotiator.

[...]

[jfish26]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna132911

Key senators say they have a deal to toughen immigration and asylum laws

… The tentative agreement, struck by Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., represents an ambitious effort to tackle a problem that has bedeviled Congress for decades — in the middle of an election year.

“For all intents and purposes, we have an agreement,” Murphy said...

I have gained a LOT of respect for Lankford this week.

Lankford remains repulsively conservative, but at least he appears to have some principles, so that's something, especially when we're talking about Republicans these days.

And this tells you everything you need to know, and is hopefully instructive to Illy, et al, that there is no comparison between the willingness to do what's right for the country on a bipartisan basis when possible, when it comes to Democrats, and Republicans. That is, Lankford was censured by fellow republicans, for negotiating with Democrats...

The Oklahoma Republican Party approved a resolution censuring Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., and attacking the Republican lawmaker for negotiating with Democrats on a potential border deal.

The resolution, shared by Oklahoma State Sen. Dusty Deevers on X, formerly Twitter, accuses Lankford of “playing fast and loose with Democrats on our border policy." Lawmakers for months have been struggling to reach an agreement to address the challenges on America's southern border, and Lankford has been the lead GOP negotiator.

[...]

One of the many lines from Hamilton that really sticks is in the song "The Election of 1800", when Hamilton is asked to endorse either Jefferson (his political rival) or Burr (his erstwhile friend):

[HAMILTON]
The people are asking to hear my voice

[ENSEMBLE]
Oh!

[HAMILTON]
For the country is facing a difficult choice

[ENSEMBLE]
Oh!

[HAMILTON]
And if you were to ask me who I’d promote—

[ENSEMBLE]
Oh!

[HAMILTON]
—Jefferson has my vote

[JEFFERSON/MADISON/ENSEMBLE]
Oh!

[HAMILTON]
I have never agreed with Jefferson once

[JEFFERSON/MADISON/ENSEMBLE]
Oh!

[HAMILTON]
We have fought on like seventy-five diff’rent fronts

[JEFFERSON/MADISON/ENSEMBLE]
Oh!

[HAMILTON]
But when all is said and all is done
Jefferson has beliefs. Burr has none

[ENSEMBLE]
Oooooooooooooh

[MADISON AND JEFFERSON]
Well, I’ll be damned
Well, I’ll be damned

[KUTradition]

it’s not unlike Cheney being censured for merely being on the J6 committee

[jfish26]

it’s not unlike Cheney being censured for merely being on the J6 committee

It's a disease.

[jfish26]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna132911

Key senators say they have a deal to toughen immigration and asylum laws

… The tentative agreement, struck by Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., represents an ambitious effort to tackle a problem that has bedeviled Congress for decades — in the middle of an election year.

“For all intents and purposes, we have an agreement,” Murphy said...

I have gained a LOT of respect for Lankford this week.

Lankford remains repulsively conservative, but at least he appears to have some principles, so that's something, especially when we're talking about Republicans these days.

And this tells you everything you need to know, and is hopefully instructive to Illy, et al, that there is no comparison between the willingness to do what's right for the country on a bipartisan basis when possible, when it comes to Democrats, and Republicans. That is, Lankford was censured by fellow republicans, for negotiating with Democrats...

The Oklahoma Republican Party approved a resolution censuring Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., and attacking the Republican lawmaker for negotiating with Democrats on a potential border deal.

The resolution, shared by Oklahoma State Sen. Dusty Deevers on X, formerly Twitter, accuses Lankford of “playing fast and loose with Democrats on our border policy." Lawmakers for months have been struggling to reach an agreement to address the challenges on America's southern border, and Lankford has been the lead GOP negotiator.

[...]

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.c ... ary-1-2024

Republicans have a personnel problem as well as a policy problem. Since the 1980s, party leaders have maintained that the federal government needs to be slashed, and their determination to just say no has elevated lawmakers whose skill set features obstruction rather than the negotiation required to pass bills. Their goal is to stay in power to stop legislation from passing.

Yesterday, for example, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who sits on the Senate Finance Committee and used to chair it, told a reporter not to have too much faith that the child tax credit measure would pass the Senate, where Republicans can kill it with the filibuster. “Passing a tax bill that makes the president look good…means he could be reelected, and then we won’t extend the 2017 tax cuts,” Grassley said.

At the same time, the rise of right-wing media, which rewards extremism, has upended the relationship between lawmakers and voters. In CNN yesterday, Oliver Darcy explained that “the incentive structure in conservative politics has gone awry. The irresponsible and dishonest stars of the right-wing media kingdom are motivated by vastly different goals than those who are actually trying to advance conservative causes, get Republicans elected, and then ultimately govern in office.”

Right-wing influencers want views and shares, which translate to more money and power, Darcy wrote. So they spread “increasingly outlandish, attention-grabbing junk,” and more established outlets tag along out of fear they will lose their audience. But those influencers and media hosts don’t have to govern, and the anger they generate in the base makes it hard for anyone else to, either.

This dynamic has shown up dramatically in the House Republicans’ refusal to consider a proposed border measure on which a bipartisan group of senators had worked for four months because Trump and his extremist base turned against the idea—one that Republicans initially demanded.

Since they took control of the House in 2023, House Republicans have been able to conduct almost no business as the extremists are essentially refusing to govern unless all their demands are met. Rather than lawmaking, they are passing extremist bills to signal to their base, holding hearings to push their talking points, and trying to find excuses to impeach the president and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas.

Yesterday the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal, which is firmly on the right, warned House Republicans that “Impeaching Mayorkas Achieves Nothing” other than “political symbolism,” and urged them to work to get a border bill passed. “Grandstanding is easier than governing, and Republicans have to decide whether to accomplish anything other than impeaching Democrats,” it said.

Today in the Washington Post, Jennifer Rubin called the Republicans’ behavior “nihilism and performative politics.”

On CNN this morning, Representative Dan Goldman (D-NY) identified the increasing isolation of the MAGA Republicans from a democratic government. “Here we are both on immigration and now on this tax bill where President Biden and a bipartisan group of Congress are trying to actually solve problems for the American people,” Goldman said, “and Chuck Grassley, Donald Trump, Mike Johnson—they are trying to kill solutions just for political gain."