New Developments III

[Big Magilla]

He's a mild-mannered religious fanatic, the epitome of the banality of evil, handpicked for the job by Trump.

From the New York Times:

In his first interview as speaker, Mr. Johnson described himself to the Fox News host Sean Hannity as “a Bible-believing Christian” and said that to understand his politics, one only need “pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it. That’s my worldview.”

That includes opposition not just to abortion, which he has called “a holocaust,” and same-sex marriage, but to homosexuality itself, which he has written is “inherently unnatural” and a “dangerous lifestyle.” He is the sponsor of a bill that would prohibit the use of federal funds for providing education to children under 10 that included L.G.B.T.Q. topics — a proposal that critics called a national version of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law.

In a 2006 column for Townhall, a conservative website, Mr. Johnson railed against “the earnest advocates of atheism and sexual perversion.”

“This sprawling alliance of anti-God enthusiasts has proven frighteningly efficient at remaking America in their own brutal, dehumanizing image,” he wrote.

He added: “In the space of a few decades, they have managed to entrench abortion and homosexual behavior, objectify children into sexual objects, criminalize Christianity in the popular culture, and promote guilt and self-doubt as the foremost qualities of our national character.”

In Washington, the prime role of religion in Mr. Johnson’s political life is often the first thing colleagues learn about when they meet him.

“It doesn’t take long,” said Representative Byron Donalds, Republican of Florida, who said that Mr. Johnson often begins meetings by leading a prayer. “You’ll pretty much know that in the first five minutes. He’s truly a humble man.”

Yet he is not shy about framing his political career as a divinely driven battle to put religion at the center of American policy and lawmaking. From gun violence to abortion to immigration, Mr. Johnson’s policy views are shaped by his belief that too many Americans are “denying existence of God himself.”

In remarks to a Louisiana congregation in 2016, Mr. Johnson linked school shootings to no-fault divorce laws (he is in a covenant marriage with his wife, which makes divorce more difficult), “radical feminism” and legal abortion. “We’ve taught a whole generation — couple of generations, now — of Americans that there is no right and wrong,” he said then.

In an episode of his podcast, “Truth Be Told,” Mr. Johnson explained how his religion drives his hard-line immigration stance, arguing that while the Bible teaches Christians to practice “personal charity,” that commandment was “never directed to the government.”

“The left is taking it and using it out of context,” Mr. Johnson said. Welcoming the stranger, he added, is an exhortation to “individual believers,” while the government’s duty is to enforce laws — in this case, strong border control policies to stop the influx of migrants into the United States.

In lectures to student groups he addresses across the country, Mr. Johnson has lamented: “There’s no transcendent principles anymore. There’s no eternal judge. There’s no absolute standards of right and wrong. All this is exactly the opposite of the way we were founded as a country.”

The full dark text is here:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/27/us/p ... igion.html

[Okri]

Fuck. Just... fucking hell.

[Greg]

Well, the House does have a Speaker now, obscure Louisiana representative Mike Johnson who supported Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

[Greg]

At least one poll has RFK Jr. taking more votes away from Trump than from Biden.

"Biden beats Trump, RFK Jr. in three-way race: poll:"

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4 ... race-poll/

[Sabin]

I'd like to talk about how wrong I was about RFK Jr. for two reasons. The first my failure to recognize his appeal. The second is because, y'know, the world changed. Obviously, if this much can change in two weeks, who knows maybe it changes again. Maybe it all ends with RFK Jr. becoming President. What do I know?

I was clearly wrong about RFK Jr.'s appeal. It's been borne out in every major poll. I still think he has some lefty vibes that could hurt Biden, but it's clear that it hurts Trump a lot more as evidenced by the conservative panic mode around his candidacy. Watching him foolishly walk into one lion's den after another only to discover *GASP* maybe Sean Hannity wasn't his friend after all has been very enjoyable. It also erases any doubt in my mind as to whether his campaign was due to some version of messiah complex or if it was a cynical spoiler campaign. It's messiah complex. It has to be. Messiah complex, lots of money, and lots of access.

But even if that didn't happen, what could his campaign be today? The world changed. Even though RFK Jr. is known for anti-vax and general conspiracies, his main issue really is Ukraine. He's been running as an anti-war machine candidate. But he's generally pretty supportive of Israel. I don't see what appeal an RFK Jr. candidacy has when he's just out there saying "We shouldn't be giving money to Ukraine. We should be giving it to Israel."

At first I thought he could do very well as a third party candidate, taking from both, but ultimately hurting Biden. I was wrong. For one week, RFK Jr. looked like he was a Trump spoiler. But now I'm having a hard time seeing him get 1%. What's his appeal now?

Who knows where we'll be two weeks from now?

[Greg]

. . . and Jim Jordan fails to win the Speakership on the first ballot. More balloting is postponed until tomorrow. Like I said, the Republicans say they don't believe in government; and, by golly, they're keeping their word.

[Big Magilla]

I just want to say this: I don't know if everyone's busy or if restraint in posting re: the current crisis is a conscious choice, but I really appreciate it right now.

News coverage has been excellent. It's too horrific to trivialize with unnecessary commentary right now.

[OscarGuy]

Hakeem needs to make a deal with the Biden 18 to become speaker...

Though, if Will Rogers had lived to see this, he wouldn't call the Democrats disorganized anymore.

[Okri]

Scalise just dropped his bid for Speaker, leading the Republicans back to square whatever.

It really is something.

[Sabin]

Greg wrote
Scalise just dropped his bid for Speaker, leading the Republicans back to square whatever.

Brett Baier just said that he's hearing crazy things on the hill: "Jesus of Nazareth could not get 217 right now."

Also, I just want to say this: I don't know if everyone's busy or if restraint in posting re: the current crisis is a conscious choice, but I really appreciate it right now.

[Greg]

Scalise just dropped his bid for Speaker, leading the Republicans back to square whatever.

[OscarGuy]

Because at least far left Dems are smart enough to realize getting some of what you want is better than getting none of what you want. Reagan made a deal with the religious wing of the party and that wing enabled all the anti-cultural elements to worm their way into the Party and those people cannot be reasoned with.

[Sabin]

OscarGuy wrote
Pelosi is teaching Jeffries as they go, so he's getting the best tutelage. The site I read for political news suggests that Pelosi may well be one of the most consequential house speakers in history.

Totally. To be clear, I don't mean to diminish Pelosi. I do think she's one of the most consequential Speakers in history.

But I do think that the Republican Speaker of the House is an increasingly impossible job with every new, increasingly more batshit wave of Republicans.

[OscarGuy]

Pelosi is teaching Jeffries as they go, so he's getting the best tutelage. The site I read for political news suggests that Pelosi may well be one of the most consequential house speakers in history.

[Sabin]

taki15 wrote
Nancy Pelosi was really a titan of the House. She made everything look so easy when in fact we see now how difficult it is to bring together a caucus.

I agree, but I think Hakeem Jeffries will do just fine once he's up.

I think it's just their side/caucus.