They Are Trying to F*****g Kill Me!

After 15 ballots at 12:38 a.m. we finally have a Speaker of the House, second in line to the President of the United States. The uncensored version of the title sentence above is a direct quote of what the new Speaker of the House shouted over the phone to the disgraced and now twice impeached president and subject of numerous criminal and civil investigations. Now, on the second anniversary of the coup attempt that frightened this little man so, he has sold his soul to the very people who tried to overthrow our republic.

With the possible exception of the pedophile Dennis Hastert who is in prison today, Kevin McCarthy is the least principled Speaker of the House of my lifetime. I am disgusted with McCarthy and all the spineless Republicans who have capitulated to the fanatics of his party.

Shame on these 154 loathsome unAmerican purveyors of "The Big Lie" in the US House of Representatives:

1. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.)

2. Mark Alford (R-Mo.)

3. Rick Allen (R-Ga.)

4. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas)

5. Brian Babin (R-Texas)

6. Jim Baird (R-Ind.)

7. Jim Banks (R-Ind.)

8. Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.)

9. Jack Bergman (R-Mich.)

10. Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.)

11. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.)

12. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.)

13. Dan Bishop (R-N.C.)

14. Mike Bost (R-Ill.)

15. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.)

16. Michael Burgess (R-Texas)

17. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.)

18. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.)

19. Jerry Carl (R-Ala.)

20. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.)

21. John Carter (R-Texas)

22. Ben Cline (R-Va.)

23. Michael Cloud (R-Texas)

24. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.)

25. Tom Cole (R-Okla.)

26. Mike Collins (R-Ga.)

27. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.)

28. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.)

29. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas)

30. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio)

31. Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.)

32. Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas)

33. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.)

34. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.)

35. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.)

36. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.)

37. Jake Ellzey (R-Texas)

38. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.)

39. Ron Estes (R-Kan.)

40. Pat Fallon (R-Texas)

41. Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.)

42. Michelle Fischbach (R-Minn.)

43. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Wis.)

44. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.)

45. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.)

46. Scott Franklin (R-Fla.)

47. Russell Fry (R-S.C.)

48. Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho)

49. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.)

50. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.)

51. Bob Good (R-Va.)

52. Lance Gooden (R-Texas)

53. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.)

54. Garret Graves (R-La.)

55. Sam Graves (R-Mo.)

56. Mark Green (R-Tenn.)

57. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.)

58. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.)

59. Michael Guest (R-Miss.)

60. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.)

61. Andy Harris (R-Md.)

62. Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.)

63. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.)

64. Clay Higgins (R-La.)

65. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.)

66. Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.)

67. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.)

68. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas)

69. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio)

70. Mike Johnson (R-La.)

71. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio)

72. John Joyce (R-Pa.)

73. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.)

74. Trent Kelly (R-Miss.)

75. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.)

76. David Kustoff (R-Tenn.)

77. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.)

78. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.)

79. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.)

80. Bob Latta (R-Ohio)

81. Jake LaTurner (R-Kan.)

82. Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.)

83. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.)

84. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.)

85. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Mo.)

86. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.)

87. Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas)

88. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.)

89. Tracey Mann (R-Kan.)

90. Brian Mast (R-Fla.)

91. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)

92. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.)

93. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.)

94. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.)

95. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.)

96. Daniel Meuser (R-Pa.)

97. Carol Miller (R-W.Va.)

98. Mary Miller (R-Ill.)

99. Max Miller (R-Ohio)

100. Cory Mills (R-Fla.)

101. John Moolenaar (R-Ind.)

102. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.)

103. Barry Moore (R-Ala.)

104. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.)

105. Troy Nehls (R-Texas)

106. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.)

107. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.)

108. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.)

109. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.)

110. Burgess Owens (R-Utah)

111. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.)

112. Greg Pence (R-Ind.)

113. Scott Perry (R-Pa.)

114. August Pfluger (R-Texas)

115. Bill Posey (R-Fla.)

116. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.)

117. Harold Rogers (R-Ky.)

118. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.)

119. John Rose (R-Tenn.)

120. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.)

121. David Rouzer (R-N.C.)

122. John Rutherford (R-Fla.)

123. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.)

124. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.)

125. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.)

126. Austin Scott (R-Ga.)

127. Keith Self (R-Texas)

128. Pete Sessions (R-Texas)

129. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.)

130. Jason Smith (R-Mo.)

131. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.)

132. Pete Stauber (R-Minn.)

133. House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.)

134. Gregory Steube (R-Fla.)

135. Chris Stewart (R-Utah)

136. Dale Strong (R-Ala.)

137. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.)

138. Thomas Tiffany (R-Wis.)

139. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.)

140. William Timmons (R-S.C.)

141. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.)

142. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas)

143. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.)

144. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.)

145. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.)

146. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.)

147. Randy Weber (R-Texas)

148. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.)

149. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio)

150. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.)

151. Roger Williams (R-Texas)

152. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.)

153. Robert Wittman (R-Va.)

154. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.)

The Capitol is Special to These Two

A deep love for my country was infused into my mind by my parents stories. I was overwhelmed by the majesty of our national ideals during our family trip to the nation's capital in my childhood. I read dozens of those brown back and blue back children's biographies of our national heroes during my elementary years. I majored in history when I got to college. I glory in our nation's ideals and weep for the times we have fallen short of them. I feel the same sort of reverence for American ideals in the two American patriots. They have vastly different ideas of how best to meet those great purposes of the Preamble, but they love the ideals and their country. 

I would be shocked if the twice-impeached former president could name half, and certainly not all six of the Preamble's goals. And he loves only himself. I truly pity that little man.

(Click the picture to read this article.)

 

Donald John Trump is a Criminal Thug

I have known that Donald John Trump is a thug and con-man for decades and I have believed him to be a criminal for several years. It is hard for me to understand how any reasonably knowledgeable and intelligent person could not think that. Still it was very good to see the bipartisan Select Committee today present such an overwhelming, carefully researched and documented report today establishing that fact for history and referring Trump to the Justice Department for prosecution on at least four felony counts:

• obstruction of an official proceeding of the United States government, 
• conspiring to defraud the United States, 
• making false statements to the federal government,
• inciting or engaging in an insurrection

Of the nine patriots on the committee four will not be part of Congress next January. Democratic Congresswoman Elaine Luria of a swing district in Virginia was defeated for re-election. Arch-conservative Republican Congressman Adam Kinsinger and Democratic Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy of Florida chose not to seek re-election. And Vice Chair and another arch-conservative Republican Liz Cheney was defeated for reelection as the sole Congressperson from our smallest state. These four stood for the right regardless of how their political careers might suffer. The two Republicans are far to my right politically but they, and all the committee members, are heroes in my book.

Profile in Courage: Liz Cheney

There is little that Liz Cheney and I agree on in terms of political policies. 

Who would have thought even two years ago that I would ever write a post praising Dick Cheney's daughter?

I believe to my core that maximum liberty resides near the middle of the capitalism/socialism scale. I believe strongly in using government to level the playing field so that capitalism can work for society at large. I am convinced that an unfettered, unregulated capitalism is inherently tyrannical as surely as socialism and communism are tyrannical. 

Rep. Cheney would probably label me a "socialist" (I am not.) In her book capitalism should be, from my point of view, hardly regulated at all. I have voted opposite to her in every presidential election since she reached 18 years of age.

But we both believe in republicanism. We believe in the peaceful transfer of power when the people so vote.

She knew the stakes when she voted with the bi-partisan majority of the House to impeach Donald John Trump for his treachery. She did the right thing even though it meant she would lose her leadership position in the (so-called) Republican Party. She did the right thing even though as the lone Wyoming representative she knew her chances for re-election would fall drastically from the 70%+ that she won by in 2020. Actually her margin of loss in 2022 nearly matched her margin of victory in 2020! She knew that, by far, most of her friends in Wyoming were Trumpists -- she herself had supported his legislative policies by over 90%. It must have been a painful decision for her.

I, in my way, have had to stand against folks that are important to me, too. A majority of people in my community, my family, and my church vote differently from me. My beliefs cause friction sometimes. That friction strains relationships that I treasure. But I cannot be quiet when it comes to beliefs so basic as my belief in the principles stated so eloquently in the opening words of the Declaration and in the Preamble to the Constitution.

So I feel I understand Liz Cheney. And, however much I disagree with her about policy, I respect and admire her courage in putting country above party, above her own electoral viability. If I lived in Wyoming, I believe I would have changed my registration and voted for her despite our differences. The republic is on the line in America. We must have a coalition of small-r republicans. 

I will keep speaking out about the environment, about universal healthcare, about "well-regulated" firearms, about drastic wealth concentration, and more. But when push comes to shove; when we are down to a binary choice, I will join forces with anyone and everyone who supports our republican form of government over authoritarianism. 

Liz Cheney is an unapologetic Republican. I am proudly a supporter of the Democratic Party. 

But Liz Cheney and I are both, first, Americans.

Gleaning Facebook: Cassidy Hutchinson

As is true of almost all those who have testified in the bipartisan open hearings investigating the January 6 attempted coup, Cassidy and I likely disagree politically much more than we agree, but we do agree on the most basic of all small-r republican values: free elections resulting in peaceful transfers of power.

It is astounding that we have reached such a point in America that it takes real courage for a Capital-R Republican to stand up for that principle.

Comments:

Jim Howell I knew there had to be some patriots still look left in Republican Party.

Wendy Cannon Edelkind Sad they are trying so hard to discredit her. She is 25 years old. She has her whole adult life ahead and is just beginning in her career. Why would she chance it all by lying? I appreciate her standing up for her beliefs and doing what needed to be done.

Jaki Day Another brave women.

Jim Kissane

Leonard D Reeves She is more courageous than all those men who have taken the 5th.

Diann Howell Steward Thank you for sharing this!

Mailon Baxley Yes!

Don Rusk No one truly thinks she is lying. They are just worried about political survival!

Ted Parkhurst She is a powerful truth-teller!

Brad Weber Don't laud her as a hero. She's worked for the most treacherous scum in DC, namely, Rafael Cruz. She is part of the scheme that McConnell cooked up to divorce Trump from the GOP while keeping as many of his previously non-voting base as possible. McConnell has been heard on several occasions that he wants the Democrats to do the GOP's dirty work. She is a player in that scheme. The GOP used Trump to get their Extreme Court majority, and tax cuts for their donor buddies. Ms. Hutchinson successfully drew attention away from Flynn and everyone else who isn't cooperating with the J6 Committee, or pleading the fifth. What she did was clear the way for Ron Desantis to get the 2024 GOP nomination. Desantis is more evil than Trump, and smarter. Don't trust her. She'll be working for the next GOP president's office, and that will probably be Ron Desantis.

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The former President of the United States literally had a temper tantrum akin to that of a toddler.

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Even Fox (so-called) News admits that this testimony is compelling.

Gleaning Facebook: A Damning Case (Three Posts)

I hope every American will watch the open hearings of the bipartisan US House Committee investigating the January 6, 2021 attempt to overthrow our presidential election. It starts in just a few minutes. If you depend on Fox (so-called) News you will have to look for C-Span or one of the other news networks -- Fox, which covered the Benghazi nonsense practically gavel to gavel, is not covering the investigation of the most violent domestic attack on our republic since the Civil War.

Comments

Thomas Bavis The Fox folks won't broadcast it, but they'll definitely be watching it in their free time, because who doesn't check to see if their name comes up!

Don Rusk I’ve waited months for this day. As a moderate Republican , I demand to know why this transpired and who was involved?

Terrell Shaw Don Rusk , this Democrat says amen.

Don Rusk Terrell Shaw This Republican wants Trump gone!

Terrell Shaw When are y'all gonna come south, Don? You oughta stop by Rome again some day!

Don Rusk Terrell Shaw If I get down that way , I’ll give you a call to meet for coffee and talk!

Terrell Shaw Don Rusk Great.I hope we get to do that.

Don Rusk For sure

Dan Bolton The cops had every right to fire on them and that would had stopped that quick. I am sure some of them had their's on them. When crossed that line they had broken the law. I wish this could lead to charges on Trump.

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WE, the American People, and history, need to know:

To what degree is Donald Trump responsible for the crimes and bloodshed of January Sixth?

So:

What did Trump know about the election results?

What was he told by the Justice Dept.?

I am watching the bipartisan hearings so I can better answer those questions.

I love our republic. It is not, and never has been, perfect --- as is acknowledged in the opening sentence of our founding document --- BUT it is founded with noble aspirations written into its founding documents. We MUST understand how we could reach a point when the tradition of a peaceful transfer of power is abandoned. ANYONE who was involved in a conspiracy to overthrow our elcetion MUST be held to account.

That despicable attack on our republic mandates a full investigation by Congress, as every member of Congress knows whether they admit it or not.

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Donald Trump's name will go down in history right along with Benedict Arnold as a great betrayer of America.

Even Ivanka knew, and testified, that SHE believed what BARR(!) told Trump -- that his Big Lie is, and I quote, "Bullshit."

One hour of the January Sixth Committee has made a more damning case than the Watergate investigation did in its entire existence.

Comments

Sandra Pride The big question is did any of 45's followers watch,and did they believe the truth?

Robina Webb Gallagher 100 percent agree - The evidence is damning. Trump knew/knows it is a Big Lie

Don Rusk The bigger question is “ How are the Republican congressmen who still support him going to react ? Their dishonor will remain if they don’t say the right words?

Donald Abernathy History will surely and fiercely judge him. But his cult following believes anything he says.

Jeremy Smith But Terrell did you see the car chases on fox? They made a pretty compelling case

Diann Howell Steward TRUTH!

John Lee If Trump doesn’t go to jail after this I will be very disappointed. The writing is on the wall.

John Thomas Fowler They held nothing back, right between the eyes. There’s no rebuttal. Sorry is as Sorry does.

Bob W Gipson And yet Republican lawmakers continue to ignore the truth. They not only continue to defend the big lie but are actively perpetrating it.

Gleaning Facebook:

Thank you Mr. President, for speaking truth to a divided nation and continuing to stand for (small-r) republicanism.

Comments

Jim Boyer

Kimberly Hart Morgan
Jim Boyer perfect summation

Steve Moore
'Let's go, Joe'

Luis Schnitzer Da Silva
I think he’s standing for democracy. Not republicanism.
Republicanism would make sense in contrast to a monarchy, but not in this context.
In this context it’s clearly democracy that is at stake.
The fact that we’re a republic is not being contested, and the insurrection was not anti republicanism, it was clearly anti democracy.

Terrell Shaw
I like to use the term for rule by the people used by our founders. The current Trump (capitol-R) Republicans are actually anti-republican.

Luis Schnitzer Da Silva
Terrell Shaw I agree with you that the founders used republicanism. But they were clearly contrasting it with the monarchy that used to rule us.

Terrell Shaw
I understand your point, but I still prefer to use the term "republicanism" even though our founders fell far short of living up to the goal of true republicanism that they expressed so eloquently: ALL humans are created equal and endowed at birth with unalienable rights to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness; and that we, through OUR government, must seek ever more perfect justice, domestic peace, national defense, general welfare, and liberty for ourselves and all our children and grandchildren forever. 

Gleaning Facebook: Joe, Arnold, and Trump's Closest Aides

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Arnold and I disagree about many things but we stand together in this dark time for the American republican form of government and against the authors of this American “Night of Broken Glass”

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It made me think of the TV show West Wing. The situation we find ourselves, with less that two weeks till Trump's term would normally end, is analogous to Leo McGarry and CJ Cregg suggesting that President Bartlet be removed against his will. Folks that is the disastrous place Trump's "see-no-evil" defenders of the last four years have brought us. He must go.

Jean Filson Linos
They have obviously known for a while that he was out of control. Heaven help and protect our nation until January 20th at noon.
We are just starting over watching West Wing with out youngest daughter. We absolutely love it!

Buddy Childers
Whom the God's would destroy they first made mad with power. So long Trump and your madness with power.

 

Gleaning Facebook: On the Attack on American Democracy (Four Posts)

1

From our friend Ray Atkins...

For all of the (now) outraged Republican politicians who are scrambling all over each other to denounce (and in some cases, just sort of denounce) yesterday's attack on American democracy, I have a question: What the hell did you think was going to be the outcome of appeasing and enabling Donald Trump for the last four years? Yesterday was actually the next logical step in a long and strange process. I have seen it coming for three years. There needs to be an accounting, and perhaps there will be.

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2

Dear Trumpists who have supported lawlessness and lies for FIVE years, Stephen Colbert speaks for me here...

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3

Remember these names of US Senators who even after the riots, vandalism, insurrection, and death in our Capitol still promote absolutely baseless, totally disproved, Red Hat lies to fire up the crazies.

The Senate Sedition Caucus:

Ted Cruz (TX)

Josh Hawley (MO)

Cindy Hyde-Smith (MS)

John Kennedy (LA)

Roger Marshall (KS)

Tommy Tuberville (AL)

Comments

Barbara Crawford
Vote them out

Melanie Collette Babb
Sam has a list too.

Jean Filson Linos
Must also remember the names of all the House members who objected to the Arizona and Pennsylvania electoral college votes too.

Jim Marshall
Impeached or dismissal.

Jodi Henderson
Wasn't there a 7th Senator that objected to the WI results?

Terrell Shaw
Jodi Henderson I was thinking there was another too... if I see it I’ll add it.

Terri Morgan
May we all remember them and help in any and every way possible to make sure they never serve another term.

Ann Pullen
Don't forget the GA Reps who objected to the electoral vote!!
-- U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
-- U.S. Rep. Rick Allen.
-- U.S. Rep. Jody Hice.
-- U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk.

Howard Smith
All of these folks are radical right anti-democratic Trump Republicans.

Jim Curry
While some Republican lawmakers retracted after the attempted coup, you better believe they’d be patting themselves on the back and planning their power status had it gone their way. Republicans realized some time ago that maintaining minority rule would need to result in destruction of Democracy and embracing authoritarian rule. Trump is just un-hinged and corrupt enough to give them cover. That’s the real reason nothing he does or says rattles their resolve. The GOP MUST BE CRUSHED, OR WE’RE DOOMED. THEY WILL BE BACK WITH MORE AND MORE DESPERATION. They are too power hungry to give up now.

Ralph Davis
Most definitely remember GA’s 4 U.S. Reps!!!

Donald Abernathy
Didn't over 120 Senate and Congressman vote yae to objecting election results? Traitors all

4

What a blessing that at this perilous time in our history we have a man of great moral clarity ready to assume the seat of Washington - Obama and replace the obscene filth that currently occupies that seat.