Open Thread Dec. 14: Revenge of the Rich

Filed in National, Open Thread by on December 14, 2017

To the horror of a nation still celebrating Roy Moore’s defeat, House and Senate Republicans reached a compromise on their noxious tax plan, putting it on schedule for a vote next week.

Liberals might be pleasantly surprised by how liberal Alabama’s senator-elect Doug Jones is for a deep-South Democrat. National Democrats seem particularly impressed that he held to the pro-choice line in the face of withering anti-abortion attacks.

Alabama Republicans got more bad news yesterday: Rep. Mo Brooks, a Freedom Caucus kook elected in 2010 and second runner-up in the primary for the Senate race Moore just lost, announced he has prostate cancer. This is the guy who defended higher rates for pre-existing conditions by saying rates should be lower for people who “lead good lives.”

A Kentucky state rep and preacher killed himself after allegations surfaced that he molester a 17-year-old in 2013.

The pattern is becoming clear: Nominate a batch of hardcore horribles to federal positions — judgeships, say — let the media focus on the kookiest, and sacrifice those few so the many get through. Yesterday’s example: two clearly unqualified judicial nominees withdrew, the one who’s never tried a case and the one who thinks transgendered people are part of Satan’s plan.

HuffPo hears whispers about Paul Ryan resigning the Speakership after the tax bill passes. Makes no sense to me, but I don’t follow the House closely.

Daily Kos is going all in on Kirsten Gillibrand for 2020 with this love letter praising her guts and leadership on the sexual assault issue.

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren called on the administration to scuttle the proposed Monsanto-Beyer merger on anti-trust grounds. Dow-DuPont would love that, but what are the odds Trump will pass up another dig at a favorite target?

Add anything else you find interesting or important.

About the Author ()

Who wants to know?

Comments (5)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. I think the media has significantly buried the lede on the tax bill. The Rethugs are doing this b/c the Koch Brothers and their, wait for it, ilk have said they’ll cut off the money spigot to the R’s if this doesn’t pass:

    https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2017/10/14/the-kochs-want-that-tax-cut-badly/oUJ2VvCU0GAIT7cbdZfIXL/story.html

    Of course, the D’s have buried this lede as well.

  2. Ben says:

    on Paul Ryan… I wonder if he doesn’t want to be the one sent to VP after they pull the plug on dumpo. (I dont really think this, but hey, crackpot theories are fun)

  3. Alby says:

    This one’s fun: Roy Moore still refuses to concede the election he lost. “We are indeed in a struggle to preserve our republic, our civilization, and our religion, and to set free a suffering humanity. And the battle rages on,” Moore says in a video released Wednesday night.

    Apparently Baphomet is going to have to cast down Jesus and trample him beneath his goat hooves before Moore will realize he’s going to hell, not heaven.

  4. RE Vanella says:

    That’s not how that works. Gerald Ford nominated Nelson Rockefeller. He was confirmed as VP.

    After Agnew resigned Nixon nominated Ford. If Nixon resigned before Ford was confirmed, only then would Speaker Carl Albert succeeded to the presidency.

  5. Alby says:

    Also, holy orders, Batman! That Kentucky preacher/politician who killed himself was a con man on a scale that makes Trump look like Diogenes. His suicide came as a result of this explosive expose by an outfit called the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting. His “church” featured booze-soaked parties and naked women.

    I guess the church needs a new leader. Call for Roy Moore!