Motion to vacate Speaker Mike Johnson thread

[Dan the Roman]

For example, that the Founders wanted an independent seat of power to ensure the independence of the Federal Government from any one state is also relevant context, and yet it wasn't mentioned.

The "Founders" envisioned that DC would just be a few buildings for housing Congress and the president, and that's it. If they had known that DC would grow into being the anchor of one of the largest and most important metropolitan areas in the country, and larger in population than several states, they would certainly support the DC statehood bill that passed the House last session (which maintains a neutral federal district consisting of just a few buildings and gives statehood to the residential parts). I mean, we literally revolted from England over a lack of representation.

I avoid using "The Founders intended..." by principle because they had a diverse set of views and there's not much they would all agree on, but this is one of those rare times it works. None of the Founders would support DC (as it currently exists) being locked out of Congressional representation entirely.

Glad to argue this point elsewhere. I don't agree. Point remains here that offering that as context would -- while strictly true, even if you can argue whether that would still apply today -- bias respondents. The Gallup poll remains the best test of public opinion on the topic.

The Founders would probably have supported DC statehood in principle...with the proviso for balance so that it did not accomplish the number one thing it's current proponents want.

The problem with this debate is that there is a difference between believing DC residents deserve representation and a bill being introduced on a partisan basis by a party with a razor thin majority that abolished all checks and balances designed to protect minorities in order to vote itself additional seats.

There is zero way for Democrats to control messaging during the process and I doubt they would even be able to control their own if a bill were introduced. Every single article would frame the bill as a Democratic majority voting themselves additional seats. Democrats and liberals gleefully bragging about what will come next, Republicans threatening civil war and everyone else seeing it as the worst example of partisanship in an era of steady decline.

The problem is that the attacks will be true. DC statehood is designed to reduce rural, Republican representation and it will do that. The only difference is between whether you think that is good. Representation arguments may also be true but imagining that they will take priority when the "injustice" has lasted for centuries is choosing not to understand how polarization works, something the Founding Fathers did grasp.


In the debate over any bill arguments about representation will either

1. Be adopted by those who favor more Democratic senate seats because they already feel rural areas are too powerful, hence proving the point of critics.

2. Be rejected in favor of the much more important consequentalist arguments by critics

Is this unfair to DC residents? Perhaps. But if there was one thing the Founding Fathers understood it was the importance of prioritizing consequentalism over principle. That's what separated them from the French Revolutionaries

So no, the Founding Fathers would support DC statehood if

1. DC was likely diverse enough to produce two different senators

2. DC was admitted with a rural, Republican state to preserve the existing national political balance

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Guys this isn't a DC statehood thread.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Guys this isn't a DC statehood thread.

I'm enjoying watching Haley/Ryan argue in apparent seriousness that over 700,000 US citizens should continue to lack Congressional representation because of the lines of work that many of them are in, but you're right; it isn't.

[Frodo]

If I were a Democratic representative, I would vote to save his Speakership, not least because he didn't make the mistake Kevin McCarthy did; and it would encourage more Republicans of a more pragmatic bent than the MTGs of this world to cooperate with Democrats going forward, knowing we've got their backs against members of the Putin Simp Caucus.  I am more interested in governing than I am in making a statement, or one-upping someone. 

[7,052,770]

If I were a Democratic representative, I would vote to save his Speakership, not least because he didn't make the mistake Kevin McCarthy did; and it would encourage more Republicans of a more pragmatic bent than the MTGs of this world to cooperate with Democrats going forward, knowing we've got their backs against members of the Putin Simp Caucus.  I am more interested in governing than I am in making a statement, or one-upping someone. 

I don't know, maybe if Johnson and other prominent Republican leaders would all publicly endorse and fund primary challengers against MTG and the like and agree not to endorse/fund them if they still win the nomination anyway, maybe in that scenario I would agree to save him. Otherwise, he's just reaping what he's sown and will continue to sow.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

If I were a Democratic representative, I would vote to save his Speakership, not least because he didn't make the mistake Kevin McCarthy did; and it would encourage more Republicans of a more pragmatic bent than the MTGs of this world to cooperate with Democrats going forward, knowing we've got their backs against members of the Putin Simp Caucus.  I am more interested in governing than I am in making a statement, or one-upping someone.  

I don't know, maybe if Johnson and other prominent Republican leaders would all publicly endorse and fund primary challengers against MTG and the like and agree not to endorse/fund them if they still win the nomination anyway, maybe in that scenario I would agree to save him. Otherwise, he's just reaping what he's sown and will continue to sow.

Mike Johnson isn't going anywhere between now and Eday, just like BB Neteyahui isn't going anywhere. Rs already said they aren't gonna vacate the chair right before Eday to show more dysfunction

These are threafs created by 2016 due to being sour on aid to Ukraine, we can't stop finding Ukraine war

[2016]

If I were a Democratic representative, I would vote to save his Speakership, not least because he didn't make the mistake Kevin McCarthy did; and it would encourage more Republicans of a more pragmatic bent than the MTGs of this world to cooperate with Democrats going forward, knowing we've got their backs against members of the Putin Simp Caucus.  I am more interested in governing than I am in making a statement, or one-upping someone. 

I don't know, maybe if Johnson and other prominent Republican leaders would all publicly endorse and fund primary challengers against MTG and the like and agree not to endorse/fund them if they still win the nomination anyway, maybe in that scenario I would agree to save him. Otherwise, he's just reaping what he's sown and will continue to sow.

MTG will never be defeated in a Primary, same with Matt Gaetz. The only one who could be defeated is Lauren Boebert but if she gets out of the CO-4 Primary she has this Seat for life.

[President Johnson]

If I were a Democratic representative, I would vote to save his Speakership, not least because he didn't make the mistake Kevin McCarthy did; and it would encourage more Republicans of a more pragmatic bent than the MTGs of this world to cooperate with Democrats going forward, knowing we've got their backs against members of the Putin Simp Caucus.  I am more interested in governing than I am in making a statement, or one-upping someone. 

Agreed, though it's very much possible a second motion then gets filled and Johnson loses many more votes as he would be seen as a traitor who crossed party lines to save his job. Any Republican speaker at this point is in a lose-lose situation no matter what. Because certain people like MTG and Gaetz have no desire to actually get things done, they just want to tear the entire place apart. Republicans are just too dysfunctional for being a majoity party and need to be sent back into the minority. Or there should be a compromise speaker who only allows bills to move forward with bipartisan support. That would essentially strip the far-right nuts of all power.

It probably gets even worse in the years to come, and with some delay in the senate as well. I guess the next Republican conference will be even worse, even or especially in the minority. Basically each newly elected Republican lawmaker in the House and Senate has been worse than their Republican predecessor. And there's no evidence this trend is about to be stopped or reversed.

[Oryxslayer]

According to Jeffries's presser, they don't expect a motion to vacate today after the security bills pass.

On those bills, there were 71 GOP votes in favor of canceling Ukraine money. (to 351 No)

[2016]

Vacate Johnson NOW!

[Frodo]

According to Jeffries's presser, they don't expect a motion to vacate today after the security bills pass.

On those bills, there were 71 GOP votes in favor of canceling Ukraine money. (to 351 No)

How many of those were members of the Freedom Caucus, better known as the Putin Simp Caucus? 

[Born to Slay. Forced to Work.]

According to Jeffries's presser, they don't expect a motion to vacate today after the security bills pass.

On those bills, there were 71 GOP votes in favor of canceling Ukraine money. (to 351 No)

How many of those were members of the Freedom Caucus, better known as the Putin Simp Caucus? 

Probably all of them, the Freedom Caucus doesn’t release official membership records, which totally isn’t shady at all

[BlueSwan]

Ukraine can probably hold out indefinitely on the level of support it received in 2022 and 2023. And in the long run, Russia would run out of resources long before the West does - you'd have to be delusional to deny this. The question is whether it will keep receiving that level of support, and that's entirely in our hands.

Exactly this. It is well within our means to fund brave Ukrainians struggle against the main military threat to the west. Even if we were acting 100% in our own self interest and didn’t care one bit about the Ukrainians, it would be downright moronic not to continue to fund their fight. The only way someone in the west could possibly be against this is if they are either Putin simps or simply too stupid to understand how this is in our own interest. Now, most people on Atlas aren’t actually stupid, but there ARE a lot of Putin simps here.

[Bacon King]

Basically each newly elected Republican lawmaker in the House and Senate has been worse than their Republican predecessor. And there's no evidence this trend is about to be stopped or reversed.

If anything the trend is about to accelerate because of all the Republicans retiring this term entirely because they're so frustrated with the intra-party feuding

we can see the rabblerousing extremists gaining momentum in real time, each opponent they drive into retirement is another empty seat that will probably elect another nutter to join their ranks

[Tekken_Guy]

Basically each newly elected Republican lawmaker in the House and Senate has been worse than their Republican predecessor. And there's no evidence this trend is about to be stopped or reversed.

If anything the trend is about to accelerate because of all the Republicans retiring this term entirely because they're so frustrated with the intra-party feuding

we can see the rabblerousing extremists gaining momentum in real time, each opponent they drive into retirement is another empty seat that will probably elect another nutter to join their ranks

Honestly we might be seeing some of the reverse happening this cycle. Boebert, Mace, Spartz, Good, Ogles, Crane all have primary challengers who tend to be more mainstream.

[Dan the Roman]

Basically each newly elected Republican lawmaker in the House and Senate has been worse than their Republican predecessor. And there's no evidence this trend is about to be stopped or reversed.

If anything the trend is about to accelerate because of all the Republicans retiring this term entirely because they're so frustrated with the intra-party feuding

we can see the rabblerousing extremists gaining momentum in real time, each opponent they drive into retirement is another empty seat that will probably elect another nutter to join their ranks

Honestly we might be seeing some of the reverse happening this cycle. Boebert, Mace, Spartz, Good, Ogles, Crane all have primary challengers who tend to be more mainstream.

The future center of the party will be John Moolenaar. Voted against Ukraine aid, for the rest of the package, generally a leadership loyalist but one who pushes the center of gravity for leadership rightward.

[2016]

Russia will never run out of resources because President Xi of China is funding them.

Both Parties in the United States are COWARDS and care more about a corrupt Govtm. far east then their own people!

VACATE THE CHAIR!

[GoTfan]

Russia will never run out of resources because President Xi of China is funding them.

Both Parties in the United States are COWARDS and care more about a corrupt Govtm. far east then their own people!

VACATE THE CHAIR!

You've lost it.

[2016]

112 Republicans voted NO on Ukraine Funding.

Speaker Johnson is TOAST, absolutely TOAST here. Even if the 1st Vacate the Chair Motion fails, there will be more after that.

Do the right thing Mike Johnson: RESIGN or you will be humilated like Kevin McCarthy was.

[GoTfan]

112 Republicans voted NO on Ukraine Funding.

Speaker Johnson is TOAST, absolutely TOAST here. Even if the 1st Vacate the Chair Motion fails, there will be more after that.

Do the right thing Mike Johnson: RESIGN or you will be humilated like Kevin McCarthy was.

Calm down. There are worse things in the world than defending a democracy from a murderous dictator.

[2016]

112 Republicans voted NO on Ukraine Funding.

Speaker Johnson is TOAST, absolutely TOAST here. Even if the 1st Vacate the Chair Motion fails, there will be more after that.

Do the right thing Mike Johnson: RESIGN or you will be humilated like Kevin McCarthy was.

Calm down. There are worse things in the world than defending a democracy from a murderous dictator.

The Democrats have just won the Election. The Base will not turn out for downballot Republicans.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Good

[Born to Slay. Forced to Work.]

Russia will never run out of resources because President Xi of China is funding them.

Both Parties in the United States are COWARDS and care more about a corrupt Govtm. far east then their own people!

VACATE THE CHAIR!

You've lost it.

Can’t loose what you never had

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Correction GOP base will come out but not in the 319 states, they will come out especially in FL it's gone for Ds. It's gonna be a repeat of 2020.

We are a polarized nation

[President Johnson]

112 Republicans voted NO on Ukraine Funding.

Speaker Johnson is TOAST, absolutely TOAST here. Even if the 1st Vacate the Chair Motion fails, there will be more after that.

Do the right thing Mike Johnson: RESIGN or you will be humilated like Kevin McCarthy was.

Calm down. There are worse things in the world than defending a democracy from a murderous dictator.

The Democrats have just won the Election. The Base will not turn out for downballot Republicans.

If true, sounds like good times ahead.