Republicans

[Tero]

Gone are the days when all you had to do is oppose Obama appointees:


Paul Ryan’s governing caucus is dwindling.

A number of the speaker's closest comrades in the House have called it quits in recent weeks, either because they're tired of President Donald Trump's antics, depressed over the GOP's dearth of legislative accomplishments this year, or for personal reasons. Whatever the causes, the departures are certain to make Ryan's job as House speaker harder, depriving him of loyal lieutenants in a conference already riven by ideological and stylistic divisions.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/1 ... nts-243950

[L'Emmerdeur]

Gone are the days when all you had to do is oppose Obama appointees:


Paul Ryan’s governing caucus is dwindling.

A number of the speaker's closest comrades in the House have called it quits in recent weeks, either because they're tired of President Donald Trump's antics, depressed over the GOP's dearth of legislative accomplishments this year, or for personal reasons. Whatever the causes, the departures are certain to make Ryan's job as House speaker harder, depriving him of loyal lieutenants in a conference already riven by ideological and stylistic divisions.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/1 ... nts-243950

What a drag, man. It ain't easy to MAGA.

One recently-departed House staffer had this to say about the challenges of legislating in the era of Trump: “The job isn't fun anymore. You get beat up in D.C. for everything Trump says or does, only to go home to get beat up for not defending Trump enough by the base. It's brutal.”

...

The GOP staffer who recently departed said House members have grown discouraged because the Senate often fails to even take up legislation they send over. But more often, he said, the gripe is over Trump disrupting any legislative momentum with controversial comments that overtake the news.

Republicans then have to respond to the president's remarks. And while many of them personally abhor Trump's bombast, they feel they can't criticize him because their constituents still adore the president.

[Brian Peacock]

The only bit of that which has any bearing is the declaration that "constituents still adore the president". Really, that's all that matters - to Trump and the GOP.

[JimC]

"Come let us adore Him, Trump the Lord..."

[Tero]

This and the one plus conservative judge will be the ”accomplishments” that they pass in their 2 years with power:
The measure passed by 51-49 vote, with only one Republican, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, joining every Democrat and the chamber's two Independents who voted against it. Its approval now paves that way for massive tax giveaways to the wealthy and corporations envisioned by President Donald Trump and the GOP in both the House and the Senate.

"51 Republican Senators just voted to cut Medicaid by $1 trillion and Medicare by $500 billion so that millionaires and corporations can get a tax cut. It's immoral and despicable," said TJ Helmstetter, a spokesperson for Americans for Tax Fairness, in a statement immediately following the vote.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/ ... r-rich-and

[Scot Dutchy]

Only In Americatm.

[Tero]

Stating the obvious: nostalgia for the 1950s of their parents’ /grandparents’ world
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 10381.html

[Animavore]

Found this on Snopes. Filed under True.

What an absolutely delightful bunch of people there. No wonder they saw fit to elect one of their own.

[L'Emmerdeur]

Paul Ryan yuks it up. He has such a great sense of humor!

'Hilarious Paul Ryan Forgets to Mention That He’s Concealing Trump Tax Returns'

On CBS This Morning, Gayle King asked Paul Ryan how President Trump can promise that his tax-cut plan won’t benefit him personally when the public can’t see Trump’s tax returns. Ryan replied with uproarious laughter. “I don’t know the answer to your question, Gayle! Heh!” Ryan chuckled, throwing up his hands. “I don’t know exactly how his businesses are structured!” he said, continuing to laugh and shrug his shoulders at the great mystery of it.

Funny story: It actually would be possible to find out the answer to this question! The House of Representatives could vote to compel the release of the tax returns. Democrats in the House have brought up a series of votes to do this. And Ryan has blocked these votes over and over and over and over again.

Ryan has evaded accountability for Trump’s disturbing patterns of behavior, and his defenders ask what he’s supposed to do, exactly. Here’s a case where Ryan exerts direct control over the matter, and Trump is able to violate a long-standing governing norm only because Ryan chooses to permit it. It’s almost as if Ryan doesn’t want America to know how much Trump would personally benefit from the tax cuts Ryan is desperate to pass.

[JimC]

It's a big trough, and lots of hungry snouts...

[Sean Hayden]

Brandon Frm NJ‏ Replying to @SheriffClarke @realDonaldTrump

“Welcome to Applebee’s I’m a failed sheriff who is your server how may I help you”

[Tero]

Bannon tökkäs sormensa väärään paikkaan!
Bannon losing it
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/2 ... 5?lo=ap_b1
Anti technology / immigrants will bite them in the ass.

[Tero]

Interactive Senate 2018 map. The Dems have more seats up for election. Rep's just 7 and none are particularly hard to win but you never know. Trump changes everything. And bannon is making too much noise for a relatively safe election. House is a different matter.
https://www.270towin.com/2018-senate-election/

[Tero]

Complicated statistics predicts +9 seats for Dem in 2018
http://www.thecrosstab.com/2017/08/16/f ... -election/
that would give 230 Republican and 203 Dems in 2019 Jan.

[Tero]

GOP pushing thru tax cut that allowed major part to pay for retirement

The White House and its congressional allies have floated the idea of paring certain tax deductions to make up for revenue that would be lost because of their proposed tax cuts, the centerpiece of which is a sharp reduction in the corporate income tax rate.

The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times reported on Friday that Republicans were considering an annual cap of about $2,400 on pre-tax contributions to 401(k) plans, roughly 13 percent of what workers under age 50 currently can contribute on a tax-deferred basis. That would slash the amount of money that workers can save for retirement in 401(k) plans, which typically are invested in a portfolio of mutual funds.

“There will be NO change to your 401(k),” Trump wrote on Twitter. “This has always been a great and popular middle class tax break that works, and it stays!”

The really wealthy don't need these 401Ks that may be 500 000 plus for many Americans. All peantuts to them. They will be paying healthcare out of them once Ryan eliminates Medicare.