Nate Silver, the man who introduced math to political polling, is giving the Republicans a slight edge to control the Senate in 2015. I can see one of two results if that happens: one, we get two more years like the last four of gridlock and political impotence; two, the Loony Wing is ascendant and we see impeachment hearings. In either event, I suspect the party will be short-lived and will end with Hillary Clinton pounding Ted Cruz or Rand Paul in 2016.
Including his fellow Republican Senators.
And in other related news, this guy Cong. Todd Rokita (R-IN), is a total douchebag.
And this guy, Cong. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN). What is it with Indiana and douchebags?
“We’re not going to be disrespected,” he told the Washington Examiner’s David Drucker. “We have to get something out of this. And I don’t know what that even is.”
John Boehner has, for all intents and purposes, been deposed by Ted Cruz as Speaker of the House in a (so far) bloodless coup. The Lunatic Fringe caucus of his party takes its orders from Cruz, leaving him powerless to extricate himself from the shutdown debacle Cruz got him into in the first place, even though he clearly has the votes to end this. How crazy is the Lunatic Fringe Caucus, you may ask? Crazy enough that even Grover “Drown the government in the bathtub” Norquist thinks they’re crazy. Uncharacteristically, Obama and the Democrats are standing firm and Republicans are taking huge hits in the polls. You have to work pretty hard at it to get a 10% approval rating. What’s the solution? If this trainwreck continues for a month, Democrats and a few sane Republicans can force a vote through a discharge petition, which will also likely be the final nail in the coffin of the Boehner speakership. It could also provide momentum for Democrats to retake the House, though they still have a high hurdle to overcome thanks to gerrymandering. Unless something changes dramatically, this seems like the most likely scenario to me.
“I intend to speak in opposition to Obamacare, I intend to speak in support of defunding Obamacare, until I am no longer able to stand.”
If it’s until no one can stand him any longer, it’ll be a much shorter speech…
UPDATE: Zero to Godwin in about 15 minutes.
Even Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) hates Ted Cruz (Tea Party-Ontario). This, combined with the incredible unpopularity of Cruz’s kamikaze strategy, indicates to me that’s he’s EXACTLY the sort of bold leadership Republicans need to nominate in 2016.
UPDATE: Ted Cruz has now officially snatched the Krazy Krown from Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK). And let me tell you something, you’ve got to be working pretty damned hard to be crazier than Tom Coburn…
Even, perhaps especially, House Republicans. You should really, really, read these tweets. They are comedy gold. Evidently being a smug, self-righteous prick with all the political skill of a constipated rhino in a china shop does not endear you to the colleagues you are so earnestly attempting to throw under the bus. Who knew?
Ted Cruz is well on his way towards cementing his title as not only the biggest douchebag currently serving in Congress, but the biggest douchebag to ever serve (though he still has stiff competition from Strom Thurmond and Jesse Helms). And now John Boehner (the most politically impotent douchebag in Congress) is calling him on his insane Kool-aid-besodden dream of shutting down the government in order to “defund” Obamacare.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the distinguished Junior Senator from Texas! Pro tip: try to avoid insulting distinguished veterans who served when you yourself were unwilling to, Teddy.
The Local Crank