Tag: speaker of the house

Republicans Making Positive Progress – An Essay

~ Jim Flanigan

Democrats don’t like to hear this, but Republicans are evolving and becoming better people. Oh, sure, there are those who will point to Marjorie Taylor Greene, George Santos, and Lauren Boebert as examples of Republicans regressing. Granted, they may be rough around the edges, but what guy can honestly say they wouldn’t want to go to the theater to see a show (and possibly more!) with BoBo? Maybe those three are just outliers, or perhaps more aptly termed outliars. But let me offer this recent Speaker of the House brouhaha as a perfect example of Republicans improving. I’ll explain.

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Republicans Are Occupying My Mind

~ Jim Flanigan

After the 12th vote, it’s becoming apparent that Kevin McCarthy will eventually become Speaker of the House. It may take one more vote. It may take twenty more votes. I have no idea, but I’m pretty confident that Republicans will eventually legitimately control the US House and the Speaker’s position, just like they tried to do violently and illegitimately two years ago. In the meantime, Republicans have occupied my mind. They have put a song in my head, and it controls my thoughts every time I see them roll out McCarthy to nominate him for another vote. This one …

It’s a lesser-known REM song, and the lyrics are quite political. But it’s not the lyrics or melody that the Republicans have stuck in my head. It’s the title. After each vote, I imagine Kevin McCarthy being dragged out of the House dead and then buried. When the new round of nominations start, I envision Republicans exhuming McCarthy and propping him up in the House for yet another vote.

It’s not my favorite REM song, probably because I don’t understand all the political lyrics. But I do understand the prescient lyrics at the end of the song that may be a glimpse into life in a Republican-controlled House the next two years.

“Exhuming McCarthy (Meet me at the book burning)
Exhuming McCarthy (Meet me at the book burning)”

A Weight Has Been Lifted

~ Jim Flanigan

My life has been decidedly different the past two months. Sure, the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays have played a role in changing my life as I have been selling my blood plasma weekly in order to pay for holiday entertaining and presents. Do you know how hard it is to type when you’re woozy from being a pint low? But that’s not the real change. I’m talking about shedding a weight that has rested heavy on my shoulders the past two years. I know, I know, I should also shed some weight around my mid-section. But that weight on my shoulders was formidable, and now it is almost completely gone, lifting itself from my shoulders pound by pound daily over the past two months. And it has definitely changed this blog. Thank God something has. I’ll explain.

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Flies On Washington Walls #129

~ Jim Flanigan

FOWW #129 Pelosi

Dick Cheney Plants Kiss of Death on Kevin McCarthy

~ Jim Flanigan

On Wednesday evening, October 7th, Dick Cheney endorsed House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy for Speaker of the House.  Cheney’s endorsement was straightforward, “As a man of the House and a former member of the House leadership, I know that Kevin McCarthy is the person we need as Speaker in these dangerous and important times.”  (To read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/10/dick-cheney-kevin-mccarthy-214545#ixzz3nzsf1385)

Today, Thursday October 8th, less than 1 day after receiving Cheney’s endorsement, Kevin McCarthy held a press conference to remove himself from consideration as House Speaker.

Now I could stop there and let you enjoy the irony. Sometimes this stuff just writes itself. I really can’t top that ironic sequence of events with a punchline, but my legion of fans (now having grown into the mid single digits) has come to expect me to at least make a jokey effort, so here we go …

Republican leadership wants Donald Trump out of the primary race. Their course is now clear. Get Dick Cheney to endorse Donald Trump.

cheney trump