Democrats Now Get to Define the New Speaker Michael Johnson

[robosmith]

Democrats Now Get to Define the New Speaker

Quote

Remember that there were two giant electoral drags on the GOP during the 2022 elections: (1) denialism about the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, and (2) policies on abortion rights that voters saw as overly restrictive or out of the mainstream.

Now, the Republicans have elected a speaker who Dems bet they’ll be able to use as an albatross around the neck of every Republican in a swing district or suburban seat. He was the architect of a lawsuit to overturn results of the 2020 race. He has supported abortion restrictions that make no exceptions for rape, incest or the life of the mother. He fits neatly into their talking points about ‘MAGA extremism’ in the GOP.

And given his brief time in Congress, they see the rare chance to define a leader of the opposing party before Washington (or the press) knows much of anything about him. 

 

 

Like taking candy from a baby, Republicans double down on the 2 most UNPOPULAR GOP policies. LMAO

[WestCanMan]

1) That cartoon is so utterly stupid that it represents you perfectly. 

2) I'm pretty sure that voters dislike inflation, wars, terrorists, anti-Semites, and open borders more than they dislike MJ. 

[robosmith]

16 minutes ago, WestCanMan said:

1) That cartoon is so utterly stupid that it represents you perfectly. 

2) I'm pretty sure that voters dislike inflation, wars, terrorists, anti-Semites, and open borders more than they dislike MJ. 

Well, as long as you're "pretty sure.....," just like when you were certain that it didn't rain because Trump's hair APPEARED to be dry on video.  LMAO

[WestCanMan]

5 minutes ago, robosmith said:

Well, as long as you're "pretty sure.....," just like when you were certain that it didn't rain because Trump's hair APPEARED to be dry on video.  LMAO

I was correct to leave it at "pretty sure" because, if you think about it, I would have been incorrect to say that the Demonrats don't like terrorism because there are a lot of them who feel like raping & killing women and burning children alive is the right thing to do. 

I'll just say "the majority of Americans dislike inflation, wars, terrorists, anti-Semites, and open borders more than they dislike MJ" next time I guess. 

Edited October 26, 2023 by WestCanMan

[robosmith]

30 minutes ago, WestCanMan said:

I was correct to leave it at "pretty sure" because, if you think about it, I would have been incorrect to say that the Demonrats don't like terrorism because there are a lot of them who feel like raping & killing women and burning children alive is the right thing to do. 

Well you're wrong about that; but you've proven your dissociation from reality before, so.....

30 minutes ago, WestCanMan said:

I'll just say "the majority of Americans dislike inflation, wars, terrorists, anti-Semites, and open borders more than they dislike MJ" next time I guess. 

We're not in any wars right now, but we are backing the result of Zionist terrorism in the founding of Israel, and that is VERY POPULAR.

Long ago, but NOT FORGOTTEN.... esp not by the victims.

[Legato]

[Legato]

6 hours ago, robosmith said:

We're not in any wars right now,.

LoL

Anyway Michael Jordan's pretty good at slam dunks.

[robosmith]

1 hour ago, Legato said:

LoL

Anyway Michael Jordan's pretty good at slam dunks.

You're confused. ^Nothing to do with Speaker Michael Johnson. LMAO

[Rebound]

17 hours ago, WestCanMan said:

1) That cartoon is so utterly stupid that it represents you perfectly. 

2) I'm pretty sure that voters dislike inflation, wars, terrorists, anti-Semites, and open borders more than they dislike MJ. 

Are the Republicans going to pass any laws which empower the President to close our borders? 

[WestCanMan]

50 minutes ago, Rebound said:

Are the Republicans going to pass any laws which empower the President to close our borders? 

I think that the Dems are working on creating a wall that's not racist. White people won't be able to magically walk through it, and it won't say racist things to people. It will be a technological marvel.  

[Legato]

14 hours ago, robosmith said:

You're confused. ^Nothing to do with Speaker Michael Johnson. LMAO

Cmon, you're still wearing Air Jordan's

[robosmith]

3 hours ago, Legato said:

Cmon, you're still wearing Air Jordan's

Nope, still wearing 3 yo Kyrie Irving's

[reason10]

On 10/26/2023 at 3:46 PM, robosmith said:

Democrats Now Get to Define the New Speaker

 

 

Like taking candy from a baby, Republicans double down on the 2 most UNPOPULAR GOP policies. LMAO

Nope. That's like saying the Nazis get to define the JEWS.

Johnson will be a fine speaker, as he ends the Democrat FOURTH REICH.

Seig Heil, Democrats.

[robosmith]

“The wife of newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) runs a counseling business that advocates the belief that homosexuality is comparable to bestiality and incest.” https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-johnson-wife-homosexuality-bestiality-incest_n_653abfb6e4b00110fef0462

“Many women use abortion as a form of birth control, you know, in certain segments of society, and it’s just shocking and sad, but this is where we are. When you break up the nuclear family, when you tell a generation of people that life has no value, no meaning, that it’s expendable, then you do wind up with school shooters.” — Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) in a 2015 interview. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/10/mike-johnson-abortion-school-shootings.html

“Johnson is about to become for Democrats what Nancy Pelosi was for Republicans: a base-motivating, money-raising boogeyman who embodies everything they dislike most about the other party. — Playbook https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2023/10/26/whats-in-store-for-speaker-johnson-00123692

“If you can’t see the hand of God in this, then you’re just not looking.” — Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) saying that Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) was sent on a mission from God to make Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) Speaker. https://cdn.jwplayer.com/previews/naBtodH0

Mike Johnson (R-LA) linked school mass shootings to feminism, no-fault divorce and legalized abortion in a videotaped 2017 address to a Louisiana congregation. https://twitter.com/DNCWarRoom/status/1717660573209407504

“Someone asked me today in the media, ‘People are curious, what does Mike Johnson think about any issue?’ I said, ‘Well, go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it. That’s my worldview.” — Speaker Mike Johnson. https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1717718043525099743

“The problem is the human heart. It’s not guns… this is not the time to talk about legislation.” — Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) dismissing gun control in a Fox News interview after the mass shooting in Maine. https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1717711644342599702
 

“You know the allegations about these voting machines, some of them being rigged with this software by Dominion, there's a lot of merit to that...They know that in Georgia it really was rigged.” — Rep. Mike Johnson on Nov. 17, 2020: https://twitter.com/AccountableGOP/status/1717202704378761264

"If only women were compelled to bring more ‘able-bodied workers’ into the world, Republicans wouldn’t need to slash Social Security and Medicare." -- Rep. Mike Johnson at a House Judiciary Committee hearing attacking Roe v. Wade. https://twitter.com/HouseJudiciary/status/1717183190463336780
 

As we celebrate the 2nd annual observance of “Faith Month,” this is a great time to explain the true meaning of the so-called “separation of church and state.” — Rep. Mike Johnson, Apr 18, 2023. https://twitter.com/RepMikeJohnson/status/1648361786393911296

“The climate is changing, but the question is, is it being caused by natural cycles over the span of the earth’s history? Or is it changing because we drive SUVs? I don’t believe in the latter. I don’t think that’s the primary driver.” — Rep. Mike Johnson in 2017:  https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/10/everything-to-know-about-mike-johnson

"We don't live in a democracy, but a "biblical" republic.” -- Rep. Mike Johnson. https://twitter.com/AmandiOnAir/status/1717509738865348775

Reporter to Mike Johnson: "You helped lead the effort to overturn the 2020 election results, do you—
Republicans: *Nooo, shut up, shut up!!”
Mike Johnson: "Next question." https://twitter.com/AdamKinzinger/status/1717159272201740740

[Hodad]

3 minutes ago, robosmith said:

“The wife of newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) runs a counseling business that advocates the belief that homosexuality is comparable to bestiality and incest.” https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-johnson-wife-homosexuality-bestiality-incest_n_653abfb6e4b00110fef0462

“Many women use abortion as a form of birth control, you know, in certain segments of society, and it’s just shocking and sad, but this is where we are. When you break up the nuclear family, when you tell a generation of people that life has no value, no meaning, that it’s expendable, then you do wind up with school shooters.” — Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) in a 2015 interview. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/10/mike-johnson-abortion-school-shootings.html

“Johnson is about to become for Democrats what Nancy Pelosi was for Republicans: a base-motivating, money-raising boogeyman who embodies everything they dislike most about the other party. — Playbook https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2023/10/26/whats-in-store-for-speaker-johnson-00123692

“If you can’t see the hand of God in this, then you’re just not looking.” — Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) saying that Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) was sent on a mission from God to make Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) Speaker. https://cdn.jwplayer.com/previews/naBtodH0

Mike Johnson (R-LA) linked school mass shootings to feminism, no-fault divorce and legalized abortion in a videotaped 2017 address to a Louisiana congregation. https://twitter.com/DNCWarRoom/status/1717660573209407504

“Someone asked me today in the media, ‘People are curious, what does Mike Johnson think about any issue?’ I said, ‘Well, go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it. That’s my worldview.” — Speaker Mike Johnson. https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1717718043525099743

“The problem is the human heart. It’s not guns… this is not the time to talk about legislation.” — Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) dismissing gun control in a Fox News interview after the mass shooting in Maine. https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1717711644342599702
 

“You know the allegations about these voting machines, some of them being rigged with this software by Dominion, there's a lot of merit to that...They know that in Georgia it really was rigged.” — Rep. Mike Johnson on Nov. 17, 2020: https://twitter.com/AccountableGOP/status/1717202704378761264

"If only women were compelled to bring more ‘able-bodied workers’ into the world, Republicans wouldn’t need to slash Social Security and Medicare." -- Rep. Mike Johnson at a House Judiciary Committee hearing attacking Roe v. Wade. https://twitter.com/HouseJudiciary/status/1717183190463336780
 

As we celebrate the 2nd annual observance of “Faith Month,” this is a great time to explain the true meaning of the so-called “separation of church and state.” — Rep. Mike Johnson, Apr 18, 2023. https://twitter.com/RepMikeJohnson/status/1648361786393911296

“The climate is changing, but the question is, is it being caused by natural cycles over the span of the earth’s history? Or is it changing because we drive SUVs? I don’t believe in the latter. I don’t think that’s the primary driver.” — Rep. Mike Johnson in 2017:  https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/10/everything-to-know-about-mike-johnson

"We don't live in a democracy, but a "biblical" republic.” -- Rep. Mike Johnson. https://twitter.com/AmandiOnAir/status/1717509738865348775

Reporter to Mike Johnson: "You helped lead the effort to overturn the 2020 election results, do you—
Republicans: *Nooo, shut up, shut up!!”
Mike Johnson: "Next question." https://twitter.com/AdamKinzinger/status/1717159272201740740

Yep, he's full nutball. But he says it quietly instead of shouting it. Dangerous.

[robosmith]

Some Things You Should Know About Mike Johnson

Thanks to Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) previous stints as a talk radio host and conservative activist, his beliefs are relatively easy to uncover. Here are a few things we’ve learned:

● He defended anti-sodomy laws that were struck down by the Supreme Court. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times/134066988/
● He opposed giving domestic partner benefits to same-sex couples. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times/134051710/
● He called homosexuality inherently unnatural, suggesting same-sex marriage would lead to pedophilia and bestiality. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-kfile/134019997/
● He blamed post-Katrina looting on liberalism and legalized gambling. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times/134064345/
● He doesn’t believe in the separation of church and state. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/9-republicans-now-house-speaker-amid-historic-gridlock/story
● He believes we live in a biblical republic and not a democracy. https://twitter.com/AmandiOnAir/status/1717509738865348775
● He supports ending American military aid to Ukraine. https://www.nola.com/news/politics/gop-taps-louisianas-mike-johnson-as-speaker-designate/article_6ae045ae-72c2-11ee-be26-5f32206a38cf.html
● He pledged to serve just three terms in Congress but is now in his fourth.

 

And violating his pledge proves he's a LIAR.

[robosmith]

23 minutes ago, Hodad said:

Yep, he's full nutball. But he says it quietly instead of shouting it. Dangerous.

New House Speaker: A Soft-Spoken, Mild-Mannered, Raging Theocrat

Quote

In one way, you have to be impressed by the Republicans. They keep going further and further right, completely undeterred. They keep somehow finding these people. And they keep elevating them. And now, MAGA Mike Johnson—a hard-core theocrat who is, in terms of his obviously deeply held philosophical beliefs, to Jim Jordan’s right, and indeed perhaps well to Jim Jordan’s right—is two heartbeats away from the presidency, after having been elected House speaker.

No one except Capitol Hill reporters and people who are such serious politics junkies that they need help had heard of Johnson until this week. I sure hadn’t. 

 

[robosmith]

Triumph of the GOP end-of-days caucus

Quote

If Johnson survives the next 13 months — a big conditional given the party’s kamikaze frame of mind — he will be Speaker when the next presidential certification happens in January 2025. I don’t need to spell out what Trump will want Johnson to do for him if he loses again. It is a safe bet that Johnson would do what he could to oblige.

That is the most sobering fact about America’s new second in line to be president. But we cannot overlook Johnson’s Christian fundamentalism. He is a sincere biblical literalist. As an active legal ally of the Southern Baptist Convention, and also as a Louisiana and now Washington legislator, Johnson has a 25-year record of Christian extremism. He believes homosexuality is unnatural and should be illegal, he supports a federal outlawing of abortion in any circumstances (as co-author of the “life begins at conception” bill before this Congress), he believes the US is a Christian nation founded on biblical principles, and he is a “Christian Zionist” supporter of the politically philo-Semitic and theologically antisemitic view that the Book of Revelation will be fulfilled in modern-day Israel. Remember, that involves the second coming of Jesus in a prophesied rapture in which the righteous will ascend to heaven and the rest, including the Jews, will be slaughtered.

Some people would call Johnson a Christian nationalist. I prefer the term “end-of-days Republican”. At any rate, a triumphant Johnson on Wednesday told the house that God had ordained this moment and that his wife had spent the past two weeks “on her knees”. The last reference is  puzzling. Literally nobody anticipated Johnson would be Speaker until Tuesday of this week. Yet apparently his wife had been praying for it all along.

My question is whether this GOP extremism, albeit in lamb’s clothing, will destroy the Republican party or the US republic. It has to be one or the other. 

 

[Legato]

I was going to get a bucket to collect all the Lib/Dem tears oozing out of this thread. Unfortunately my bucket refused to participate because the tears would cause severe corrosion.

[robosmith]

Welcome to MAGA Mike’s House

Quote

But perhaps “MAGA Mike” Johnson’s biggest problem will end up being his enormous catalog of comments showcasing his wildly out-of-the-mainstream, religious views. Johnson isn’t as cartoonishly Trumpy as Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene, or Lauren Boebert, so his extreme views on social issues had fallen largely under the radar until now. “Many women use abortion as a form of birth control, you know, in certain segments of society, and it’s just shocking and sad,” he once told New York’s Irin Carmon, adding that “when you break up the nuclear family, when you tell a generation of people that life has no value, no meaning, that it’s expendable, then you do wind up with school shooters.”

Johnson is also staunchly anti-LGBTQ+ rights. He called being gay a “dangerous lifestyle” and “inherently unnatural” and said of gay sex, “States have many legitimate grounds to proscribe same-sex deviate sexual intercourse.” Johnson was also bothered by Emmer for voting in favor of the legalization of same-sex marriage, saying of Emmer’s vote, “You know how I voted on it. Everybody votes their conscience but I’ve always been very resolute on that issue.”

As Johnson’s extremist views surface, the clock is ticking toward another shutdown, with the government only funded until November 17, along with other pressing matters. According to Punchbowl, “House Republicans are planning to try to offset the $14 billion for Israel with spending cuts elsewhere. The White House has sought this as emergency funding, and it’s unheard of for Congress to seek such cuts.”

The fantasy that Johnson will somehow find pay-fors to offset emergency aid seems like some Ayn Rand fan fiction. But we’ll see. Did I mention Johnson still hasn’t changed the one-person motion to vacate? His Speakership could be even shorter than McCarthy’s. 

 

[robosmith]

Did Republicans just sacrifice their majority by voting for Johnson?

Quote

Getting behind someone as staunchly hard-right as Mr Johnson is a huge gamble for Republicans.

Mr Jordan and Mr Johnson have near-identical records and, if anything, Mr Johnson is an even more potent force on the right. Where Mr Jordan simply plotted with Donald Trump to overturn the election and is little more than a bloviator who never took the bar exam to practice law, Mr Johnson led an amicus brief seeking to overturn the election.

Mr Johnson’s ascent to the top job in the House does not just mean he is the leader of the lower chamber of Congress and third-in-line to the presidency; he is now the highest-ranking Republican in the country.

Throughout the 2010s, Republicans tied Democrats, including moderates who voted against her, to former House speaker Nancy Pelosi, whom they depicted as an out-of-touch liberal from San Francisco, long a synecdoche for an enemy of conservative values.

And it worked swimmingly for them; throughout that decade, Republicans turned the rural white Democrat into an endangered species in the House, despite the fact many of them were more moderate Blue Dog Democrats.

Democrats these days don’t win as many Republican districts anymore. The smart folks at the Centre for Politics at the University of Virginia found that while 18 Republicans represent districts Mr Biden won, only five Democrats won seats in districts where Donald Trump won.

But the suburban districts that once voted for Republicans in places like Arizona, Pennsylvania, California, Georgia and Texas have changed drastically. Mr Trump’s presidency – and the fact Democrats nominated relatively moderate presidential candidates – started moving these areas into the blue column. The Dobbs v Jackson decision last year which overturned the right to have an abortion in Roe v Wade further repelled the suburbs away from Republicans.

Mr Johnson is a hardliner on abortion, saying he looks forward to the day there are none. His ascent comes after Republicans radically underperformed in the 2022 midterm elections, largely in response to the Dobbs decision, which Mr Johnson praised.

Democrats now will likely try to tie every Republican to Mr Johnson. And the argument of folks like him who say that they don’t work for a speaker might ring hollow for voters when he enthusiastically backed Mr Johnson.

And Republicans seem to be trying to create some distance from the rest of their party now that the speaker fracas is over. On Thursday, Mr D’Esposito, who represents Long Island, introduced legislation to expel embattled Rep George Santos, a fellow Long Island Republican, from Congress. But it’s unclear if that will give him the distance he needs to win this time next year. 

 

[Deluge]

On 10/26/2023 at 3:08 PM, Legato said:

You woketards really are the dumbest bunch of communists to ever infest this planet. lol

[Deluge]

On 10/26/2023 at 1:46 PM, robosmith said:

Democrats Now Get to Define the New Speaker

 

 

Like taking candy from a baby, Republicans double down on the 2 most UNPOPULAR GOP policies. LMAO

Election fraud and fetus slaughter are two of the most crucial aspects of the democrat party. Of course you a$$holes need to be voted out.

[Deluge]

On 10/26/2023 at 2:09 PM, robosmith said:

Well, as long as you're "pretty sure.....," just like when you were certain that it didn't rain because Trump's hair APPEARED to be dry on video.  LMAO

 

[WestCanMan]

8 minutes ago, Deluge said:

 

That's a fair representation of the lack of intelligence of the Democrat voters.

They inflicted that on the world, and now there's violent bigotry, war and economic hardship everywhere.