Call Them Insurrectionists

 

"In some ways what they are asking for, does actually empower all members, but in this environment, empowering those members means empowering insurrectionists, empowering people that will shutdown the government"- @DavidJollyFL w/ @NicolleDWallace pic.twitter.com/Pnz5ct3Z5Q

— Deadline White House (@DeadlineWH) January 5, 2023

Two years ago, the Trump supporters attending a "Stop the Steal" rally spilled into the Capitol and tried to delay the work of that body. Today, elected members of that body are delaying its work by failing to select a Speaker of the House.  There is considerable overlap between the people who supported the first insurrection and those who are working to diminish the effectiveness and reputation of Congress from within. 

But that's not all. I could note that supporters of the "Anyone but McCarthy" movement include Ginni Thomas and Cleta Mitchell, who were serious supporters of the attempted Trump coup. It doesn't escape my notice that Ali Alexander, the Forest Gump of 1/6 because he was supposedly talking to everybody, is mad as hell about that "harlot", MTG.  He's ready to dime her out for her crimes see if he doesn't (betting he doesn't). 

Matt Gaetz put forward Donald Trump's name for speaker but got no bites--no one joined that wheel-less hearse funeral. That's a blow to folks like Flynn, Bannon and Stone, who have all variously suggested Trump as a potential Speaker of the House. But I don't think he's offering that name seriously--it's a troll. A threat.

I don't have a problem calling the 20 holdouts "insurrectionists" and anti-government government officials is definitely a thing, but I need to put that in context--they have company, and McCarthy isn't better. The Republican party is lousy with bomb-throwers and folks who have turned a blind eye to the events of 1/6, to the results of following and enabling Trump, to the irony of being called upon to lead government while having no faith in government solutions. 

The GOP simply isn't capable of governing. It doesn't matter what Republican gets named for the Speakership, the result will be the same: posturing for the base. Accomplishing nothing lasting. Maybe producing show trials for their base (like the idea of seeking retribution on Dr, Fauci for? Or investigating whatever they think Hunter Biden's laptop is good for.) We saw them give no shits when in the minority over many votes that could have done some good. They won't bring those kinds of votes to the table. 

The GOP has long undermined the idea of good government by being bad at government whenever they get elected. They don't bat an eyelash at undermining faith in our elections or anything else. They treat bipartisanship often as Grover Norquist once characterized it: date rape. They've had an insurrectionist mentality for a long time--it's just now that it's becoming very hard for people to ignore.