All purpose news and politics thread part VI: This Is Not The Time For Posing

[worstblogever]

OH WBE-Eeeeeeeeeeeeee....

One to keep an eye on, inevitably:

https://twitter.com/FPWellman/status...65930846461954

Earls neglects to even mention WHAT DISTRICT HE'S RUNNING IN.

Like, I'm trying to look and see where he's running on his website, and I can't find anything specific without a deep search. That's... rather re-enforcing the idea that he doesn't care about the people of his district, when he doesn't even mention who those people are, or where it is he's looking to be elected to. It's a lot about him, and his wife (and some ethical lapses regarding his relationship to West Point) and that's it. I only saw it listed in one random Twitter post, finally.

Oh. This will be good. He's looking to challenge Rep. Lucy McBath and flip Newt Gingrich's old district back red.

[Gray Lensman]

When Abraham Lincoln asked Andrew Johnson, a democrat to be his running mate, Johnson didn't switch parties and remained a democrat.

The Civil War was an exceptional case. It doesn't make a good example for anything else in politics.

[worstblogever]

I know I covered how bugs*** crazy Allen West was in CSGOPOTD while he was a Congressman from Florida.

He's now the Chairman of the Texas GOP, which, y'know, signed off on their logo channeling Qanon's "We Are the Storm"...

Allen West is now openly talking about how easy it would be for Texas to secede from the union.

[Gray Lensman]

I know I covered how bugs*** crazy Allen West was in CSGOPOTD while he was a Congressman from Florida.

He's now the Chairman of the Texas GOP, which, y'know, signed off on their logo channeling Qanon's "We Are the Storm"...

Allen West is now openly talking about how easy it would be for Texas to secede from the union.

The advantage there is that would ensure the rest of us don't have to worry about another PoTus from whatever it is the GQP has become. Although we might have to worry about refugees from the former Lone Star State.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

I know I covered how bugs*** crazy Allen West was in CSGOPOTD while he was a Congressman from Florida.

He's now the Chairman of the Texas GOP, which, y'know, signed off on their logo channeling Qanon's "We Are the Storm"...

Allen West is now openly talking about how easy it would be for Texas to secede from the union.

Sure, and the next time Texas suffers a catastrophe like with that massive ice storm a couple of months ago, the state can fend for itself, WITHOUT help from the union. Like that old saying goes, be careful what you wish for....!

[Zauriel]

Allen West? Wasn't he also the buddy of the late Herman Cain?

Allen West is really a Republican. Trump would probably pick him to be his running mate in 2024. Birds of the same feather.

[Tendrin]

Earls neglects to even mention WHAT DISTRICT HE'S RUNNING IN.

Like, I'm trying to look and see where he's running on his website, and I can't find anything specific without a deep search. That's... rather re-enforcing the idea that he doesn't care about the people of his district, when he doesn't even mention who those people are, or where it is he's looking to be elected to. It's a lot about him, and his wife (and some ethical lapses regarding his relationship to West Point) and that's it. I only saw it listed in one random Twitter post, finally.

Oh. This will be good. He's looking to challenge Rep. Lucy McBath and flip Newt Gingrich's old district back red.

I knew you'd be thrilled.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Allen West? Wasn't he also the buddy of the late Herman Cain?

Allen West is really a Republican. Trump would probably pick him to be his running mate in 2024. Birds of the same feather.

After Trump set up Mike Pence to almost end up lynched back on 1/6, I doubt even a bootlicking lackey like West would want the job if offered to him, and I seriously doubt it would.

[Gray Lensman]

After Trump set up Mike Pence to almost end up lynched back on 1/6, I doubt even a bootlicking lackey like West would want the job if offered to him, and I seriously doubt it would.

With a name like Allen West, I can only think that he has run from sanity at superluminal speed...

[worstblogever]

After Trump set up Mike Pence to almost end up lynched back on 1/6, I doubt even a bootlicking lackey like West would want the job if offered to him, and I seriously doubt it would.

The Texas GOP deserve what they get. Allen West got booted from office because his opponent literally just made ads with s*** West said.

The fact that he can use violent rhetoric where he flat-out dehumanizes anyone who disagrees with him with a dead-eyed stare... the guy has needed counseling for almost a decade, and he doesn't strike me as someone with the self-awareness to have sought it out.

He's not leading the GQP to anything except another failed insurrection.

[worstblogever]

On this date in 2015, "Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day" ran a profile of Mike Beard, a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives who voted to block the Medicaid expansion to aid seniors, pushed for stricter Voter ID laws, and repeatedly voting against minimum wage increases. Beard motivated by his Christian upbringing, was also strongly opposed to all legislation that would help the LGBTQ community, like voting against anti-bullying measures directed at protecting kids based on their sexual orientation, granting domestic partners death benefits, and voting for a same-sex marriage ban on the Minnesota state Constitution. But where Beard’s true legacy is in Minnesota is in relation to the environment. He was the head of the state Transportation Committee in 2011 when he argued against the state putting money towards the construction of a light rail project because “we already have highways, let bus companies use them and compete for dollars”. He also was adamantly pro-coal and pro-oil, laughing off the ecological impact of being dependent on it by harkening back to “Hiroshima and Nagasaki and how that only took 60 years to recover”, when it was supposed to be uninhabitable, and assuring everyone to not worry about Earth having a finite amount of natural resources, because “God will just make us more”. Beard has effectively been laughed out of relevance.



On this date in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and in 2020, “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day” presented profiles of Cecil Bell, a member of the Texas House of Representatives, rejected Yosemite Sam balloon from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, and a stalwart, steadfast member of the GOP dead set against the acceptance of same sex marriage. Yes, gays getting married vex Bell so much so that he is willing to try to pass legislation to attempt to nullify decisions made by the Supreme Court rulings on that subject, as he did when he drafted HB 4105, the Preservation of Sovereignty and Marriage Act in May of 2015. Because damn it, nobody with matching chromosomes will be getting married in Texas on Cecil Bell’s watch! He defends the institution of marriage! Maybe that wasn't enough to earn a spotlight alone, but a little extra “oomph” to qualify, Cecil Bell earns our notice for one particular quality… hypocrisy. You see, in a very telling timeline, Bell’s wife Jo Ann, described by him as his “high school sweetheart,” is, according to public records, actually his second wife. Records show he divorced his first wife, to whom he was married in 1981, a little over a month before Bell married his second wife and “high school sweetheart”. But five months after marrying Jo Ann, and six and a half months after divorcing his first wife, Jo Ann gave birth to Cecil Bell III. If you’re missing how that works out, Cecil Bell, while still married to his first wife, was busy impregnating his second wife out of wedlock, then divorced his first wife, and had a shotgun wedding to his second wife. And these days he thumps his chest about his “Christian values” while ignoring the fact that he actually broke a commandment about adultery in relation to marriage once or twice. But he's a "defender of marriage", you guys!

Alas, Bell’s beloved anti-gay marriage bill died a quick death without advancing out of the Texas House. Instead, in July 2015, he decided to condemn the Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, and call for state and federal officials to resist "the rancid behavior" of the U.S. Supreme Court by impeaching justices who voted to legalize same-sex marriage, and ignoring the ruling itself. Y’know, like you do. A quick perusal of the rest of Bell’s legislative record shows that he is, most definitely, a Texas Republican, featuring attempts to nullify federal firearms laws, support for the failed conservative policy of drug testing welfare recipients, opposition to the idea that women deserve equal pay for equal work, and support for HB 5, the radical anti-abortion measure which institutes such strict rules on Texas abortion clinics that it would shut down the majority of them in the state (and lead to a legendary filibuster for Texas State Senator Wendy Davis). In September of 2016, Bell, a private contractor who digs oil and gas lines, submitted legislation to bill individuals who damage underground cable , gas, or oil lines, rather than the companies who have to replace them and forgot to mark them as being there in the first place (Hint: Like Bell’s own company). Why, it's almost like he's only in politics because he's in business for himself, isn't it? I mean, that and hating gay people. Case in point, in 2017, Cecil Bell tried re-write Texas law to make it easier to nullify federal law, still a part of his insane plan to ignore the Obergefell v. Hodges ruling. (Spoiler alert: It didn’t work, and gay people can still be married.)

In 2019, Bell co-sponsored idiotic legislation to enforce the rights of “children born after an abortion”. (???) Like… he does understand the point of what the procedure is, right? He can’t be this stupid. Or can he?

Since winning his seat in 2012, in a three candidate face-off in the GOP Primary, Cecil Bell has not faced a primary challenger. He just won re-election in 2020 with 77% of the vote. Meaning this bloated example of hypocrisy and corruption will be hanging around the Texas legislature for at least another two years.

[Zauriel]

After Trump set up Mike Pence to almost end up lynched back on 1/6, I doubt even a bootlicking lackey like West would want the job if offered to him, and I seriously doubt it would.

You're right. He may be crazy but even he's too intelligent to work for an ungrateful boss. So Trump will have to find a running mate much dumber than him. Perhaps someone like Leo Terrell, Desantis or Matt Gaetz.

With a name like Allen West, I can only think that he has run from sanity at superluminal speed...

Barry Allen...Wally West. Not a bad combo.

[PaulBullion]

If Trump is not seriously incapacitated by his various ailments and bad habits by 2023, he will likely nominate a family member to be his Veep.

[Kirby101]

If Trump is not seriously incapacitated by his various ailments and bad habits by 2023, he will likely nominate a family member to be his Veep.

I wonder if the anti-nepotism laws apply?

[MajorHoy]

When Abraham Lincoln asked Andrew Johnson, a democrat to be his running mate, Johnson didn't switch parties and remained a democrat.

The Civil War was an exceptional case. It doesn't make a good example for anything else in politics.

Also, the Republican Party was relatively young back then, founded back in 1854 and already factionally divided in 1864 as a result of the U.S. Civil War. The choice of Andrew Johnson to be Lincoln's Vice President was controlled more by the convention itself rather than having the Presidential candidate naming who he wanted as his vice-president.