#rep. mike johnson

[dontmean2bepoliticalbut]

[govtshutdown]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/10/25/house-speaker-vote/#link-5DCO44JI5VCBFLW2LDZT4MDCDA

Johnson lays out ambitious schedule for House GOP, remains open to stopgap funding

By Mariana Alfaro

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), the GOP’s latest speaker-designate, laid out an ambitious schedule for the Republican conference to pass appropriations bills before the Nov. 17 deadline when the government will run out of funds.

[vintageseawitch]

let this be a reminder: A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO VOTE FOR TRUMP.

it's a big deal that Harris was on such a massively popular podcast "Call Her Daddy" & i hope many young women have been swayed in a good way to get out there & vote.

it seems like, according to the comments on Instagram, that there are MANY white maga women who listen to/watch that podcast & they're ANGRY. there are more positive comments on TikTok but there you go.

it's disheartening in some ways but don't lose hope. we can't lose hope! there's probably bots & plants from different countries commenting, etc. we already know millions of people will be voting for him, white women unfortunately included in too high of a number. but maybe this podcast was a spark of hope for some young women out there. maybe that combined with those sticky notes & people posting on social media & discussing it privately amongst friends that YOUR VOTE IS PRIVATE. YOUR RIGHTS ARE AT STAKE. YOUR WHITENESS WILL NOT SAVE YOU FOR LONG.

they want to ban abortion, contraception, IVF, no-fault divorce. don't be surprised if they take away our right to vote, have a bank account without a husband or father giving permission, owning property, hell maybe they'll restrict our right to drive or travel or what we fucking wear. they have so many terrible things in mind because they hate us.

those white maga women? there's a lot of them. it's concerning how much they hate others. it's concerning that they think they're the exception or it won't get that bad. to any other woman out there on the fence: do you really want to take that gamble? do you really only want to be considered an incubator where a potential idea has more rights than you? where are corpse has more rights than you?

let this be a wake up call to voters: we got a helluva fight we need to get through. they intend to not just vote in droves but will cause mischief of not outright violence & harm. let's beat them. there are a lot of women who will vote against their best interests but i would like to believe there will be a surprising amount who will vote in a good way.

your vote is private. please think about your rights & everyone else's who will be at stake. oh, & Alex Cooper did a phenomenal job interviewing her that shames mainstream media. i hope this turns out for the best.

please, PLEASE, VOTE 💙

[msclaritea]

"I recognize that as a White man, I have privilege. And as an elected official, I have a responsibility for the words I use — especially in the heat of the moment. Regardless of what I meant to say, I shouldn’t have used that language," he added.

Am I surprised that a so-called 'Democrat' from Maryland is currently ratfucking our Democracy, just enough to keep conservatives in power? Absolutely not. #Maryland has a very long history of Champagne Socialism, ie, wealthy asshats who have long used the 'Independent' moniker as an excuse to judge from a lofty perch. We have quite a few saboteurs to get rid of, but everyone, please thank piece of shit, #DavidTrone for making sure that we stay in a state of LIMBO, in Congress, as he shovels red meat to the Right, with lightning speed.

[aetsher]

Bad news. KOSA advanced.

Continue calling your representatives and tell them to vote no on KOSA. It passed the Senate Commerce Committee, not the full Senate, we still have time.

STOP KOSA NOW.

Edit: July 29: The full Senate is voting on KOSA TOMORROW! Please call your representatives and senators to vote no! PLEASE!

Edit: July 30: Senate passed KOSA! The House vote is next. Contact your representatives to vote no now! PLEASE!

Edit: August 1st: KOSA IS DEAD! For now. It may pop up again. Be on the lookout, if it does pop up again, tell your senators and representatives to vote no!

Edit: September 13: KOSA MIGHT RETURN! Follow the instructions on this post PLEASE!

Edit: September 20: KOSA PASSED THE HOUSE COMMITTEE AND ONTO THE HOUSE FLOOR!! This happened on September 18th, I am a bit late and for that I'm sorry. But it’s not over! FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THIS POST, PLEASE!!

Edit: September 27: THIS ENTIRE POST STILL APPLIES! THE FIGHT IS NOT OVER, WE STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO FIGHT! PLEASE CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES TO VOTE NO! PLEASE!!

Edit: October 6: @the-vampire-fish-queen said, “Do want to point out Congress is not in session right now but come back around 11/12/24. Also, the Republican leadership is fighting over the bill.” WHICH IS VERY TRUE!

FOR REPUBLICAN REPS:

FOR DEMOCRAT REPS:

Edit: October 25: The Heritage Foundation KNOWS that Kosa will REMOVE Pro-Abortion and Trans content IF Trump wins. It has also come to my attention, that from what people have heard from the House of Representatives, Kosa will MOST LIKELY not move on. The keywords there are most likely, keep fighting!

[kiramoore626]

Marjorie Taylor Greene rages at Mike Johnson “funding the trans agenda”

Greene has brought more chaos to the House by threatening to oust Johnson from his role as speaker. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) continues to attack House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) for allowing a House vote on the $1.2 trillion government funding bill that President Joe Biden signed on Saturday.

[autolenaphilia]

God, this is so weak. Sarah McBride just caving immediately to Republican transmisogyny with this bathroom law. Like we knew she was pro-Israel, but that didn't surprise me, most democrats elected to congress are, but i expected her at least to defend her own human dignity. Like, to paraphrase The Big Lebowski, "I mean, say what you want about the tenets of zionism, at least it's an ethos.", this is just spineless cowardice.

To be fair, I doubt this was entirely McBride's decision, i'm sure she spoke with the Democratic Party bigwigs and got told to just cave, because they wouldn't back her in resisting this. But that just further implicates the Democratic Party.

Like someone with a backbone would see this as an opportunity to do some civil disobedience and disobey this rule. Make a statement, resist. But, no, the Democratic Party is so tied to law and order that they see no room for even peaceful civil disobedience.

At least not in the case of trans women's rights. The Democratic Party elite already has been talking this past november that the reason Harris lost the election was because she wasn't transphobic enough. So the democrats might have decided to just let this outrage slide in the hopes of getting more votes.

Violating transmisogynistic bathroom laws is something ordinary trans women do everyday to survive, entirely without the privileges Sarah Mcbride has as a congresswoman.

In fact, that's exactly the women she is screwing over by not using that privilege to fight. As quoted in Erin Reed's article linked above: "Transgender advocate and Harvard Clinical Instructor Alejandra Caraballo emphasized the broader implications: “This isn't just about her. These rules apply to trans staffers and interns who do not have the protections and privilege that she has.”

Women who unlike Mcbride, don't have a private toilet connected to their office to use (every congressperson has their own office with its own toilet).

And as Erin Reed quotes in her article:

"Ash Orr, a transgender organizer in West Virginia, was equally critical: “Rep. McBride’s messaging essentially suggests that if a federal ban is enacted, trans people should simply comply. While I understand the difficult position she is in, she holds a position of immense power and privilege. She should be using that power to defend and protect her community, not falling in line. Trans lives are at stake.”

Clearly the #resistance against the coming second Trump adminstration is off to a great start /s

[vaspider]

I've never been so quickly disappointed by "the first trans person to do X" before.

Fascism thrives on compliance.

For fuck's sake.

To be clear, Mace's bill is not the standard issue bathroom ban: it is aimed solely and only at trans women & other trans people who were assigned male at birth, regardless of their actual gender. It does not seek to enforce a two-way ban based on "biological sex," but specifically targets transfeminine people, which it refers to as "biological males."

[govtshutdown]

If they elect a speaker today

Congressional Reporter Reese Gorman of the Washington Examiner stated on C-SPAN that if Johnson is elected speaker today, the first action will be to pass a bill condemning Hamas, the second would be to pass a continuing resolution, extending the budget to either January 15th or April 15th. We are 23 days away from the November 17th deadline, so either would be welcome.

[wilwheaton]

The most dangerous movement in American politics today is not Trumpism. It is Christofascism. With the election of Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, the organized effort to impose the extreme religious views of a minority of Americans on the entire country, at the expense of many of our most basic freedoms, took a disturbing step forward. The Speaker of the House [...] represents a movement that is actively seeking to institutionalize the religious beliefs of evangelical Christians into law. In fact, even as we see with chilling clarity how those with a similar motive have sought to infuse the law with their religious beliefs on the Supreme Court and in state capitals across the country, Johnson may be the most extreme example of a dangerously empowered religious fanatic in our recent history—and yes, I remember that Mike Pence was, not so long ago, the Vice President of the United States. The term Christofascism may seem inflammatory. It is not. It is intended to provide the most accurate possible definition of what Johnson and those in his movement wish to achieve. Like other fascists they seek to impose by whatever means necessary their views on the whole of society even if that means undoing established laws and eliminating accepted freedoms. Christofascists do so in the name of advancing their Christian ideology, asserting that all in society must be guided by their views and values whether they adhere to them or not.

Here’s Why Mike Johnson Is More Dangerous Than Donald Trump

[redjaybathood]

holy fucking shit can leftists in the US make themselves useful for once and instead of boycotting Starbucks - a coffee chain that does not, in fact, give money to Israel - call their reps because:

⚡ The US House will next week vote on an standalone $17.6 billion Israel aid package without any Ukraine aid, Speaker Mike Johnson said Saturday, — Bloomberg.

How to find your rep: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

Ukraine needs your help to fight off the invasion.

Israel does not.

[mariacallous]

Democrats unite to protect the first openly transgender member of Congress against GOP measures

Political landscapes are often contentious, but the recent uproar surrounding Representative-elect Sarah McBride (D-Del.) has sparked fierce debates and solidified support across party lines. McBride is making history as the first openly transgender person elected to Congress, yet her historic win has come with challenges and Republican pushback.

During recent Democratic caucus meetings, Rep. Becca Balint expressed how colleagues rushed to show their support for McBride. “We have your back,” Balint recalls being told by her peers. This strong support was evident during the orientation event for new House members, where McBride's name was met with thunderous applause.

But not everyone was thrilled with McBride's election. Just days after her victory, Republican lawmakers initiated moves targeting her right to use women's restrooms at the Capitol, labeling their measures as protective of women's spaces. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) introduced legislation aimed at banning transgender women from these facilities. Following suit, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced similar rules covering bathrooms across Capitol Hill.

Kate Redburn, co-director of the Center for Gender and Sexuality Law at Columbia Law School, articulated the current climate within the GOP, stating, “They have laser-focused on transgender inclusion as something they want to roll back.” It appears this focus on discrimination and exclusion against McBride is reflective of broader societal attitudes toward transgender individuals.

The pushback from Republicans has compelled Democrats to rally publicly around McBride. Many see this as not merely supporting her, but also as defending the dignity of the entire LGBTQ community. Balint emphasized the need for Democrats to loudly express their support, ensuring they send the message to Republicans: defiance against discrimination and bigotry is firm.

Johnson and Mace’s actions have stirred heated discussions on civil rights and gender equality. Critics, including Balint, argue these actions are cruelly targeted at McBride, aiming to dehumanize her before even taking her oath of office. McBride's colleagues made clear they’ll unite against this tide of discrimination, and they recognize the wider repercussions for queer representation and safety on Capitol Hill.

The incoming representative has taken the scrutiny and allegations against her in stride, framing her role not as one to focus on these confrontations but rather as implementing solutions for Delawareans. “I’m not here to fight about bathrooms. I’m here to fight for Delawareans and to bring down costs facing families,” McBride stated, reiteratively impressing her constituents’ basic needs above partisan disputes.

Though McBride acknowledges the intense scrutiny she faces, she is determined to not let it distract her from her goals. McBride's steadfast resolve is also shared by her supporters back home, who feel disappointed by how she has been welcomed to her new role. They maintain confidence in her ability to navigate difficult situations within Congress.

Conversely, reactions to her handling of the Republican measures have not been entirely supportive among some members of the LGBTQ community. Some activists criticized her compromise as capitulation, worrying it might send the wrong message to both the Republican Party and the trans community. The anxiety stems from fears of greater future repercussions stemming from Republican advances, most recently discussed by influential trans figures and journalists.

Specifically, Natalie Boedecker, who identifies as transgender, expressed disappointment with McBride's approach. “Her capitulation sends the wrong message to the GOP and to the larger trans community,” Boedecker indicated. Others echoed her sentiment, expressing feelings of betrayal as they witnessed perceived succumbing to bullying tactics from the Republican leadership.

Balint and other supportive representatives highlight the importance of McBride's presence as part of the legislative process not only for trans rights but for all constituents. They argue continued dialogue and expression of solidarity are the best paths forward. Meanwhile, McBride herself aims to engage positively with both allies and opponents, hoping to demonstrate her effectiveness as a legislator beyond identity politics.

This challenging situation reflects the broader divisions within America today—where identity politics intersects with traditional party lines, bringing to light the urgent need for dignity and respect across all political spectrums. It sheds light on how one representative, emblematic of broader struggles for equality, remains steadfast, even as she navigates the tumultuous waters of American politics.

Democratic leaders contend these tactics against McBride reflect not only targeted bullying but also broader systemic issues of discrimination. Despite the incoming Congress facing numerous pressing matters, such as the economy and social safety nets, the focus laid by the GOP on McBride highlights their strategic emphasis on divisive identity politics.

Moving forward, Republican efforts to curtail transgender rights might not only affect McBride but potentially influence the wider LGBTQ community. It signifies to many the challenges still faced by transgender individuals, particularly those trying to navigate political spaces traditionally dominated by conservative ideologies.

Yet, even amid such adversity, McBride continues to inspire others. Advocates from across the spectrum remain hopeful, viewing her role as pivotal not just for her constituents but for future representation. The continuous fallout from her election attests to the complexity of social justice movements and the resilience required to navigate them effectively.

The mix of overwhelming support and vocal opposition highlights the delicate balance McBride must strike at every turn. Her approaches, whether through strategic compliance or outspokenness, reflect the tough line politicians walk between principle and pragmatism. And as she prepares to take her seat, the real story may well be how she will influence the dynamics of power and representation moving forward.

With eyes on her, the story of Sarah McBride serves as both a challenge and beacon for change, demonstrating the significant societal shifts underway as previously marginalized groups gain voices and visibility.

The stakes are high—how will McBride navigate this uncharted territory? What will her leadership look like amid scrutiny? For now, only time will tell how her tenure will shape the future of queer representation within the halls of Congress.

Nevertheless, the stage is set for what many hope will be a reformation of engagement within the political system. The vigor of civil rights protections and the legitimacy of marginalized identities will likely remain at the forefront of discussion as McBride embarks on her mission to serve Delaware and the trans community at large.

[audristarzz]

Don’t forget about KOSA guys! call the house reps! 📞

[contemplatingoutlander]

The House GOP is a circus. The chaos has one source.

Republicans spent two years sabotaging the U.S. House. Another two years would be ruinous.

Dana Milbank does a masterful job of describing just how dysfunctional the House GOP members have been in the past two years.

This is a gift🎁link for the entire article. Below are some highlights:

The Lord works in mysterious ways. Six weeks after his improbable rise from obscurity to speaker of the House in late 2023, Louisiana’s Mike Johnson decided to break bread with a group of Christian nationalists. [...] “I’ll tell you a secret, since media is not here,” Johnson teased the group, unaware that his hosts were streaming video of the event. Johnson informed his audience that God “had been speaking to me” about becoming speaker, communicating “very specifically,” in fact, waking him at night and giving him “plans and procedures.” [...] Today, Johnson’s run looks anything but heaven-sent. In the first 18 months of this Congress, only 70 laws were enacted. Calculations by political scientist Tobin Grant, who tracks congressional output over time, put this Congress on course to be the do-nothingest since 1859-1861 — when the Union was dissolving. But Johnson’s House isn’t merely unproductive; it is positively lunatic. Republicans have filled their committee hearings and their bills with white nationalist attacks on racial diversity and immigrants, attempts to ban abortion and to expand access to the sort of guns used in mass shootings, incessant harassment of LGBTQ Americans, and even routine potshots at the U.S. military. They insulted each other’s private parts, accused each other of sexual and financial crimes, and scuffled with each other in the Capitol basement. They screamed “Bullshit!” at President Joe Biden during the State of the Union address. They stood up for the Confederacy and used their official powers to spread conspiracy theories about the “Deep State.” Some even lent credence to the idea that there has been a century-old Deep State coverup of space aliens, with possible involvement by Mussolini and the Vatican.

The above article was adapted from Dana Milbank's (2024) book: Fools on the HILL: The Hooligans, Saboteurs, Conspiracy Theorists, and Dunces Who Burned Down the House.

[See more below the cut.]

And this is on top of the well-known pratfalls: The 15-ballot marathon to elect a speaker, the 22-day shutdown of the House to find another speaker, the routine threats of government shutdowns and a near-default on the federal debt that hurt the nation’s credit rating. They devoted 18 months to a failed attempt to impeach Biden, which produced nothing but Marjorie Taylor Greene publicly displaying posters of Hunter Biden engaging in sex acts. One “whistleblower” defected to Russia, another worked with Russian intelligence and is under indictment for fabricating his claims, and still another is on the lam, evading charges of being a Chinese agent. As soon as Biden withdrew his candidacy, they promptly forgot their probe of Biden’s “corruption” and rushed to launch a new series of investigations into Kamala Harris (over her record on border security) and Tim Walz (over his military service and “cozy relationship” with China). After a number of failed attempts, they did impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (the first such action against a Cabinet officer since 1876) without identifying any high crimes or misdemeanors he had committed; the Senate dismissed the articles without a trial. House Republicans created a “weaponization committee” under the excitable Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), but it was panned even by right-wing commentators when it produced little more than a list of conspiracy theories from the likes of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard. They lapsed repeatedly into fits of censure resolutions, contempt citations and other pointless acts of vengeance. In all of its history, the House had voted to censure one of its own members only seven times; in the two weeks after Johnson became speaker, members of the House tried to censure each other eight times. [...] In lieu of consequential legislating, they passed bills such as the Refrigerator Freedom Act, the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act and the Stop Unaffordable Dishwasher Standards (SUDS) Act. On the House floor, the Republican majority suffered one failure after another, even on routine procedural votes. Seven times (and counting), House Republicans voted down their own leaders’ routine attempts to begin floor debates — something that hadn’t happened once in the previous 20 years.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Nathalie Baptiste at HuffPost:

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) on Wednesday unleashed a racist tirade against Haitian people.

“Lol. These Haitians are wild. Eating pets, vudu, nastiest country in the western hemisphere, cults, slapstick gangsters... but damned if they don’t feel all sophisticated now, filing charges against our President and VP,” Higgins wrote in a now-deleted tweet on X (formerly Twitter). “All these thugs better get their mind right and their ass out of our country before January 20th.” The post came in response to the news that the Haitian Bridge Alliance, a nonprofit organization that advocates for immigrants, is suing Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), for inciting violence with their lies about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. Higgins deleted the post late Wednesday afternoon after being confronted by colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, called for Higgins to be censured. Horsford told reporters that he had asked Higgins to delete the post and that he initially refused to do so. “He actually told me, no, he would not, and then that’s when we started the action on the floor,” Horsford said. “It’s vile. It’s the type of rhetoric that continues to divide people against each other. We have Haitians and Haitian Americans who are literally under threat.”

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) told reporters he had advised Higgins to remove the post. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Higgins had “prayed about” the post and then removed it. The underlying noxious claims about Haitians gained traction on Facebook earlier this month, and Trump and Vance spread it even more widely. Trump amplified the vile accusation on the debate stage against Vice President Kamala Harris earlier this month, and has made it a regular part of his stump speech. There is absolutely no truth to the claim, and members of the Haitian community in Springfield largely have legal status, hold jobs, and have bought homes and opened businesses.

Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins (R) posted an inflammatory and racist accusation about Haitians on X that he later deleted.