This morning, just as the Democratic retreat in Philly is about to start, the Punchbowl crew had a sad observation to share about why Congress is so dysfunctional, a dysfunction that has increased voter anger towards government. "Since the mid-1990s," they wrote this morning, "Congress has grown ever more impersonal. Lawmakers leave D.C. as soon as they can each week. They don’t live here, they don’t bring their families to town, and they don’t socialize or mix with their own party or, even worse, their counterparts across the aisle. This is a break from the past. While some of this may be sepia-toned, nostalgia-tinged memories, lawmakers clearly enjoyed warmer personal relationships in previous eras, and that led to a more effective Congress. The rise of social media, coupled with bitterness of the Donald Trump era-- which culminated in the bloody Jan. 6 insurrection, some of the worst political violence in decades-- demonstrated the enormous depth of the partisan gulf that lawmakers now face. The multi-year Covid-19 pandemic only exacerbated the physical and personal distance between lawmakers. Proxy voting, remote party meetings and virtual hearings means House Democrats have spent far less time in the same room with each other for the last two years than they normally would. A lot of Democrats, especially the newer members, don’t even know each other that well. And across the entire caucus, there’s a clear lack of trust. Progressives versus moderates, younger versus older, leaders versus rank-and-file-- these are just some of the fault lines inside the party. Legislative and political priorities and prerogatives often don’t line up."
Democratic Party dysfunction? Sure... but transpartisan governmental-- and especially transpartisan careerist governmental dysfunction-- is an even accurate lens with which to observe it. You've probably read how unhappy Señor Trumpanzee is with some of the cranks and crackpots he's endorsed for the midterms. With no actual endorsement process, he feels he's been led down a garden path by "allies" with their own, often monetary, agendas. His regret over his endorsement of Alabama insurrectionist Mo Brooks was the hot topic a couple of weeks ago. Today it's another far right loser, Ted Budd, who, like crazy, loud-mouthed Brooks, is not gaining the kind of traction Trump's endorsement was supposed to give him in the primary. Right wing former governor Pat McCrory is way ahead and Trump is worried, not for Budd, but that it makes him look bad and ineffective, challenging his hold on the party and even the American fascist movement.
Though Schumer cleared the field in North Carolina for an incredibly lame candidate from the Manchin-Sinema wing of the party, Cheri Beasley, Trump's interference could actually lose the seat for the Republican Party. "Ted Budd," reported Natalie Allison today, "the congressman Trump unexpectedly endorsed last summer, has fallen in recent polling and lagged in fundraising, leaving him chasing the front-runner, former Gov. Pat McCrory. The presence of former Rep. Mark Walker in the primary-- who is competing with Budd for the most conservative, pro-Trump voters-- is further complicating Budd’s efforts with just over two months to go until the state’s May primary. Amid speculation in Trump world that the former president has grown to regret his early endorsement of Budd, Trump raised the issue at a Republican National Committee donor dinner in New Orleans on Saturday, according to audio of the event obtained by Politico."
Meanwhile Republican polling firm Remington Research found that Budd has fallen another 5 points among Republican likely primary voters since January:
McCrory- 35%
Budd- 24%
Walker- 17%
This even as the neo-Nazi group Club for Growth has poured millions of dollars into an ad campaign absolutely savaging McCrory and labelling him as anti-Trump. McCrory just hit back-- running his first ad-- exclusively on Fox News, since that is the only place North Carolina GOP voters get their information-- portraying Budd as another pro-Putin, anti-Ukraine Trumpist. Amazing that this could be used as part of the Republican civil war:
Another Republican who could run an ad like this is Liz Cheney. Yes, she's still fighting... and she even won a battle against the Trump-Putin wing of the GOP yesterday. Trump had insisted that the Wyoming legislature ban crossover voting that permits Democrats and independents to vote in Republican primaries with same-day party affiliation switches. The Casper Star Tribune reported that versions of the bill had been brought up multiple times, each one without success, despite strong support from the Wyoming Republican Party. Monday was the last day the proportion could have been voted on in time to be included in this year's election. Oops.
The Wyoming House Appropriations Committee recommended it not be passed and the House adjourned without a vote. Wyoming fascists are very frustrated. And if they can't win in the most True-crazed state in America, how can they win anywhere?
And don't forget to get your copy of the MAGAzine. You can't order it on Amazon or purchase a copy at Walmart-- or anywhere else-- but all the details of how to get it are right here.
