I try to limit the number of Ass Clown Special Awards I present, because I don't want to cheapen the impact of each individual award. But sometimes a Special Award is called for because the nominee goes the distance to meet the challenge of supreme ass clownery ... and so it is today, as the nation faces multiple crises with a weakened diplomatic corps, a weakened military, and a weakened government.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Readers, we present an
Ass Clown Special Award
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to
Senator Ted Cruz (R, TX),
Senator Tommy Tuberville (R, AL)
and
the GOP Majority in the House of Representatives
In a departure from my usual practice, I'm going to simply quote the words of historian Heather Cox Richardson in her "Letter from an American" published on October 9th, because I don't think I could express the foul depths of ass clownery we cite today any better than she does:
"Because of holds Republican senators have put on the nomination process, the U.S. does not have a Senate-confirmed ambassador to Israel or Egypt, the two countries that border the Gaza Strip. The nominees for U.S. ambassador to Oman and Kuwait are similarly waiting for confirmation, as is the State Department’s coordinator for counterterrorism. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) has held up several of the Middle East nominations, claiming that the “nominees keep lying to Congress and the American people, testifying publicly that they are committed to countering Iran and deepening the U.S.-Israel relationship, then implementing the opposite policies in secret once confirmed.
"The military is also down critical leaders, as Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) is refusing to lift his hold on more than 300 uncontroversial military promotions, a hold he says is to protest Pentagon policy of permitting military personnel time off to obtain abortion care.
"And the House of Representatives is without a speaker, making it unclear what, if any, business other than electing a new speaker it can conduct. The two candidates in the race for speaker—Representatives Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Jim Jordan (R-OH)—apparently hope to be elected from within the Republican conference, but neither has shown any sign of being able to find the necessary votes.
"Scalise is saddled with his own declaration years ago that he was like Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke “without the baggage,” and—in addition to old accusations of turning a blind eye to sexual abuse of the Ohio State University wrestlers on the team of which he was the assistant coach between 1987 and 1995—Jordan is closely associated with the attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Republicans from more moderate districts are likely to be reluctant to back either of them."
At a critical juncture in history, a small number of angry, ignorant, and extreme Congressional partisans holds the nation and much of the world hostage as effectively as the armed and deadly Hamas terrorists on the rampage in the Middle East. They deserve the condemnation of decent and honorable people everywhere.
Have a good day, and remember this despicable behavior when you vote in this year's midterm elections and the general election of 2024. I will.
More thoughts coming.
Bilbo
A minor quibble: This year's elections are either local or "special" because the midterms were last year. As an example, I'm working the polls in Tucson for two different elections (both run by Pima County): An incorporation election for Vail, and a Mayor-and-Council election for Tucson (which is being consolidated with 4 or 5 school district bond or override elections). Depending on where you live inside or outside Tucson, you might or might not be eligible to vote in any of these.
ReplyDeleteThese elections are still important - maybe even more so, because they directly affect the residents even more than Reprehensives, Senators, and Presidents. So if you live somewhere that's having an election next month, VOTE!
"remember this despicable behavior"
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely!