As the national Tea Party exalts over not-conservative-enough carcass of Eric Cantor’s political career, the House GOP prepares to replace him with new Majority Leader who is either identical to Cantor in his politics or slightly less conservative. “Guardians of tea party purity rank McCarthy as about as conservative, or slightly less, than Cantor.”
Even after a federal Court nixed Wisconsin’s ban on same sex marriages, the state’s Attorney General is warning that county clerks who allow same sex marriages could face prosecution.
You never know whether an Army is an Army until it’s under fire. We’re learning – not terribly surprisingly – that the Iraqi Army was not an army. Its soldiers appear to have ditched their uniforms and fled almost the moment they came under fire from an organized paramilitary. As one of my colleagues just noted, the commentary on what’s unfolding is remarkably shallow, even from some of the most knowledgable and insightful journalists in the field. The simple and fundamental fact is that this is the fallout of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Any analysis that doesn’t grapple with and accept that basic fact is just wrong and possibly dishonest to boot. It’s not about how President Obama organized the exit from Iraq, whether he did it well or poorly. And yet, President Bush isn’t president anymore. It’s not his problem. It’s President Obama’s problem. And he has to figure out – decide on – the least worst way to deal with what’s happening.
On the one hand, pretty frustrating to hear Speaker Boehner try to blame his caucus’s flat refusal to pass immigration reform or even bring it to a vote on President Obama’s purported unwillingness to “implement a law as it’s been passed.” On the other hand, heartening to remember that none of the constituencies who care about passing reform – liberals, Latinos, business, Democrats – are fooled by this for a moment.
Leaving the DC press corps, which is probably half fooled. But even them not much.
Don’t let Eric Cantor’s demise distract you from our membership drive.
We still need you. We really do. We hit a major milestone yesterday but we need to get to 2000 new signups by July 15th and we’re hoping to get to 1100 tonight. We just need 32 more signups by midnight to get there. Can you help? Click here.
Administration considering Iraqi government request for US drone deployment to grapple with militant onslaught.
Did Dave Brat mislead or lie to voters about his time at Princeton or where he says he got his degree? I have some unique personal experience with this topic. And I think the answer is no. If there’s any gilding of the lily it’s of such a de minimis sort as to not merit much discussion.
I explain why after the jump.
In committee hearing, far right congressman debates reverend over whether non-Christians should face eternal hellfire. Watch.