Happy Hour Discurso

Today's opining on the public discourse.

The long Con descent into beyond batshit insanity continues apace:

Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas), the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, is perhaps best known for arguing that his party should emulate the insurgency tactics of the Taliban. It's the kind of comment that offers some perspective on the Republican leader's frame of mind.

The right-wing Texan continues to show the temperament and wisdom of an unhinged child. Matt Corley flagged this gem from a New York Times piece.

[Sessions argues] that Mr. Obama is not trying to create jobs. In an interview, Mr. Sessions cited rising unemployment in asserting that the administration intended to "diminish employment and diminish stock prices" as part of a "divide and conquer" strategy to consolidate power.

Mr. Sessions, in his seventh term, said Mr. Obama's agenda was "intended to inflict damage and hardship on the free enterprise system, if not to kill it." By next fall, he predicted, voters may regain appreciation for the era of Republican governance when "many dreams were achieved," the size of the economy doubled and employment and financial markets hit record levels.

Now, expecting Americans to long for the days of Bush/Cheney is on its face comical, but let's not brush past the fact that an elected congressman and member of the Republican leadership believes the president of the United States deliberately wants to undermine the country and destroy capitalism. The elected leader of the country, Sessions argues for no apparent reason, is actively engaged in a campaign to weaken the country, on purpose.

This, of course, is insane. That Sessions was willing to say this, out loud and on the record, is compelling evidence that the Republicans' deranged hysteria is getting worse, not better.

We're only four months in to a Democratic presidency. Shouldn't they pace themselves just a little? When you front-load with insanity, it's a little hard to pump it up come next election cycle.

As far as winning friends and influencing people in order to regain the electoral momentum, defunding cancer clinics may not be the best tactic, either:

Just how ugly can state level politics get? This ugly.

In a House Rules Committee hearing Monday, House Republican floor leader Steve Tilley amended the bill to strip Ellis Fischel [Cancer Center] of its funds. Tilley drafted the amendment after Democrats, including Rep. Stephen Webber, D-Columbia, walked out of the hearing after a spat over rules and procedures.

Republicans then voted 6-1 to wipe out Ellis Fischel's funds...

In case that wasn't clear enough, what happened was that Democrats became upset over the way Republicans were running roughshod over procedure and walked out of a committee hearing. The Republicans then responded by taking away funding for a cancer center that happened to be in a Democratic district. Yeah, that'll show 'em who's boss.

Sure did - for about ten seconds. Then the public outcry forced them to grudgingly put the funds back. Oops.

Meanwhile, as Minnesotans twiddle their thumbs while resisting the urge to jab Norm Coleman with them, Steele proclaims that the fight against Franken will go on and on and on and on....

I know what you're all thinking. You're thinking that if the Minnesota Supreme Court next month determines that Al Franken should be seated, the national Republican Party will graciously accept their decision, and Norm Colemen will offer up a kind and thoughtful concession speech.

"[N]o, hell no. Whatever the outcome, it's going to get bumped to the next level," said RNC chairman Michael Steele.

So you were all wrong. "This does not end until there's a final ruling that speaks to whether or not those votes that have not been counted should be counted, Steele added. "And Norm Coleman will not, will not jump out of this race before that."

Somewhat implicit in that last sentence is the assumption that Coleman will ultimately lose. And implicit in that implication is the idea that the Republicans are doing this to keep another Democrat out of the Senate for as long as possible, and depriving Minnesotans of dual representation in the process.

What a way to win you popularity: tell the voters to stuff it. I'm sure that's going to win brownie points with Minnesotans. You betcha.

So where's a party bereft of ideas, hugely unpopular, and fucking up their chances more and more by the minute to turn for salvation? Why, to an actor, of course:

Nicolle Wallace, a top adviser to George W. Bush and John McCain’s presidential campaign, is adding a few names to the list of Republicans who might lead the GOP out of the wilderness.

Top among them? Actor Gary Sinise.

Wallace, writing on The Daily Beast, said she first heard the idea from a fellow Republican.

“The natural strengths that an actor brings to politics would come in handy to anyone going up against Obama in 2012,” she wrote. “We will need an effective communicator who can stand toe to toe with Obama’s eloquence.”

Anyone else get the sense they're trying to resurrect Reagan? It's pretty damned pathetic.