7 thoughts on “Thursday Open Thread”

1. With seven weeks to the conclusion of the General election, Rep. Ed Perlmutter makes a splash:

   Under the plan unveiled by anti-Pelosi Democrats, if the party wins control of the House, their new leader would need to win the votes of at least 218 Democrats — representing a majority of the entire House — in order to win the leader position and be considered as speaker.

   If the Democrats fail to retake control, their new leader would require just a majority of voting members.

   The group of 11 Democrats who signed the letter today included Rep. Ed Perlmutter (Colorado), Rep. Kathleen Rice (New York), Rep. Brian Higgins (New York), , Rep. Seth Moulton (Massachusetts), Rep. Robin Kelly (Illinois),  Rep. Bill Foster (Illinois), Rep. Filemon Vela (Texas), Rep. Tim Ryan (Ohio), Rep. Marcia Fudge (Ohio), Rep. Albio Sires (New Jersey) and Rep. Kurt Schrader (Oregon), according to a Democratic aide who has seen the letter. 

   Wouldn't there be enough time AFTER winning a majority to consider how to elect the Speaker?

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   1. The point is to put Pelosi on notice that it's time for her to step down. I doubt she'll go on her own.

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2. There is a Cat 5 Trumpstink alert in effect through Monday, with the stench at maximum strength in the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. Duct tape and plastic sheeting is being distributed throughout the Washington, D.C. area.  Canisters of Febreeze are being dropped.

   Women between age 4 and 98 are especially vulnerable.

   Stay upwind, America.

   This warning sponsored by the American Duct Tape council.

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   1. BTW V, It's Febreeze.

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3. Nice job, CREW.

   Supreme Court Orders Disclosure For Dark Money, As New Report Unveils Some Donors

   The ruling closes, at least for now, a loophole that has allowed wealthy donors to finance aggressive ads while staying anonymous. Crafted by the Federal Election Commission nearly 40 years ago, the loophole flourished after the 2010 Citizens United ruling.

   The court set aside an order issued by Chief Justice John Roberts on Saturday. The social welfare group Crossroads GPS, a defendant in the lawsuit, had fought to stall disclosure while it prepares to appeal. It failed in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals and then appealed to the Supreme Court.

   The disclosure requirement is expected to apply to explicitly political ads by nonprofit groups for the remaining weeks of the campaign season.

   As CREW notes:

   This decision, following similar decisive decisions by the district court and court of appeals this week, means that effective immediately, anyone making more than $250 in express advocacy ads — ads that tell viewers who to vote for or against — must now disclose the identities of all contributors who gave more than $200 in a year. They must also identify who among those contributors earmarked their contributions for express ads. Because of this decision, the contributors for a major category of dark money spending this fall will have to be disclosed to the public.

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4. If you ever read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, you'll understand when I say I feel like the bowl of petunias:
   https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/maryland-sheriffs-office-says-multiple-victims-in-shooting/2018/09/20/9d2c6464-bcda-11e8-be70-52bd11fe18af_story.html?utm_term=.3a9eae3129e5

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5. Wait a minute. Didn’t he just negotiate a glorious trade deal with Mexico? Didn’t he promise Mexico was going to pay for this vanity project?  Has Vegas put odds on a shutdown? #CadetBoneSpurs

   

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