The Democratic Party seemed to rush to embrace its utter obsolescence in disrupting the censure process of Rep. Al Green (D., Tx.). After Green disrupted the joint session address of President Donald Trump, Democrats responded by refusing to clear the well and singing “We shall overcome” over the voice of Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) — forcing him to put the house in recess. Polling indicates that the Democrats have a great deal to overcome as a CNN poll shows 80 percent of Americans disapprove of Green’s conduct.
CNN polling also found that 69 percent had a very or somewhat positive view of Trump’s speech. Other polls showed the same result, including a CBS News/YouGov survey showing 76 percent approval and only 23 percent disapproval.
In many ways, the moment captured how adrift the Democratic Party has become in the current political environment. It is entirely untethered to the majority of voters on such issues. Only roughly 5 percent of Democratic members voted to censure Green for his outrageous conduct despite over 80 percent of the public opposing the conduct.
As if to drive home the point, Democrats joined a defiant Green in the well to sing over Johnson’s voice. Neither House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries nor the other leadership members condemned Green or the disruption of the censure process.
Some moderate Democrats sought later to distance themselves, but their rationales were pathetically transparent.
Rep. Jared Golden (D, Maine) insisted that “In today’s environment, censure tends only to give a greater platform to the censured legislator. So I tend to lean in favor of free speech unless a clear red line is crossed.”
Golden’s statement succeeded in not only assaulting the principles of free speech but also logic.
First, there was a formal censure vote so the attention element was going to be satisfied regardless of how Golden voted. The only question is whether Maine’s representative would join his more courageous colleagues in condemning Green or stick with party loyalty over principle.
More importantly, Golden did not support free speech. He voted to undermine it. As I have previously discussed in my book and columns, deplatforming is denying the right of others to speak or to hear opposing views.
As shown in higher education, the argument that stopping free speech is free speech is nothing more than a twisted rationalization. Protesting outside of an event is an act of free speech. Entering an event to shout down or “deplatform” speakers is the denial or disruption of free speech.
Golden’s effort to portray Green’s violation of the House rules as an exercise of free speech is a mere rationalization for lacking the courage to stand with the small number of Democrats condemning the conduct.
Rep. Josh Riley (D., N.Y.) did little better. While he did not try to cloak his vote as a defense of free speech, he simply argued (as did Jeffries) that they have more important things to do: “I wish we’d spent this morning focused on that instead of the drama and political theater in Washington.”
Again, the problem is that there was a vote regardless of his desire to avoid it. He had to cast a vote and, at that defining moment, voted not to condemn this conduct. He also chose party over principle.
As I stated on the air yesterday after the vote, I watched the vote and the later protest in the well with profound sadness for an institution that I truly love. I first worked in Congress as a 15-year-old Democrat page. I revered the House and respected the members who worked on that floor. There was a time when this vote would have been unanimous against Green. There was a time when there were still things that remained beyond the pale; that transcended the rage.
It will take much more for the Democrats to “overcome” this moment. In a flash, they formally became the party of Al Green. As voters watched them rally around this unhinged member, their colleagues were being shown in cringe-worthy social media postings or clips spewing profanity in hearing rooms.
They have become more of a parody than a party.
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro professor of public interest law at George Washington University and the author of “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.
Al Green is a hero and he should be made the leader of the Democrat Party. Green has integrity, decency, humanity, kindness, gentleness, a caring nature, and pure beneficence. On the other hand Donald Trump is evil and must be impeached and fined in bitcoin for daring to call Elizabeth Warren the name Pocahontas. Elizabeth Warren too has integrity, decency, humanity, kindness, gentleness, a caring nature, and pure beneficence.
The slur of Pocahontas must be punished. Trump’s statement was Racist, Sexist, Islamophobic, Naziphobic, and Cannibalphobic. This is why we desperately need Amy Coney Barrett, Amy Berman Jackson, and Ray Epps as figureheads for a New Global World Order to preserve and protect our sacred, esteemed, and holy Corrupt Deep State System.
The man or woman who is a democrat who breaks from the crowd —– will likely be the person around whom other democrats feels it’s ok to gather ’round —- and SAVE the PARTY from IMMINENT destruction.
I’ve been following politics since before JFK and it’s NEVER come to this breaking point before.
You need to study a little bit further back, say around 1860. Look for a story called the mole hill. It’s spot on for what transpired before the Civil War and I believe is where the saying “ don’t make a mountain out of a mole hill “ came from. I found it in a book called Field Fort and Fleet, it was a book detailing every Civil War battle and it’s written by the men that actually fought in those battles. Uncannily parallel to what we see today, only todat its on fast forward.
What could possibly “keep” you registered as a democrat? Honestly, they would riot AGAINST JFK, were he alive. The democrat party has become the single biggest threat that our Constitutional Republic faces.
Jonathan: It’s pretty clear this time around DJT is shooting from the hip. On, then off, then on again tariffs. Followed by more tariffs. It’s hard for anyone to keep track!
The Daily Beast had a headline “Trump Admin. Removes ‘Rushed’ List of Federal Buildings for Sale Without Explanation” (3/6/25) It seems on Tuesday the GSA published a list of 443 federal buildings to be sold off. Just hours later the GSA removed more than a hundred properties from the list. On Wednesday the entire list was replaced, the GSA saying the list would be republished “in the near future” because there was a “miscommunication issue”. Talk about shooting from the hip!
There were a lot of reactions to the GSA’s “miscommunication”. “Tired” commented: “They will sell off the properties at a discount to rich political donors and then rent them back to the government at ridiculous rates. Then, complain how the government agencies are losing money and try to shut them down”. Makes perfect sense to me!
The whole idea of selling off government property is to save money–reduce “wasteful spending”. A laudable goal. Then why does “wasteful spending” not include DJT’s golf game? He has played golf every weekend since taking office–playing golf at his own properties on 9 of his first 30 days. Of course, that’s money in his own pocket to put up the SS for the weekend. DJT is on a pace to spend well over $100 million of US taxpayer money on his golf game this year alone. During his first term DJT spent an estimated $152 million, golfing 293 days at his golf resorts. At the current rate DJT will easily surpass his record in the first term. That’s because he has turned over most responsibilities to Elon Musk! Of course, when you are now “the King” you are allowed to do that!
Dennis,
Since you like to rant about Trump and Music I thiugh you might appreciate this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOKaRhShOGc
Of course Trump did not make this.
But still just more evidence that Democrats have lost their gords.
There is lots of pushback over the stupid democrat “choose your fighter” video.
But the real problem is NOT the video it is how inauthentic it is.
Trump does or promotes myriads of video’s that paint him as some superhero.
Nearly all of them work because they are “authentic”
Because people identify with them, they identify with trump and they identify Trump with the portrayal in the video or meme.
Regardless have fun ranting about the approriation of “Wrecking ball”
But a reminder – its called parody and its fair use.
Here is another for you.
off topic;
Adam schiff makes video telling Trump Musk “and minions” “Screw you and the horse you rode in on.”
Funny that MSM is not covering it.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/my-response-to-that-is-screw-you-adam-schiff-sends-stern-message-to-trump-in-powerful-rant/vi-AA1AqdDt
You are a MAGAT–how would you know what MSM covers? You don’t watch MSM.
says the maggot to the MAGAt
Why dont you link to their coverage, ya fat mouthed skank ass bltch
USADF was created 45 years ago by Congress to provide development funding in Africa.
——-Dennis McInliar
Jonathan
Please have your friend, Denny, cite the clause in the constitution that empowers Congress to tax for aid to Africa
“the agency’s right of free speech”.”
Dennis McInliar, making shit up again.
The Constitution grants no such right.
The agency is free to say what the chief executive tells them to say, including nothing at all.
Jonathan: Some strange things happened at the US African Development Foundation in DC on Wednesday. USADF was created 45 years ago by Congress to provide development funding in Africa. But DJT and Musk want to gut it.
So on Wednesday a groups of very young DOGE staffers tried to enter the USADF offices. They were refused entry. They later came back, accompanied by what appeared to be US Marshalls, gained entry and, after USADF personnel had left, they changed the locks to prevent USADF personnel from getting back into their offices. The DOGE staffers then tried to gain access to the Foundation’s computer systems and personnel files.
Lawyers for Democracy Forward filed a lawsuit in DC to prevent the illegal actions by DOGE and DJT attempts remove the head of USADF and replace him with one of DJT’s cronies, Peter Marocco. The plaintiffs allege Marocco has no legal standing to head USADF because his has only been appointed as acting head of USAID and has never been confirmed by the Senate for that position. What is even stranger is that there has been no confirmation that the men carrying guns that accompanied the DOGE staffers were actually US Marshalls. The DOJ refused to confirm or deny they were US Marshalls.
In court papers a spokesperson for USADF said their X account was shut down by Musk on Thursday which he described as “a concerning development for the agency’s right of free speech”. Federal DC District Court Judge Richard Leon issued a TRO to prevent DJT from replacing the head of USADF because only the Senate can approve a change in the agency’s leadership. Judge Leon is holding a hearing on Tuesday to sort out the issues raised by the plaintiffs.
Under the Constitution’s “separate of powers” Congress makes the laws and the Executive branch is obligated to carry them out. Musk and DJT erroneously think the President and his unelected co-President can decide which laws to enforce and which to ignore. That’s not how the Constitution works!
OffTopic
Pro-Palestinians have trashed Trump’s golf course in Scotland, Turnberry.
Things are slow so I will post an OT video from an Oxford Union Debate. It might help people understand problems better. Joseph Haddad is the debater. This video starts slow but gets quite exciting.
(OT)
More Trump dividends:
“University of Virginia board votes to end DEI office”
71% of 18-34 year-olds say they disapprove of DOGE. This was reported last night by Steven Colbert on his show.
——-Dennis McInliar
Jonathan
I have been claiming for months that Denny, George, and Gigi get their news from the likes of Jimmy Fallon and Joy Behar.
Now Dennis has admitted its true.
Has the FBI contacted you yet about removing the misinformation that the 3 stooges repost here daily?
“Democrats looked like fools Tuesday night. We don’t need to dwell on how they sat grim-faced, seething, or walked out while the president spoke. One stood, yelled, brandished his cane and was removed by the sergeant at arms. Others held up little paddles bearing little insults. Some wore special color-coded outfits. Almost all refused to show normal warmth or engagement. From my notes, as the camera turned and dwelled on the furious faces: “They look like the green room in hell.”
All while Donald Trump romped.
Three thoughts. One, these aren’t serious people. Two, their job was to show they are an alternative to Mr. Trump, and instead they showed why he won. Third and most important, they will continue to lose for a long time. I hadn’t known that until Tuesday.
I will start with something they won’t believe. In politics, there is bringing the love and bringing the hate. When the 13-year-old boy who had brain cancer and has always wanted to be a cop is appointed as an honorary Secret Service agent, laminated ID and all, and the child, surprised by the gesture, hugs the normally taciturn head of the Secret Service, the only thing to do, because you are human, is cheer that child. And when the president honors a young man whose late father, a veteran and policeman, had inspired his wish to serve, and dreams of attending West Point, and the president says that he has some sway in the admissions office and young man you are going to West Point—I not only got choked up when it happened I’m choked up as I write. The boy with cancer high-fives the young man, and the only response to such sweetness is tears in your eyes.
That moment is “the love.” It was showing love for regular Americans. To cheer them is to cheer us. It shows admiration for and affiliation with normal people who try, get through, endure and hold on to good hopes.
The Democrats brought the hate. They sat stone-faced, joyless and loveless. They don’t show love for Americans anymore. They look down on them, feel distance from them, instruct them, remind them to feel bad that they’re surrounded by injustice because, well, they’re unjust.
Mr. Trump says: No, man, I love you.
Which is better? Which is kinder, more generous? Which inspires? Which wins?
Democrats have to understand where they are. They have completely lost their reputation as the party of the workingman. With their bad governance of the major cities and their airy, abstract obsessions with identity politics and gender ideology, they have driven away the working class, for whom life isn’t airy or abstract. Democrats must stop listening to the left of the left of their party. It tugs them too far away from the vast majority of Americans. They have been radical on the border, on crime, on boys in the girls’ locker room. They should take those issues off the table by admitting they got them wrong.
Why do they allow the far left to punch so far above its weight? It’s not only money. “They play dirty, make threats, make people uncomfortable,” a Democratic elected official said. Normal Democrats want to dodge a fight with them. But the fight has to be had. The sooner you have it, the sooner it’s over and the party makes itself into a fighting force again..”
-Peggy Noonan
The party of JOY.
So long as they are in power.
Good observations by Peggy Noonan. Thanks for posting.
For anyone not familiar with her, her book What I Saw at the Revolution (about the Reagan Revolution) is a good read.
Great comment. Thank you for pointing that out. Until sane and normal Democrats get these woke, far-left leftists out of their party, hate is the only thing they have to offer the American people. No one wants that.
Egad! Social scientists will some day study MAGATs and try to figure out why they are immune to reality, what character or intellectual flaw they have that causes them to believe a chronic, habitual liar, to fall for MAGA media lies and who simply cannot be shaken in their devotion to the most-incompetent and unfit person ever to hold the highest office in this land. Here’s reality: Trump is fat, stupid, a chronic, habitual liar, a convicted felon, a draft-dodger, adjudicated as a sexual assaulter, a thief of classified documents, thief of charitable foundation funds, a racist, misogynist, a serial bankrupter who couldn’t even succeed in the casino business, and who is lazy and just plain ignorant—so say numerous members of his former administration. He lied to get into office by promising to “immediately” bring a sharp drop in the cost of groceries–he has ADMITTED that the grocery lie got him the power he craves. He spends that power by implementing Project 2025–something else he lied even knowing about–even though he has hired multiple people involved in drafting this and the destructive things he has done all are set forth in Project 2025. He sold the power to push around and fire federal employees to his largest campaign donor, who has abused this power to allow his personal employees–none of whom have been subjected to FBI background checks, to download, on their own personal computers, tax returns, bank account information, social security information and other highly protected personal information. He got shoved through a cabinet of the most-unqualified people in US history– people with no experience in the subject matter of the agency, much less administrative experience–and, they are screwing up–badly. They are arbitrarily firing scientists, cancer researchers, meat inspectors, people who are tracking and investigating things like Ebola and other deadly diseases. They don’t have a clue–and they lie about their “accomplishments”. He cut off aid to Ukraine because its president stood his ground and explained that Putin can’t be trusted with merely a ceasefire–he needed security assurances–so the fat narcissist and his fat-faced little prick sidekick tried to demean him by accusing him of being ungrateful–they came across as the bully losers they are–and the entire world witnessed it. Americans strongly support Ukraine, but the hog and the prick were exposed for the fools they are, so he has cut off aid and intel to Ukraine, pulled off sanctions against Russia and has turned around America’s position as supporting Ukraine 180 degrees. Now, our US President supports a murderous dictator who invaded a peaceful country. He’s even lobbying to try to get Russia back into the G-7.
Representative Green loudly protested–THAT IS THE ONLY NORMAL REACTION TO TRUMP, REAL PRESIDENT MUSK AND PROJECT 2025 AND THE LIES THAT TRUMP USED TO STEAL POWER. Of course Democrats didn’t clap at the Trump Show—it was the usual firehose of lies, the usual display of malignant narcissism. Trump is a fat, stupid showman–full of braggadocio and BS. “Democrats showed why he won”? Is that some MAGA media slop they are putting out? Trump ADMITTED he won “on the groceries”–and it was a lie! Billionaires set up MAGA media to appeal to non college educated whites who resent the accomplishments of women and minorities–they cynically need these people to vote Republican, but their real agenda is massive tax breaks and elimination of regulations, like the CFPB, the EPA and other regulations that protect all of us. Democrats ARE the champions of working people and farmers, and people are waking up to just how bad a job the hog is doing, which is why they are taking to the streets, to town halls and flooding members of Congress with complaints. Of course, MAGA media has to lie about this and claim that Soros is paying people to protest. And, stupid MAGAS like you believe it.
Thank you Gigenius, for demonstrating exactly why America is done with Democrat lunatics.
Working for free, and unlike democrat grifters, he’s not “getting rich” on the backs of taxpayers.
Last sentence – “The sooner you have it, the sooner it’s over and the party makes itself into a fighting force again..” The “sooner” the democrat party stops with the angry, nasty, and adversarial role it has embraced, they may have time to realize just how anti-American they have become. The Constitution was written with today’s democrat party in mind, and tried to provide protections against their destructive agenda.
Aparently Trump’s “loss” in the USAID case is turning out not to be so much of a loss.
The decision by Roberts and Barrett DOES require Trump to pay outstanding invoices for work performed,
but it also requires the Judge to do so based on Actual Contracts, and actual invoices.
And that is not going well. That has effectively blocked most of the plantiffs – because they are third parties not actual USAID contractors.
So they have no contracts or invoices. They joined the suit purportedly in the intests of other USAID contractors – but those contractors are NOT^ parites to the suit and are NOT claiming than they have not been paid for work performed.
Worse still as we are starting to get real invoices – turns out that very little of this is for work that has already been completed.
Right now there appear to be only 9 plaintiffs remaining. One of which an aides advocacy group – why is the US government paying for aides advocacy ?, has claimed that it has not been paid $397,000 for work that it has already completed, and that it is looking for payment for an additional 1.7M in work that it has not yet started.
The Judge has given DOJ until 6pm Monday to pay the remaining 9 plantiffs. But he still has not specified what they are owed and most have not as of yet provided contracts or invoices to support their claims.
While the Roberts ACB decision allowed The Judge to procede – it REQUIRED specificity in the claims and in the orders.
i.e the Judge can not just order DOJ to pay $2B without invoices and contracts.
Aparently this fight has been going on with this and other judges for a while.
And one of the responses of DOJ has been to cancel programs and contracts.
That has severely limited the Judges jurisdiction.
While Roberts and ACB “sided” with the Judge – since their order REQUIRED providing contracts and invoices.
That is actually assisting DOJ in cancelling contracts and programs – because first it is the federal government and it does not know what it contracted for, and 2nd because the outgoing Biden administration was deliberately hiding contracts and programs.
Anyway there are strong indications that by the time this is over the payments will be in the small numbers of millions of dollars, rather than billions.
Or put another way – all those here who are saying that this $2B was for work already performed – were LYING.
Or more accurately were repeating nonsense from people who have lied to all of us over and over in the past.
BTW we are already into Dellinger II. Trump fired a member of the NLRB board. That is before Judge Beryl Howell – far more biased and idiotic than Judge Jackson. She cribbed her decision from Judge Jackson – deciding in favor of the NLRB director, This sets up a direct Challenge to Humprey’s estate. Presuming that as in the Dellinger case the DC court of appeals does not throw out the case and the plantif deicdes to take this to the supreme court.
The SNN legal analyst on the case said there is no doubt Trump violated the law. That Judge Howells decision – though legally correct is fully of bias that she should have left out, that it is unclear whether the DC Court of appeals shoots this down as they did with Dellinger and OSC, but the likelyhood of howells decision surviving at the supreme court is very low.
Good comment John, as always I appreciate your legal opinions.
One small point though. I think Dellinger dropped his case himself, I don’t think it was dropped by the court. I believe that Dellinger realized, or was made to realize that his case might be the end of Humphrey’s Estate and therefore they pulled the plug.
johnboy is not a lawyer. he gets all his material from his lawyer wife and gleaned from other sources.
John Say,
Very interesting. Thank you for pointing that out. Reading in the news, Musk had a long meeting with Republicans. Senator Ran Paul suggested using “rescission” as a means to slash the budget and other government spending. And it is completely legal by Title X of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974.
Democrats have become disgusting forms of humans I would not even spit on if they were dying of thirst in the Sahara desert. I have come to despise each and everyone of them and gladly removed their contact information from my social calendar and phone. Good riddance.
DO you realize that you sound like Joy Behar?
Hullbobby – there is a difference between animus to people who are actually evil, and animus to people you are making false claims about.
John, do you realize that when you say “Democrats” you include Fetterman, Sinema, Manchin and even Professor Turley. So please try to keep the dialogue just a tad higher than wanting to end all contact with every and all Democrats. Plus it just sounds stupid.