Everyday Life & Interests - News & Politics Lite | The Lighter Side of News & Politics #4

**sunnykerr** · 10-08-2015, 04:33 PM

While this is the Lighter side of the news, it should be noted that some topics within this thread could contain stories, images and discussions that may cause a triggering event. To be respectful of everyone on the El&I board we have divided the News & Politics thread into two separate categories. "Lite" & "Sensitive"

This is the Lite thread. Topics discussed here should be the ones that fall on the lighter side of the news such as political cartoons, presidential campaigns, Advances in Science & Technology....etc. The darker side of the news should be posted here News & Politics | Sensitive Topics this thread is clearly labeled so those who may be upset by certain topics can avoid them.

Thanks.

**sunnykerr** · 10-08-2015, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Kevin McCarthy drops out of race to lead US House

Republican Kevin McCarthy has dropped out of the race to be speaker of the US House of Representatives.

He told colleagues at the start of a closed meeting on Thursday that he was not the right person for the job.

Just hours before votes were due to be cast, the news has left the race to succeed John Boehner in disarray. The election has now been postponed.

Mr McCarthy was considered the favourite to take over from Mr Boehner, who quit amid party tensions.

The speaker is the third in line to the presidency and is in charge of the lower chamber of Congress.

"If we are going to unite and be strong, we need a new face to do that," said Mr McCarthy on Thursday following his announcement.

"I feel good about the decision."

He said he wants the Republican Party to be "100%" united in backing a new speaker of the House.

The hard-right wing of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives - the "Freedom Caucus", as its members calls themselves - has flexed its muscle once again.

First it put House Speaker John Boehner in a position where he opted to resign rather than face a challenge to his leadership. Now it has apparently blocked Mr Boehner's second-in-command, California Congressman Kevin McCarthy, from ascending to the top job.

It seems clear that Mr McCarthy just didn't have the votes to become speaker - either within the Republican House caucus or when the House, as a whole, was to weigh in later this month.

In the end, perhaps, Mr McCarthy was just too closely tied to the current, unpopular Republican establishment in the run-up to Thursday's scheduled leadership election. His comments about the House's Benghazi hearings and its goal of thwarting Hillary Clinton's presidential aspirations - only served to further undermine his speaker bid.

At this point the process of picking a replacement for Mr Boehner has been thrown into total chaos. The speaker of the House is third in line for the US presidency, but it's a post that's proving difficult for the Republican Party to fill.

Mr McCarthy is not dropping out of Congress and will stay on as House majority leader, he said.

"We fought hard to win this majority and turn this country around," he said. "I don't want to make voting for speaker a tough one."

Mr Boehner, who planned to leave at the end of October, has said he would stay on "until the House votes to elect a new speaker".

Some members of Congress have called upon House Ways and Means Committee chairman Paul Ryan to run, but he confirmed in a statement he does not plan to.

Mr McCarthy was criticised by Democrats and Republicans for suggesting that investigations into the 2012 attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya which left four Americans dead were hurting Hillary Clinton's chances at the presidency.

He later said Benghazi investigations "are not political".

The House Freedom Caucus has backed Florida representative Daniel Webster for the speaker of the House slot.

Utah Representative Jason Chaffetz is the only other Republican who has said he is running.

The "Freedom Caucus"

I have almost missed those GOP's unique sense of irony.

Sunrise at Midnight · 10-09-2015, 01:19 PM

'Maxi Pad Bandit' Caught On Camera Breaking In Store - Story | WTVT

What an odd choice to use as a disguise

**sunnykerr** · 10-10-2015, 08:30 AM

Well, it's no worse than those two kids who used sharpies to "draw" a mask on their faces, not realizing that, you know, they're called "permanent markers" for a reason.

It's from 2009: 'Dumb' American criminals attempt robbery with ‘permanent marker pen disguises’

Sunrise at Midnight · 10-10-2015, 08:38 AM

some people just deserve the stupid award. Seriously, how does that thought process work?

**sunnykerr** · 10-10-2015, 08:55 AM

I'm assuming alcohol was involved. Or it is yet another proof that a lot of criminals are just kinda dumb.

Sunrise at Midnight · 10-10-2015, 09:18 AM

Yeah... And lord help 'em if they suffere from both

Have you ever seen the show Bait Car? It kind of reminds me of that, when the theif gets locked in the car and then starts freaking out and saying the car was his friends, he was just helping....

**sunnykerr** · 10-11-2015, 10:20 AM

That's a show?

Wow.

No, I haven't seen that show.

Sounds a bit like "To Catch a Predator," but with cars instead of minors.

Sunrise at Midnight · 10-11-2015, 06:42 PM

That's a perfect description, it's the same concept

**sunnykerr** · 10-11-2015, 07:48 PM

Oh, how sad that people would find this entertaining. Not surprising, really, but sad.

Sunrise at Midnight · 10-13-2015, 02:42 PM

What surprises me more is that people know this can happen and yet they still do it.

Democrats Debate tonight, anyone watching?

**canflam** · 10-13-2015, 03:49 PM

I am planning on watching it. So much is being made of if Joe Biden runs for President though, but I I like that there are not many candidates on the Democratic side this time though having a few more debates than they currently have scheduled on the Democratic side would be nice. Hopefully these candidates don't make any public comments during or shortly after this debate that they'll want to take back.

**sunnykerr** · 10-13-2015, 08:55 PM

They have five candidates.... that seems like a lot to me.

But I didn't watch. I had no plan to watch to begin with, but I had plans tonight. I won't pretend like the outcome of the U.S. elections won't happen an impact on my life. Obviously, U.S. politics have a huge impact on the rest of us every single day.

But, as I I have no say on who is elected...

Now, I did vote yesterday, though, in our own federal elections. The actual day is next Monday, but I prefer to get it over with during the early vote phase.

Sunrise at Midnight · 10-14-2015, 08:13 AM

I didn't watch it either because I don't have cable but this morning, oh man I keep hearing about Hilary & Sanders...Hilary's answer to the question, how are you different from Obama and she said I'm a woman....

isnt part of her campaigning saying how's she not like him...and Sanders...

you may be sick of hearing about her emails...but she did did a bad thing and needs to be held accountable, not have it swept under the rug because you're sick of hearing about it.

**canflam** · 10-14-2015, 03:14 PM

Well the e-mail scandal was only brought up once during this debate & after she did talk briefly about it & Sanders made that comment it wasn't mentioned again which was nice for me, but others I'd guess can't get enough of her e-mails.

Anyway 5 candidates is not a lot especially considering that only 2 which are Bernie Sanders & Hillary Clinton have realistically a decent chance at becoming the Democratic nominee next year. In contrast the Republicans have more than 10 people running for U.S. President this time though Rick Perry already dropped out of the race & Bobby Jindal I don't think was even at the most recent Republican Debate.


Fan Forum > General Discussion > Everyday Life & Interests > News & Politics Lite \| The Lighter Side of News & Politics #4