The Marjorie Taylor Greene thread.

[Stacyhs]

At this point, it's not about bringing in new people, it's about hardening their support with the people they already have.

Getting new people would require them to consider taking some new positions, and they've shown they have absolutely zero interest in that.

Which brings up the whole issue of voter disenfranchising, gerrymandering, etc., since they can't win on just their base. Not all of them are as stupid as MTG. They have a way that has worked in the past, and are trying to improve on it. Hence the need to pass the federal voter protection legislation.

I agree with both of you.

 

[gnome]

There's also the punchline, "Well, aren't we just the luckiest Muslims in all Scotland!", although I heard it as Ireland way back when.

That last is how I first heard it too, "I'm just the luckiest Arab in Belfast."

 

[kevbo]

Many people seem to agree that MTG has no interest in governing, or helping anyone other than herself. Reminds me of her idol Trump. I just keep hoping that somewhere along the line she will do something so incredibly stupid that it will cost her all of the money she has grifted from the gullible. Maybe even stupid enough to result in prison. Ahh, to dream... Trump, too.

 

[Ladewig]

Pretty much every post in this thread that mentions stupidity and attention whore could be lifted word-for-word and fit perfectly into most Trump threads.

ETA
I just saw the previous post already noted similarities.

 

[Ladewig]

Many people seem to agree that MTG has no interest in governing, or helping anyone other than herself. Reminds me of her idol Trump.

I look at that slightly differently. I believe that Trump is interested in governing but that his definition of governing is enriching himself. I believe he is incapable of understanding either the meaning or the motivation behind being a public servant. If someone tried to explain it to him he would just label the idea as pure craziness.

 

[JoeMorgue]

Well yeah. MTG is like all trolls. She's not actually smart enough to figure out their trolling routine on their own, she's following someone else's script.

She's "Let's Go Brandon" in the flesh.

 

[Horatius]

Pretty much every post in this thread that mentions stupidity and attention whore could be lifted word-for-word and fit perfectly into most Trump threads.

ETA
I just saw the previous post already noted similarities.

Oh, yeah, she is without a doubt a true believer in Trump's real lesson: You can use political office to enrich yourself by suckering the plebes.

Used to be, you had to get bribed by some big corporation to enrich yourself as a politician, but those guys actually expected something for their money - lower taxes, targeted spending, a hand in writing regulations and legislation, things that took some actual work - but all the plebes want is for you to "own the libs" and take even more of their money.

The work of actually governing need not be done, and in fact, actually gets in the way of the real work, which is keeping your face in front of the cameras.

 

[TurkeysGhost]

I'm curious what exactly MTG should be doing instead? I mean, let's assume not being some christo-fascist isn't an option, because clearly that isn't in her case.

Do a thought experiment with me. You're someone with an outside the mainstream political ideology representing a district where the voting base is also outside the mainstream. You're in Congress, but you really don't have the allies and the numbers to actually advance any of your agenda items. What do you do with your time?

Grandstanding and making the case for your fringe political position, in hopes that you can sway others across the country and elect similarly minded colleagues (or flip existing members) is probably as good of use of time as anything. If you have no real power, PR stunts are not a terrible way to try to do the yeomen's work of building a political movement.

Much of the same analysis could be applied to people like AOC. Do big flashy stunts, get your political message out there, especially in contrast to the mainstream that people are increasingly losing confidence in, and hope that in 2,4,8 years it pays off in the form of more likeminded congresspeople on your side. In time there might be enough of your to actually have legislative leverage as a "wing" within a party, or even become the dominant wing within a party.

My problem with MTG isn't so much her PR stunts, which seem like a reasonable way to approach her current predicament. My problem is that she's a fascist and the political project she is advocating for is fascism. Which is bad, but let's not confuse bad politics with bad tactics.

 

[JoeMorgue]

I'm curious what exactly MTG should be doing instead?

I dunno. A minimum wage job spraying Bug-B-Gone on car windshields at my local car wash seems about her speed. Not sure if I'd trust her with the deep fry basket at McDonalds. Do counties still hire people to scrape roadkill off the road?

As you say the problem is she's a violent extremist, there's no "right way" to do that.

The issue with her just being a bog-standard internet troll but in real life is how effective it has been in putting her in and keeping her in a position of power.

Someone like her in a position of power is not normal and we shouldn't be arguing in the context that it is.

We're criticizing her, not giving her a performance review.

 

[TurkeysGhost]

I dunno. A minimum wage job spraying Bug-B-Gone on car windshields at my local car wash seems about her speed. Not sure if I'd trust her with the deep fry basket at McDonalds. Do counties still hire people to scrape roadkill off the road?

As you say the problem is she's a violent extremist, there's no "right way" to do that.

The issue with her just being a bog-standard internet troll but in real life is how effective it has been in putting her in and keeping her in a position of power.

I think there's value in discussing political tactics and their effectiveness, especially if you're someone hoping to see people like MTG ultimately fail. Considering the position she is currently in, I think she and others like her are making the most of their positions and doing a lot to popularize their particular brand of toxic politics. Ignoring the problem doesn't change this.

Someone like her in a position of power is not normal and we shouldn't be arguing in the context that it is.

It's not good, but it's very normal. She's not an anomaly no more than Trump's an anomaly. People like them will continue to be successful in politics for the foreseeable future. It's almost certainly going to get worse before it gets better, and getting better is not even a certainty.

 

[JoeMorgue]

I think there's value in discussing political tactics and their effectiveness, especially if you're someone hoping to see people like MTG ultimately fail. Considering the position she is currently in, I think she and others like her are making the most of their positions and doing a lot to popularize their particular brand of toxic politics. Ignoring the problem doesn't change this.

It's not good, but it's very normal. She's not an anomaly no more than Trump's an anomaly. People like them will continue to be successful in politics for the foreseeable future. It's almost certainly going to get worse before it gets better, and getting better is not even a certainty.

Oh save it. That's a laugh riot coming from you.

Here we'll make easier. Just close your eyes and imagine she's a centrist.

 

[TurkeysGhost]

Oh save it. That's a laugh riot coming from you.

Here we'll make easier. Just close your eyes and imagine she's a centrist.

No, she's far more savvy than most centrists. I wish she were so ineffectual, then I wouldn't have to care about her.

ETA: This whole period of political crisis must be awfully bewildering for centrists. Things just keep getting worse and worse for no discernable reason.

 

[JoeMorgue]

No, she's far more savvy than most centrists. I wish she were so ineffectual, then I wouldn't have to care about her.

Why do I get the feeling this is a lead up to some try hard argument that you'd be just fine if uber-progressives adopted her tactics?

You're starting to sound like Ash talking about the Xenomorph in Alien. "I admire it's purity."

 

[TurkeysGhost]

Why do I get the feeling this is a lead up to some try hard argument that you'd be just fine if uber-progressives adopted her tactics?

They're not "her" tactics. MTG didn't invent grandstanding and nothing she is doing is particularly novel. There are plenty of grandstanding progressives that have been successful.

In a world that is increasingly becoming dissatisfied with the crumbling center run by geriatrics, I would expect to see grandstanding outsiders to become more common.

 

[JoeMorgue]

Literally chasing other lawmakers down the halls screeching "Debate me you coward" is not grandstanding, it's trolling.

It won't become a good thing if AOC does it Biden tomorrow.

 

[TurkeysGhost]

Literally chasing other lawmakers down the halls screeching "Debate me you coward" is not grandstanding, it's trolling.

It won't become a good thing if AOC does it Biden tomorrow.

Someone confronting Manchin or Sinema would probably play pretty well with the liberal base. Don't play dumb. Maybe Biden should do it, lord knows he needs a win.

 

[newyorkguy]

Yesterday Pedro Gonzalez, a fellow at the pro-trump, far right Claremont Institute, tweeted that "Libs are a cancer. They are the absolute worst people in this country." He suggested when "liberals" move from Blue states to Red States (he cited an example of someone moving from California to Florida) they not be allowed to vote for a time while they re-adjust. MTG quickly jumped on board.

Marjorie Taylor Greene
@mtgreenee
All possible in a National Divorce scenario.
After Democrat voters and big donors ruin a state like California, you would think it wise to stop them from doing it to another great state like Florida.
Brainwashed people that move from CA and NY really need a cooling off period. Greene's Twitter account

A number of people on Twitter slammed Greene's 'National Divorce' meme. That she's actually suggesting a civil war. This morning, apparently just a few minutes ago, Greene tweeted:

Marjorie Taylor Greene
@mtgreenee
If you are so offended by my comments about #NationalDivorce then take a real hard look inward and ask yourself why it’s sadly such a popular idea with Republicans.
We are serious about our freedoms and we feel very threatened by Democrats that constantly tread on them.

Of all the reactions I especially like this one.

National divorce is the playbook for Secession and civil war scenario. It happened in former Yugoslavia and it was not pretty.
@mtgreenee is planting dangerous ideas that could end up in bloody violence. People came to America to escape nationalism not to relive it here.

 

[Armitage72]

That explains the Fox News YouTube thumbnail headline I saw late yesterday about Liberals being "blue" about people moving from Democrat-run states to Republican-run states.

 

[Segnosaur]

I'm curious what exactly MTG should be doing instead? I mean, let's assume not being some christo-fascist isn't an option, because clearly that isn't in her case.

Do a thought experiment with me. You're someone with an outside the mainstream political ideology representing a district where the voting base is also outside the mainstream. You're in Congress, but you really don't have the allies and the numbers to actually advance any of your agenda items. What do you do with your time?

I guess the question is, does she HAVE to sit outside the mainstream political ideology?

She's republican in a district which is deep-red... she would probably get re-elected even if she didn't appear insane.

If she actually wanted to push a right-wing agenda, then she could cut out the insanity, actually gain some allies in congress (so she could have some real influence), and be less of a "Republicans are nuts" distraction (so the republicans would have a better chance picking up seats in later elections).

Grandstanding and making the case for your fringe political position, in hopes that you can sway others across the country and elect similarly minded colleagues (or flip existing members) is probably as good of use of time as anything.

But the insanity probably drives away moderate voters in other districts, and any sane member of congress will see how she's been marginalized and decide "I don't want that".

Much of the same analysis could be applied to people like AOC. Do big flashy stunts, get your political message out there....

I would be careful about drawing any sort of equivalence between MTG and AOC.

Not that I necessarily agree with all of AOC's politics (and I do agree she wants to get out her "political message") but her actions seem to at least fall within the political norms. I can't recall any sort of actions of AOC that come anywhere near what MTG has done.

My problem with MTG isn't so much her PR stunts, which seem like a reasonable way to approach her current predicament. My problem is that she's a fascist and the political project she is advocating for is fascism. Which is bad, but let's not confuse bad politics with bad tactics.

Agreed she is a fascist. But being openly fascist may not be the best way to convince others to join you. Better to use the 'boiling frog' model.

 

[TurkeysGhost]

Agreed she is a fascist. But being openly fascist may not be the best way to convince others to join you. Better to use the 'boiling frog' model.

She is using the boiling frog model, the pot has been on the stove for a long time now and finally the surface is starting to froth.

MTG is only able to aspire to such levels of insanity because other less crazy republicans before her have steadily pushed the Overton window right.