AesopFan: it’s infuriating that we–conservative taxpayers–are helping to pay for the destruction of our country, our heritage, and our culture, with no pushback from our so-called representatives. I hope Banks’ caucus can change this, but am not optimistic. As one commenter has said, the main business of Congress is appropriations–that is, using taxpayer money for their own professional and personal aggrandizement. Too many rice bowls at stake.

Most of us gave Trump the benefit of the doubt and a wait and see approach, so that is probably still a viable position to take with McCarthy – who will be watched closely in any case. Angie at 6:45 says it well, too.

We’ll see what he actually delivers. As with all professional politicians, my take on acceptable performance is that it earns another one-day allowance of food rations, nothing more. Only consistently diligent and transparent politicians earn my support. When all the Jan 6th tapes are actually out there flooding the ethernet, I’ll re-visit.

That said, if you want to send a letter to McCarthy to get him to do something useful, starting it out as “Dear Dishonest Butthead” is probably a loser. Or if it comes from an address which has insulted the guy forever.

You can slag him all you want after he’s out of the game. Until then, make your best case politely, including any implications of how many people you know are about to vote for his opponent.

See my comment right above this one.

Also, you might be unaware of Bunge’s long history of rudeness and insults, some of it towards me but plenty of it towards other commenters. I actually might have banned him quite some time ago, but I am reluctant to do that and have given him many chances. Here I have given him another.

Of course your edit improves the entire thing by removing the parts I object to. It’s not the disagreement I mind, it’s the arrogant condescension, as well as the imperious ordering around.

So why you think I object to disagreement is a mystery. Plenty of people here disagree with me every day, and I either respond politely by pointing out a few reasons I disagree with them, or I don’t even respond because it’s just part of the normal blog commenting.

It is also interesting that both MBunge and you seem to think that I didn’t seek out disagreement and free discussion on this particular post. Odd, because here’s the entire content of what I wrote in the post:

See what you think. I think he does a good job

Translated: What’s your opinion? Here’s mine. The only other content in the post is the video of McCarthy’s press conference.

And yet MBunge writes, “stop trying to rehabilitate Kevin McCarthy.” I find it extremely interesting that posting a video of McCarthy talking, and saying I think he did a good job and inviting others to express THEIR opinions, is now considered “rehabilitation.” It indicates to me that on some level Bunge may think the video does “rehabilitate” McCarthy, at least potentially. And apparently he thinks I should not post such videos because of the rehabilitation ban Bunge has declared I should institute? Or perhaps he thinks I should not express any opinion about something McCarthy says, if that opinion is positive?

In other words, Bunge’s position doesn’t even fit the content of the post.

I’m of the same mind as Lee – and there is much worse out there. Maybe Bunge is well known for it and deserved that first strike. (and maybe your tamping down of his “exuberance” is a way to encourage the others as they say)

On the other hand, I’m a late middle aged white male who is known for terse and direct observation.

So take from this what you will.

A few years ago I used to comment at Legal Insurrection. The comment section was, for a while, dominated by running and very personally nasty disputes between a pro-Trump guy and an anti-Trump guy. I think Prof. Jacobson eventually banned them both, but not before I stopped reading the comments.