December 17, 2020

"When the new House convenes at noon on Jan. 3, all members will have to be physically present to be sworn in, and they will have to re-pass the rule that allowed the House to vote remotely."

"If, let’s say, five Democrats have covid-19 and are quarantined or hospitalized, or can’t make it to Washington, while all the Republicans can be present, the majority could rest temporarily with the GOP. What would then happen on Jan. 6, when Congress meets in joint session to affirm the electoral college results, is anyone’s guess.... The House has not had a margin this close since after the 1930 election. That year, Republicans won 218 seats but had enough deaths before the convening of the new Congress in March — 14 in all — that Democrats were able to take the majority and hold it when they won a few of the special elections in the interim. The Democrats’ impending mini-majority means there is no leeway for President-elect Joe Biden to choose any more House members for Cabinet positions or other key posts, and there will be heavy pressure put on California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) not to choose one of the very attractive possible replacements in the House for Vice President-elect Kamala D. Harris’s Senate seat when it becomes vacant on Jan. 20. And, in the meantime, any glitch — an unexpected death or resignation, or even defection, could make a big difference.... [Nancy Pelosi] will have no leeway at all. The speaker will need the support of progressives... and all the Democrats across that wide spectrum. And lawmakers will always think about the next election in 2022, a midterm vote that usually goes against the party holding the White House, making those members from swing or close districts — most of them from the moderate wing of the party — especially antsy and fearful of controversial issues or votes...."

From "Democrats’ House majority is razor-thin. Any glitch could spell disaster" (an opinion piece by Norman Ornstein in WaPo).

98 comments:

David Begley said...

Thanks Norm! You kept hope alive that Biden’s EC win might not be ratified in the House. But then again, Cocaine Mitch doesn’t want any Senator to dispute the fraudulent election results.

We’re fucked.

Nonapod said...

This assumes that the GOP House members actually have backbones.

Bill said...

I think they're spelling disaster wrong...

tim maguire said...

And like any good non-biased professional journalist, he sounds quite concerned that the Democrats won't have the free reign they hoped for. (Yes, I know it's an opinion piece, but what's the opinion here? It looks more like war-gaming to me.)

stevew said...

Right Bill, I don't see anything in Norm's speculative analysis that amounts to disaster. Quite the contrary.

Sounds to me like there will be a waiver of the Covid isolation and quarantine rules for elected House members.

Ann Althouse said...

"And like any good non-biased professional journalist..."

It's an opinion piece, as I noted.

Ornstein is a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.

Political Junkie said...

Norm.

mezzrow said...

Well, yes. This is what happens when you create a false majority. The DNC press minions will try to help make all the comedy to come the fault of a certain orange monster, but their attempts to paper over the cracks that show their vulnerability and incompetence will be a rich source of mirth over the months to come. If they get us all killed in the process, no one can conveniently blame that orange monster, though. That's a big downside, to be sure.

Kevin said...

The Republicans could vote for AOC.

Hilarity ensues.

Anonymous said...

You call it a glitch.

I call it democracy *not* dying in darkness.

tim maguire said...

Ann Althouse said...
"And like any good non-biased professional journalist..."

It's an opinion piece, as I noted.


Yes, I noted it too. It's still a war-gaming piece that should not appear in a newspaper.

stevew said...

FWIW I hate that word, glitch, especially in this usage. There is nothing glitchy about what he examines and opines on.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Yes it would be “disaster” to lose the D majority! Oh how the partisan press roots for their side, cajoles them, assists them. Wonder why no one trusts them.

Tom said...

I doubt Dems are thinking about the next election. Why should they? They have the keys to endless victories.

They can censor any bad news in the press and social media. They can change the election rules to allow mass vote by mail schemes. If they win in Georgia, they can vote to expand and pack the SCOTUS.

Nope, we’re very close to one-party rule. We should really be preparing ourselves for what that means.

Kai Akker said...

Great idea re Jan. 6.

Will Trump the Intrepid be in position to take advantage of such an outcome?

Fighting fire with fire. No, because the second fire is legal and constitutional. Fighting fire with the mighty streams of righteousness rolling down.

Howard said...

There is still a sliver of Hope. if you break or really serious you would do everything you could legally to block the Democrats path to getting back to Washington for the vote.

iowan2 said...

Howard lets us know how leftists plot to keep and attain power. That thought never entered my mind. But Howard? Yep, for a leftist the end justifies the means. Like election fraud.

daskol said...

I'm still hoping for that constitutional remedy, that institutional crisis, in which we play out the endgame of this benighted election. Not because of a "sliver of Hope" for Trump, but because my money's on such a crisis being less violent to our society than kicking this can down the road.

wendybar said...

Ann Althouse said...
"And like any good non-biased professional journalist..."

It's an opinion piece, as I noted.

Just like everything else posted in newspapers like WAPO and NYT's....all opinion all the time. Progressive activists, if you will.

daskol said...

If we simply proceed to inaugurate Biden and Harris and try to put behind us any recourse we have to interrogate just what the fuck happened on Nov 3 and the days that followed, we are stuck in a pressure cooker.

Birkel said...

Disaster for what and for whom?
Disaster like recognizing the vote fraud and not allowing the cheaters to win?
Heaven forfend!

iowan2 said...

Yesterday Rush gamed out how One Senator and one House member could delay congress certifying the electoral college vote.
That would leave no President and no Vice President. Pence is still President of the Senate. The Senate elects the Vice President, and the House elects the President.
The House votes by State Delegations. Republicans control over 30 delegations.

Kai Akker said...

Daskol 7:19 and 7:23. Def!

MECGA

Birkel said...

I hope enough cars are involved in a traffic jam from Reagan, BWI, and Dulles that enveloped the entire District such that Democraticals have to walk to Capitol Hill. A three day traffic jam should do it.

Like the farmers driving tractors on highways in Europe.

Mr Wibble said...

I'm still hoping for that constitutional remedy, that institutional crisis, in which we play out the endgame of this benighted election. Not because of a "sliver of Hope" for Trump, but because my money's on such a crisis being less violent to our society than kicking this can down the road.

They're going to kick the can down the road. Politicians are cowards and fools who don't have the guts nor the intelligence to figure out how to fix things.

Mr Wibble said...

I don't hold out hope of Trump winning in some last minute maneuvers. That said, the decision to fight this every step of the way was the correct one, because if nothing else it shined a light on how corrupt, stupid, and incompetent the election processes are in various states, and how complicit the GOP is in these shenanigans. I also think it will win Trump a lot of good will from his supporters, which will make it easier to mount a comeback in 2024, or to run a successor.

I also have a bit of faith, in that the Dems are corrupt and miserable people, and they will overplay their hand. They can't help it. Their activist wing wants to go hard left, while the Old Guard want to get as much money as they can because they're at the end of their careers. Meanwhile, a Biden, and then Harris, admin will be a clusterfark of epic proportions.

Leland said...

These are wet dream editorials. The Republicans would step aside in the case they had the majority on Jan 3rd. They've done so time and again in the past. The GOP had no interest in Trump and has learned nothing from him.

Curious George said...

"Politicians are cowards and fools who don't have the guts nor the intelligence to figure out how to fix things."

The Dems sure have figured out how to fix things. At least elections.

mikee said...

The Dems are not Larry Niven's K'Zin, who are goaded by Puppeteers into attacking before they can win. That said, they are corrupt to their core and deserve every problem anyone can lay at their feet, or better, drop on their heads from a great height.

Darrell said...

I'm sending a bus to pick up the Democrats for the vote. Totally unrelated--where is the nearest cliff to DC?

Kate said...

Lucy. Football.

Fascinating possibilities, though.

steve uhr said...

Okay, keep dreaming folks. You are all about to have a new president. His name is Biden. If you are citizens of the United States, he will be YOUR president. If you don't want him to be YOUR president all you gave to do is renounce your citizenship. Suck it up folks.

MikeR said...

"His name is Biden. If you are citizens of the United States, he will be YOUR president. If you don't want him to be YOUR president all you have to do is renounce your citizenship. Suck it up folks." Curious if you were saying that four years ago. I don't recall hearing it from liberals, at all. #Resistance!

Greg Hlatky said...

President Brezhnev and his wife Elena Ceausescu.

John henry said...

Isn't norm an acronym for night of rest motel?

John Henry

Lucien said...

But Mike, I love the K’Zin, when they get their tuna ice cream with Stolichnaya sauce.

Our cat Twister was a K’Zin spy.

John henry said...

Birkel,

I like that traffic jam idea.

I don't think it would prevent the reps being choppered in but it would be really interesting.

Especially if it could be done on the sly to take everyone by surprise.

John Henry

Todd said...

steve uhr said...

Okay, keep dreaming folks. You are all about to have a new president. His name is Biden. If you are citizens of the United States, he will be YOUR president. If you don't want him to be YOUR president all you gave to do is renounce your citizenship. Suck it up folks.

12/17/20, 8:31 AM


Sorry but we learned over the last 4 years that it does not work that way. We now get to #Resist and we get to #NotMyPresident and we get to #Obstruct and heckle and denounce and protest and maybe even riot and steal and burn.

How enormously freeing the new "normal" is! Hope you enjoy it the other side of that coin.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

No - Biden is not my president. Steve Urrrr - go f yourself. Corruption excusing hiveminder.
Biden is a corrupt fraud. He should be investigated and indicted.

steve uhr said...

Todd. How cute that you think I give a shit about what you think say or do. The earth still revolves around the sun whether you believe it or not.

Michael K said...

Politicians are cowards and fools who don't have the guts nor the intelligence to figure out how to fix things.

In 1940, the Torys preferred Halifax for PM. It was a very close call if Churchill would stay. Read Lukacs' "Five Days in May, 1940."

All politicians are cowards, which is why Trump stood out so much.

Big Mike said...

I don't recall hearing it from liberals, at all. #Resistance!

@MikeR, me either. #Resist! #BAMN!

Michael K said...


Blogger steve uhr said...
Todd. How cute that you think I give a shit about what you think say or do. The earth still revolves around the sun whether you believe it or not.


It's an interesting psychological phenomenon when someone comes to a sort of salon, pisses everyone else off and enjoys it.

Owen said...

Tell me how this “opinion piece” is not also an instruction set to Democratic supporters everywhere to impede any plan by GOP to get all of its Congresscritters to appear and be sworn in on Jan. 3. “Where’s Sam? And Sue? They promised to be here?!?” [cut to scene of dark closet full of hogtied legislators].

steve uhr said...

Oh so sorry mike if I pissed you off. I’ll try to be nicer in the future like the rest of you.

Big Mike said...

Well, Norm Ornstein, Democrats didn’t have to vote for Nancy Pelosi in January 2018. They could have set out to find a Speaker who would work with Donald Trump for the betterment of the country. It wouldn’t surprise me if a lot of the Democrats who lost re-election last November wish they had done just that (yes, I know that a few of them did vote against her).

Joe Smith said...

"Ornstein is a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute."

A scholar? Wow, I guess he's smart then.

Is that smarter than a 'fellow'? Dumber? The same?

Big Mike said...

@steve uhr, go back to defaming high school kids from Kentucky. Maybe Nick Sandmann can sue you, too.

ga6 said...

"Ornstein is a scholar"
Like Dr Jill?

Butkus51 said...

Democrats. Rules. Haha.

mccullough said...

14 GOP House Reps died between the November election in 1930 and December 1931.

They should have passed Medicare in 1930.





Joe Smith said...

Leland at 7:47am nailed it.

The GOP are spineless.

They make the Cowardly Lion look like Rambo.

Todd said...

steve uhr said...

Todd. How cute that you think I give a shit about what you think say or do. The earth still revolves around the sun whether you believe it or not.

12/17/20, 9:10 AM


Apparently enough to read and comment. That comment hit a little too close to the mark for you?

I know I am no one special. Just a humble commenter on a blog. I do understand enough of actual science to know about the sun/earth relationship. I can also understand how someone being show that they are a hypocrite can "sting". Might I suggest you put some Neosporin on that?

Todd said...

ga6 said...

"Ornstein is a scholar"
Like Dr Jill?

12/17/20, 9:50 AM


Would that be "Doctor of Education Jill"? That one?

LA_Bob said...

@"Suck-it-up" steve uhr,

Hey, steve, what would you think about, had the Republicans actually won the House or the Ornstein fantasy comes true, impeaching Biden. You know, just for the hell of it. Just because Republicans could do it.

Make the Senate hold hearings. Invite expert testimony. Vote to acquit.

It wouldn't be the first time. It wouldn't set any precedent.

steve uhr said...

Impeach him for what?

readering said...

Malpractice for Biden to be picking members of Congress for his administration.

Michael K said...

Blogger steve uhr said...
Impeach him for what?


You mean Trump? Just kidding. You are so predictable.

Greg The Class Traitor said...

If, let’s say, five Democrats have covid-19 and are quarantined or hospitalized, or can’t make it to Washington, while all the Republicans can be present, the majority could rest temporarily with the GOP.

That was actually published in what's supposed to be the "House Paper of the Washington DC Establishment."

The current House results are 222 to 213. If 5 Democrats were replaced by Republicans, then the GOP would have a 218 to 17 majority.

But if 5 Democrats stay home they will still have a 217 to 213 majority.

The "experts" are idiots. This is not an issue where they're good in their field, but clueless everywhere else. This IS their field, and they still have no f'ing clue

Greg The Class Traitor said...

"Ornstein is a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute."

Who can't do basic math (217 is greater than 213), and doesn't understand the difference between losing an election to the opposing Party (for which there's a 2 vote shift: your side -1, their side +1), and someone from your side just not showing up (where there's -1 for your side, but no +1 for the other).

But he's a "scholar". Of what? Intestinal polyps?

And none of the Washington Post's editors / "fact checkers" noticed

steve uhr said...

It is interesting that you think all republicans in the House would vote to overturn the certified results of the electoral college. I think that a number of those that did not sign off on the Texas lawsuit - around 100 - would vote with the dems. According to Quinn, many if not most republicans in Congress are really democratic infiltrators ...

Greg The Class Traitor said...

steve uhr said...
Oh so sorry mike if I pissed you off. I’ll try to be nicer in the future like the rest of you.

So, Steve think's he's important, and smart, not like everyone says! So he comes and tells us stupid things ("Biden's going to be your President!! Ha ha ha!"). So people point out how stupid he is (#Resist, baby!).

So then Steve tells us how we just don't matter, and he doesn't care what we say. Which is weird, because if we just don't matter to him, why is he here pretending to argue with us?

Here it is, Steve, simple enough for even an idiot like you to understand:
A rule that didn't bind the Left, doesn't bind us

The Left's chosen ways to violate a rule do not bind us, either. Once a rule is gone, it's gone. New rules are created only when BOTH sides agree to those new rules.

There have been no limits accepted by the Left over the last 5 years. That's fine. Now there's no limits on us.

What you're about to discover is where our "Oh, I can't do that!" governors are set. Prepare to be very unhappy

Greg The Class Traitor said...

steve uhr said...
Impeach him for what?

Corruption with China. Corruption with Ukraine.

steve uhr said...
It is interesting that you think all republicans in the House would vote to overturn the certified results of the electoral college.


If teh GOP doesn't have a majority, I expect a number of "Republicans" to vote with the Democrats.

If the GOP for some reason did have a majority, I'd expect to soon be reading the obituary of any "Republican" who voted to make Vote Fraud Joe the President.

And I expect that the rather large pro-Trump mob outside the House would be making that point to them. Heck, at that point it might be the rather large pro-Trump mob inside the Capitol Building.

"It doesn't matter who does the voting. It matters who does the counting"

"All power comes from the barrel of a gun"

In embracing the first, you Democrats have apparently convinced yourselves that none of us will respond by embracing the second.

Other than gross stupidity, it's not clear WHY you would think that

steve uhr said...

"Which is weird, because if we just don't matter to him, why is he here pretending to argue with us?"

Good question. The answer is that there are, I think, many people who read comments but don't write comments. I'm writing for them. Obviously, trying to convince you of anything would be a waste of time.

steve uhr said...

Impeach him for what?

Corruption with China. Corruption with Ukraine

I have no problem with Congress investigating Biden for corruption. Of course, if they conclude that he didn't do anything impeachable, you wouldn't believe them. Right?

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

I think we can all agree that Biden deserves the same degree of respect, acceptance and dignity from his opponents that Trump received from his.

Chris Lopes said...

"steve uhr said...
Oh so sorry mike if I pissed you off. I’ll try to be nicer in the future like the rest of you."

Look dumbass, you made a comment and other people responded. That's called a conversation. If you wanted to just post a monologue with no responses, you could have sent yourself a pithy email. In other words, stop being a dock.

Todd said...

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

I think we can all agree that Biden deserves the same degree of respect, acceptance and dignity from his opponents that Trump received from his.

12/17/20, 11:50 AM


THAT is exactly what they are afraid of!

It is just NOT supposed to work like that. They get to do whatever vile and disgusting and norm-busting things they wish and we are expected to (and historically have) continue to play by the Marquess of Queensberry Rules because that is how the game has always been played. They have Calvinball rules and we have Miss Manners. It is just NOT FAIR if we decide that enough is enough and we will now play by their rules. Welcome to the new normal!

Michael K said...

I guess today is the steve uhr thread. Marginally better than Inga/Chuck.

Jack Klompus said...

"if you break or really serious you would do everything you could legally to block the Democrats path to getting back to Washington for the vote."

Every once in awhile it's fun to gaze at the Joycean-like talent of wordsmiths like local Nitschke scholar Howard. I don't think the greatest writers of any age could craft such a marvelous sentence to rival the pen of Howard. If anyone needs evidence that Howard is towering example of your betters, your intellectual and moral superiors, I give you this masterpiece.

Readering said...

Michael k Trump stood out because he is bonkers. Don't want to leave Steve all alone.

Jack Klompus said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
tcrosse said...

steve uhr said...
Impeach him for what?


If they have the votes, the House can impeach for any reason or no reason.

Joe Smith said...

"From "Democrats’ House majority is razor-thin."

Which begs the question:

Did Occam shave?

If so, did he never run out of blades?

Jim at said...

Razor-thin majority? But, but I was told there was supposed to be some sort of massive blue wave. In fact, some people still think there was some sort of massive blue wave.

doctrev said...

OH! Now I see what's going on. By all means, proceed. Give the American people one last great Christmas.

Clyde said...

That's what happens when there's a red wave everywhere except for the stolen presidential election, an unexplainable island of blue sticking up out of a red sea.

Jim at said...

Okay, keep dreaming folks. You are all about to have a new president. His name is Biden. If you are citizens of the United States, he will be YOUR president. If you don't want him to be YOUR president all you gave to do is renounce your citizenship. Suck it up folks.

Your lectures are beyond getting old, asshole.

Todd said...

tcrosse said... [hush]​[hide comment]
steve uhr said...
Impeach him for what?

If they have the votes, the House can impeach for any reason or no reason.

12/17/20, 1:36 PM


Oh, you mean exactly like they did to Trump? I believe he was impeached by a Democrat controlled house because he dared to ask another country to re-open/continue their criminal investigation into criminal activities that also happened to include someone running for public office, AFTER that person basically bribed that other country into firing the one that was leading the investigation. So, yes you are correct.

Birkel said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
William50 said...

"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism." Now where did I hear that before?

Michael K said...

Blogger Readering said...
Michael k Trump stood out because he is bonkers. Don't want to leave Steve all alone.


Yes, the crazies are clustering together. You and steve and Freder and Chuck and, of course, the bedpan commando.

You would sound less crazy if you could explain why you didn't like Trump. You lefties come here and act like lunatics and wonder why no one wants to talk to you. Howard doesn't explain either but he sounds less crazy that you people.

Kai Akker said...

--- if you could explain why you didn't like Trump

Envy. You know, as in penis envy.

Greg The Class Traitor said...

steve uhr said...
I have no problem with Congress investigating Biden for corruption. Of course, if they conclude that he didn't do anything impeachable, you wouldn't believe them. Right?

If Congress tells me that 2+2=5, I won't believe them

If Congress tells me that Bursima paying Hunter Biden $50k+ / month, then Joe Biden getting the anti-Bursima prosecutor fired, isn't corrupt, I won't believe them

If Congress tells me that Biden family "business" deals and attempted deals with the Chinese government aren't corrupt, I won't believe them.

Because other than corruption, no one in the Biden family had or has anything to offer Bursima, or China, other than corrupt activities.

It's kind of like trying to tell me that people who refuse to do ordinary audits aren't engaged in corrupt / fraudulent behavior. Or that cops who object to body cams aren't doing anything wrong.

I don't outsource my thinking to other people. If you do, your'e even more contemptible than I thought you were

Readering said...

Because he is mendacious and bonkers. A bad combo. As I have written, i had a case against him in the 80s and learned all i needed to know then. Would feel the same had he run as an independent or Democrat as he teased doing almost every cycle until the nightmare became reality. The collective blind spot on this has had me scratching my head for 5 years.

Inga said...

“Yes, the crazies are clustering together. You and steve and Freder and Chuck and, of course, the bedpan commando.

You would sound less crazy if you could explain why you didn't like Trump. You lefties come here and act like lunatics and wonder why no one wants to talk to you. Howard doesn't explain either but he sounds less crazy that you people.”

And then Michael K wonders why his son and daughters and grandchildren don’t want to see him.

Inga said...

“I guess today is the steve uhr thread. Marginally better than Inga/Chuck.”

Michael K can’t stand having liberals commenting and acts as if he has ownership in this blog. A true Karen.

Big Mike said...

It is just NOT supposed to work like that. [Democrats] get to do whatever vile and disgusting and norm-busting things they wish and we are expected to (and historically have) continue to play by the Marquess of Queensberry Rules because that is how the game has always been played.

@Todd, right you are! If Althouse thought the election of Biden would mark a return to boring, then she must be getting a queasy feeling.

Michael K said...

And then Michael K wonders why his son and daughters and grandchildren don’t want to see him.

Inga-idiot. The personal stuff you are posting are lies. Just lies. I suppose it answers some deep need you have but it just makes you a shit like Ritmo.

Michael K said...

I suppose I could ask the kids and grandkids to compose a response to you when I am there next week but I don't think I want them to know that despicable people like you are in the world. I don't know if any, except my trial lawyer son, has ever experienced such hate. He's going to be in the Bay Area anyway. We are staying in his condo since Gruesome Newsom, your hero, has closed all hotels except for his donors, of course.

Inga said...

Michael K, the comments you post when you reference me are lies and insults. When you engage in such devices, don’t be surprised when those devices are used against you in return. However anything I post about your dysfunctional relationship with your children and grandchildren is from comments you’ve posted here in these threads over the years. If you hand it out expect it to be thrown back in your fat ugly face. You are a thin skinned, egotistical, bitchy man child.

Inga said...

MichaelK,
The one son and the grandchildren you still have a relationship with will be thrilled to help out, no doubt. Here’s a suggestion, stop being such an asshole and singling out certain commenters for abuse. Remember this is info YOU self reported here on these threads. I have no problems kicking your metaphorical wrinkly old ass in return for the continuous insults in regard to my profession of nursing.

President-Mom-Jeans said...

I see that multiple time banned alcoholic old cunt Inga is posting again. Constant lies from that fat old hag, for all of her imagined children to fit any profession for the latest argument she read on daily kos, to her denying her pleading for help to commit disability fraud, the lies from that disgusting bitch never end. I know that covid isn't that dangerous based purely on the fact that an elderly obese "person" like herself is not currently worm food.

Skippy Tisdale said...

I'd expect to soon be reading the obituary of any "Republican" who voted to make Vote Fraud Joe the President.

Joe Biden DID NOT COMMIT VOTER FRAUD.

His party did.

Skippy Tisdale said...

The collective blind spot on this has had me scratching my head for 5 years.

You know that could just be the meth.

DEEBEE said...

It’s going to be interesting to watch. Either there was fraud or the deplorables were very good at splitting votes and now they can watch as they are proven wrong.

Readering said...

True, drinking methylated spirits causes blindness, and Clinton identified deplorables for a reason, but don't think that's the explanation.

rkeva said...

Weird that elected representatives are required to vote in person yet the people that elected them don't.