TRM said:

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Is it a simple majority or do they need 60 to recess?

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Simple majority including tie breaker is my understanding.

Everybody in the media spectrum including these twitter indies are out over their skis. Thune has to play his cards very carefully and not reveal anything until they actually take majority control on Jan 3. Straw polls and speculation is prime rib and fodder until them and it's guesswork until then because if Thune is really worth his salt playing coy is the goal until Jan 3. The success of this administration has huge implications in his home state from the energy sector. So keep that in mind. If they blow this and it even gives the appearance that they cross Trump they are toast come re-election. It won't take Elon Money to do it the MAGA will police this.

Central Committee said:

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Gaetz. Everyone else gets confirmed.

Gaetz has too many enemies everywhere. No dem will vote for him. Safe to say Murkowski, Collins, and turtle will not vote for him for him. There are plenty of RINOs that are questionable.

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Agree. I really think it was a ruse to get him to resign his elected office ( i still cant believe he did that before confirmation hearings were completed) Gaetz has enemies on both sides of the aisle.

I wonder if Gaetz was to set the bar low for others....

Senator Todd Young from Indiana could be a potential "no" vote.

Not up for re-election until 2028; never endorsed Trump.

So potential no votes to me are, in order are:
Collins
Murkowski
McConnell
Tillis
Cassidy
Cornyn
Young

BMX Bandit said:

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Senator Todd Young from Indiana could be a potential "no" vote.

Not up for re-election until 2028; never endorsed Trump.

So potential no votes to me are, in order are:
Collins
Murkowski
McConnell
Tillis
Cassidy
Cornyn
Young

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This list is a reminder to all, that even though Republicans hold the majority, there are several that remain which spoil the entire barrel.

Midnight Yale said:

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Midnight Yale said:

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FireAg said:

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All will be confirmed and if you think otherwise, you're delusional…

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I'll bet you $200 that Gaetz does not get confirmed. Let me know if you're willing to bet on it. Otherwise, quit the "delusional" talk.

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Hey FireAg, just wanted to follow up on this! Let me know if you think Gaetz will still get confirmed and I'm delusional

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Bahahaha

Midnight Yale said:

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Midnight Yale said:

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FireAg said:

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All will be confirmed and if you think otherwise, you're delusional…

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I'll bet you $200 that Gaetz does not get confirmed. Let me know if you're willing to bet on it. Otherwise, quit the "delusional" talk.

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Hey FireAg, just wanted to follow up on this! Let me know if you think Gaetz will still get confirmed and I'm delusional

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Ouch!

Yup…you win…

Call your shot for AG…

This is not that surprising. Warned not to count too much on the flaky Republican Senate. Though arguably Gaetz was the most `hmm' of the picks and likely to generate such static.

But they are also going on about Tulsi, Hegseth, and RFK.

What JD Vance says here is true, however, he and Trump need to realize something they may need to do:

Donald J. Trump just won a major electoral victory. His coattails turned a 49-51 senate to a 53-47 senate.

He deserves a cabinet that is loyal to the agenda he was elected to implement.

— JD Vance (@JDVance) November 20, 2024

Here's the answer. Hegseth is actually the easiest one here, because if they block his appointment because don't like his ideas of cleaning out the corrupt Pentagon --- here is what Trump can say. Since he is CinC he has all the power and more of the SecDef. Just say, "I plan on taking a call from Hegseth regularly and will simply order into effect anything he was going to do. So maybe you should confirm him to have some input and better appearances to it? Because I am getting rid of wokesim in the military, period.

Similar for some other posts "If have to have a cabinet of ministers without portfolio" or just informal advisers following their input, I will."

But don't settle for swampers. Pick harmless neutral if you must, so they don't get in the way of doing it the CinC style. FDR did alot of that.

I would've said Whitaker but he just got the appointment to be NATO ambassador.

This one is out of the blue, but Patrick Philbin might be a name to watch. Was one of Trump's impeachment trial defense attorneys, former deputy White House counsel, and had a wealth of experience in the Bush DOJ. Yale Law grad so he's got the pedigree and background handling business. Former Ellis & Kirkland partner. Just eminently qualified and respected across the board.

Edited to add: former Clarence Thomas clerk as well.

That's well thought out choice. Kind of off the radar.

Interesting.

Still thinking Trump may need to realize that the DC-MSM Party (not dnc, for this includes swamp Rs) is not going to greenlight his wrecking balls. So what he will need to do is "if you want something done, do it yourself" -- simply make them his advisors and carry out what they were going to do anyway. He may have to that especially in the Pentagon if he doesn't get Hegseth, and he has the authority to do it.

That's why Philbin might be a good pick. He's clearly been on Trump's side (represented him at the second impeachment), but also has the Swamp general vote of approval. He was one of the suits who defended Bush over Gitmo and warrantless wire tap. But generally his legal philosophy is in the "unitary executive" state of things, which Trump loves.

Lesson to be learned on these forums whether it be football, politics, or whatever; talking in absolutes is a way to make yourself look like a fool.

aggiedent said:

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Lesson to be learned on these forums whether it be football, politics, or whatever; talking in absolutes is a way to make yourself look like a fool.

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First time on Texags.

aggiedent said:

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Lesson to be learned on these forums whether it be football, politics, or whatever; talking in absolutes is a way to make yourself look like a fool.

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History also makes a mockery of pretty much most cases of "never happen" or a dismissing of a slippery slope argument. Who would have ever thought Idiocracy in particular would become a documentary?

aggiedent said:

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Lesson to be learned on these forums whether it be football, politics, or whatever; talking in absolutes is a way to make yourself look like a fool.

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Only a Sith deals in absolutes.

Midnight Yale said:

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That's why Philbin might be a good pick. He's clearly been on Trump's side (represented him at the second impeachment), but also has the Swamp general vote of approval. He was one of the suits who defended Bush over Gitmo and warrantless wire tap. But generally his legal philosophy is in the "unitary executive" state of things, which Trump loves.

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First impeachment, not the 2nd impeachment. Sauter was on the 2ns impeachment team.

TRM said:

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Midnight Yale said:

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That's why Philbin might be a good pick. He's clearly been on Trump's side (represented him at the second impeachment), but also has the Swamp general vote of approval. He was one of the suits who defended Bush over Gitmo and warrantless wire tap. But generally his legal philosophy is in the "unitary executive" state of things, which Trump loves.

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First impeachment, not the 2nd impeachment. Sauter was on the 2ns impeachment team.

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Caveat: Isn't there some objection by Levin to the `unitary executive' approach? Is that the one that erodes the power of the legislature like war powers act abuses?

FireAg said:

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I think that any R who votes against any nominee will be a primary target their next time to run, and Elon will fund their opponent…

I don't think MAGA R's are ****ing around this time…

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It's truly amazing how far removed from reliaty some people are.

AgLA06 said:

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FireAg said:

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I think that any R who votes against any nominee will be a primary target their next time to run, and Elon will fund their opponent…

I don't think MAGA R's are ****ing around this time…

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It's truly amazing how far removed from reliaty some people are.

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AgLA06 said:

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FireAg said:

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I think that any R who votes against any nominee will be a primary target their next time to run, and Elon will fund their opponent…

I don't think MAGA R's are ****ing around this time…

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It's truly amazing how far removed from reliaty some people are.

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He was right!!

Not a single Republican vote against Gaetz!