Right Wing Nuts Welcome Their New Majority Leader With An Embarrassing Defeat-- For Him And America

I was in New York Tuesday and could concentrate on the votes that were going down in the House and I'm afraid people may have missed a vote on Eric Swalwell's H.R. 1022, the Securing Energy Critical Elements and American Jobs Act. The Boehner/McCarthy/Ryan clique that's still fighting to control the House Republican Caucus, felt it had the votes to suspend the rules and pass the bill with a 2/3 majority and no amendments. They should have asked their own chief vote-counter, Republican Whip Steve Scalise, the Louisiana extremist, who was opposed to it.

Although every Democrat but right-wing nut Nick Rahall voted yes and the Boehner/McCarthy clique delivered 78 Establishment Republicans, the healthy majority wasn't quote healthy enough. With 29 Members absent or not voting, 260-143 does not add up to 2/3. It failed, 9 votes short. House Science Committee chair Lamar Smith (R-TX) backed it and told fellow Republicans it would help the U.S. find ways to produce rare earth elements on its own without relying on other countries. "This bill," he said, "helps ensure that the United States remains globally and economically competitive, and that our energy sector and military have the critical elements that they need."

Boehner pawns like Eric Cantor (VA), Fred Upton (MI), Mike Simpson (ID), Dave Camp (MI), Dave Reichert (WA), Tom Cole (OK), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL), David Joyce (OH), Greg Walden (OR), Peter King (NY), Mike Fitzpatrick (PA), Tom Reed (NY), Chris Gibson (NY), Michael "Mikey Suits" Grimm (Mafia), Devin Nunes (CA), Corey Gardner (CO), Charlie Dent (PA), Vern Buchanan (FL) and Ken Calvert (CA) crossed the aisle to vote with the Democrats on something the business community generally favors. The kooks-- like Broun (GA), Coffman (CO), Stockman (TX), Jordan (OH), Ross (FL), Salmon (AZ), Cotton (AR), McHenry (NC), Bachmann (MN), Clawson (FL), Gohmert (TX), Bridenstine (OK), King (IA) and Gowdy (SC)-- and the Republicans hoping to get votes from teabaggers and Hate Talk Radio victims-- like Daines (MT), Kline (MN), Capito (WV), Roskam (IL), Mica (FL), and Schock (IL)-- went along with demands from far right operations Club for Growth and Heritage Action, who threatened Republicans backing the bill. Swalwell, after the failure:

"Under the threat of punishment from Heritage Action and Club for Growth, a majority of House Republicans voted against America's manufacturing and national security interests. Rather than support research and development that will help create jobs here at home, 142 House Republicans just voted to send good-paying American jobs overseas."

If you're still with us… you earned this-- and I can't imagine DWT will ever have another opportunity to share it. Ladies and gentlemen… Rare Earth: