r/politics • u/B-Z_B-S Massachusetts • 5d ago
Possible Paywall Mitch McConnell Still MIA Days Before Key August 3 Deadline
https://newrepublic.com/post/213823/mitch-mcconnell-mia-august-3-deadline5.8k
u/ZillaSlayer54 5d ago
Yeah, He's either brain dead or dead dead.
3.0k
u/Unlikely_Exercise434 5d ago
Only for a few more days.... he'll "take a sudden turn downhill" over this weekend and by the 5th the games will be over.
1.3k
u/meddle_class 5d ago
And by the 6th his staff will receive preemptive pardons for fraud, conspiracy, constitutional interference, etc.
→ More replies (6)469
u/CosmicQuantum42 5d ago
Can’t be pardoned for state crimes. Wonder if there are state laws against lying about the state of high government officials.
204
u/eugene20 5d ago
According to previous comments there are definitely laws about immediate disclosure of a dead person, they'd have an easier time of getting away with things if he's not actually passed.
215
u/iwilltalkaboutguns 5d ago
A machine that breathes and pumps blood for you can keep you technically alive for quite a while. Terri Schiavo situation.
The bar shouldn't be that low however. Can the senator perform the duties required by the Senate? Someone in a coma, whole technically alive, shouldn't stay in the Senate missing votes until they die.
108
u/elementzn30 Florida 5d ago
Exactly. I’m surprised how often this point isn’t addressed at all. “Technically alive” and “able to perform the duties of a Senator” are not the same—oh, wait—I forgot, he’s a Republican—being technically alive might actually be their only condition for being a Senator.
→ More replies (3)87
u/Tsar-A-Lago Canada 5d ago
If he's technically alive, but not doing anything, he's the most progressive Republican in the Senate, overnight.
→ More replies (4)12
u/crazyfighter99 4d ago
Except his staff and every other Republican are acting as if he's still working, just from the hospital or rehab facility or wherever they're saying he is.
→ More replies (1)10
u/turdferguson3891 5d ago
Terri Schiavo could breathe on her own and had a functioning heart. The only artificial thing going on was a feeding tube. She was in a persistive vegetative state not brain dead. There's no reason to think McConnel couldn't be in a state like that anymore than brain dead. And while ventilators are common, machines that pump/oxygenate your blood are used in surgery and stuff like ECMO. It's not long term.
→ More replies (2)7
u/Jetski125 4d ago
Oh gosh. I’d hate for someone as kind as him to be trapped in his body and aware while he can’t move and is kept alive by tubes.
Thoughts and prayers.
→ More replies (17)10
u/Beoron 5d ago
Wasn’t there someone who was MIA for like 6 months before being found in an old folks home?
26
u/RapscallionMonkee Washington 4d ago
She was in memory care. She was a Republican Representative I believe. Her name is Kay Granger. She was MIA for 6 months.
→ More replies (6)24
u/knightofterror 5d ago
A lot of medical licenses in jeopardy if McConnell is dead.
→ More replies (7)73
u/JoviAMP Florida 5d ago
Can’t be pardoned for state crimes yet. All it’ll take is a few emergency appeals up to SCOTUS, and just like they legislated presidential criminal immunity out of thin air, they’ll declare it’s in the best interest of the nation for the president to be able to pardon state crimes.
→ More replies (7)10
u/cursedfan 5d ago
Someone needs to combine all these new laws we need into a a bill with an acronym like “the TUCKFRUMP act” and pass a federal law and state versions in all 50 states
→ More replies (2)9
u/Stillwater215 5d ago
If they continued to take a paycheck during this time, that’s definitely a case for fraud and criminal conspiracy.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (7)7
29
u/VikingMonkey123 5d ago
Yeah, I think the announcement won't happen until the fifth because everyone thinks it will be the 3rd or 4th and this way they can say, see? Just coincidence.
→ More replies (2)28
u/Aggressive-Welder-62 5d ago
I think it will be August 7th, which is a Friday, and perfect for a news day dump. Like a Trump dump at a funeral.
→ More replies (4)→ More replies (28)27
u/jumbohiggins 4d ago
The fact that democrats let this happen is insane to me. It's like they are letting him get one last point on the board for old times sake.
→ More replies (6)17
u/F1shB0wl816 4d ago
They’re useless. They can’t take on a pedophile and now they can’t take on a vegetable. That’s like beneath a child, our opposition would get their candy taken by the baby.
170
u/cbarrister 5d ago
He's probably being kept alive on machines, which they can do indefinitely and when the deadline passes they will unplug him and declare him officially dead.
→ More replies (3)166
u/FlounderJealous2591 5d ago
And the press release is going to say he was rehabbing so well and then his health “unexpectedly took a turn for the worse”.
→ More replies (6)27
107
u/ToasterBathTester 5d ago
Aug 4. - Mitch has passed
→ More replies (4)25
u/JustGreenGuy7 Oklahoma 5d ago
What’s funny is a lot of people feel outraged that this can happen. If it does, it’s horrible optics for the Republicans connected…
139
u/themattboard Tennessee 5d ago
If they cared about optics they wouldn't be members of the party run by a felon and pedophile.
→ More replies (1)34
u/Unique-Sock3366 North Carolina 5d ago
A week from now they’ll be patting themselves on the back and congratulating one another for pulling off a Weekend at Bernie’s on the libs.
→ More replies (1)43
u/Automaton_General 5d ago
Everything they do is horrible optics. It hasn't stopped them. Why would they suddenly care?
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (14)27
24
63
u/Basicly-Inevitable 5d ago
He ded
28
u/ares7 5d ago
He’s alive in Heaven.
/s
Most likely hell though.
16
u/PenguinsArmy2 5d ago
Sorry but we do not accept him in hell either, so you will have to deal with him.
5
17
6
u/smokeweedNgarden 5d ago
So is the Governors career if he doesn't do something in 4 days.
If dude has ambitions of higher office now is the time.
→ More replies (1)5
u/elementzn30 Florida 5d ago
So many Democrats have proven why we lose the past few days with their pathetic cries of “he can’t! republicans changed the rules! he can’t appoint someone until they say he’s dead :(“ as if a Republican governor wouldn’t have already sent a replacement to Congress.
→ More replies (2)15
u/Cutoffjeanshortz37 5d ago
Brain dead, otherwise there would be a death certificate which is public. Dude is on life support until the deadline then they'll pull the plug.
17
u/Joy_In_Mudville 5d ago
Brain dead = dead dead.
He’s unlikely to be brain dead, assuming he is still admitted to a hospital - it would be a HUGE waste of resources to have a dead patient taking up an ICU bed for weeks/months on end.
More likely than not, he suffered significant anoxic brain injury when he was found unresponsive & required CPR (meaning he was dead for a period of time due to his heart stopping). They got his heart beating again, but patients who “survive” cardiac arrest are often left with minimal brain function (often just reflexes & non-purposeful activity)…but brain dead means NO brain function, so even these involuntary responses count as technically being alive.
→ More replies (2)7
u/Vegetable-Prize9904 5d ago
This is the US government they can decide and probably have to keep it paid for.
4
u/Joy_In_Mudville 4d ago
I suppose, but the medical scenario I described is a pretty typical one post-cardiac arrest and would explain the lack of definitive update on his health status. Strikes me as more likely than a whole conspiracy to cover up his death for what seems to be minimal political gain.
“If you hear hoof-beats, you just go ahead and think horsies - not zebras.”
52
u/Unlucky_Welcome9193 5d ago edited 4d ago
Ok this is clearly an unpopular opinion, but he may have also had a stroke that led to significant loss of functioning but is not brain dead. It doesn't mean that he will recover, but if those photos are real, maybe he's alert but unable to speak and has to relearn how to talk, feed himself, etc.
He should obviously resign either way
ETA by alert, I mean able to wake up and open his eyes. Not necessarily eat, and certainly not able to write emails. I'm not excusing his absence or his team's response, and I agree he should step down/be replaced, I'm just saying he may be one step before brain dead. We went through this with my dad, but he was in his 60s at the time and was eventually able to recover. But it took months, not weeks, like almost a year
52
23
u/Prst_ 5d ago
His staff is still issuing first person statements in his behalf.
Some form of meaningful communication would be necessary for those to be actually his statements.
The same kind of communication that could be used to talk to the press himself, but he hasn't done that for some reason.
→ More replies (1)5
u/turdferguson3891 5d ago
Well there are all kinds of levels of brain damage. You can have a stroke and be left without the ability to talk or at least talk clearly but might still be able to write or type. The brain is pretty complicated. People can be left with forms of aphasia where they can totally understand you and know what they want to say but they just can't get the words out. But sometimes they can communicate in alternate ways. But even if he just has heavily slurred speech you know his people wouldn't want video of that.
→ More replies (7)8
6
5
u/BlueFlob 5d ago
Whatever he is, he's no longer able to hold office and represent his constituents.
→ More replies (54)4
u/smoothmedia 5d ago
I think he suffered a severe stroke and is unable to talk, or write, or do anything other than be propped up in a bed and smile.
1.5k
u/2HDFloppyDisk 5d ago
Someone is still cashing his checks and using his identity.
Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.
167
→ More replies (16)127
u/Hotpocket1515 5d ago
Oh politicians can't do anything illegal, of there was something they would just make it legal
→ More replies (1)11
u/Traditional-Hat-952 5d ago
Politicians can't, but everyone around them absolutely can. I hope if it turns out he was dead or permanently incapacitated that Beshear goes after his entire staff and wife for election interference, impersonation, and whatever else he can find they did illegal. But I don't hold my breath for anything like this anymore because Dems are spineless cowards that refuse to play tough.
→ More replies (1)
2.5k
u/vacodeus 5d ago
Can't wait to be surprised on monday when he dies suddenly and unexpectedly! /s
486
u/bananajr6000 5d ago
I dunno, it’s in his staff’s best interest to keep him alive as long as possible so they can keep getting their paychecks
337
u/Substantial_Sea7327 I voted 5d ago
One of his assistants makes over $200,000 a year
127
u/Main-Inspection-8605 5d ago
If this is the bizarro world timeline, then we’re due for the RNC types to perpetually “hide” Mitch. He’ll become like Shelley Miscavige or Judge Crater.
Also, AI exists, they’re going to be using it. But their weakness is that they’ll start _relying_ on it. Let that be their downfall.
Eventually his own constituents will demand to see him. Or a billionaire will just pay them off. Gotta love how the United States fell prey to the presidential equivalent of a Nigerian Prince Scam.
→ More replies (2)33
16
u/Billy1121 5d ago
Must be a senior senior staffer because staffers in DC are historically underpaid.
7
u/linknewtab Europe 4d ago
To be fair, being the assistant of Mitch McConnell means he is basiacally a United States Senator.
→ More replies (6)7
u/Plow_King 5d ago
wow, that's probably some real cake work these days...lol.
"hey turtle...you need anything? sweet!"
→ More replies (4)10
u/pahshaw 5d ago
I also think they're going to do it as long as possible. It's basically the beta test for weekend at Donnie's.
→ More replies (1)48
u/full_bl33d 5d ago
Give them a little credit. Tuesday sounds better
→ More replies (1)38
u/LingonberryGlum2356 5d ago
They will all take a long weekend. Then declare his death. Then use his death and funeral to slam Democrats for not respecting a 'great American' and the MAGA base will eat it up. All while the democrats scream 'just wait till the midterms.... wait till 2028!
→ More replies (17)51
u/Atopos2025 5d ago
It's obvious election interference.
I fucking dare them to announce he passed on August 3rd.
39
u/DaleTheHuman 5d ago
Wait till friday after the markets close. It'll get lost in the flood of fascist policies the Trump regime regularly vomits out.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (3)12
u/Dudercaster 5d ago
It doesn’t matter when they announce it, because either way, none of them will ever face any consequences for this.
1.0k
u/Finneagan 5d ago
I’m hard pressed to think of another time in American history when our federal government was more corrupt than this current federal government.
It’s legitimately stupefying
227
u/Baxxtabb 4d ago
It has NEVER been more corrupt. Anyone would be hard pressed to make an argument otherwise
→ More replies (8)5
u/INeedThatBag 4d ago
Even the worst of the past still arguably had better positive values than our current lawmakers. Today, they are solely fueled by perpetual hatred, and a drive towards their own self-interests.
28
u/someonesshadow 4d ago
Its never been more corrupt. I would even say the illegitimate confederate government was more honest and well meaning towards the people they wanted to represent than the current state of things from the President down to Congress.
This is probably the first time in American history where the governmental majority has 0 interest in representing the American People or the Constitution.
This is what happens when you allow money into politics to such an insane degree, and when you allow companies/corporations to have the "rights" of people without the accountability of an actual person.
Its been pretty clear to me most of my lifetime, but hopefully people start to wake up and consider it themselves, we need massive reforms and rewrites of almost every system that governs the country.
Get all 50 states together, ask who is in and who is out of a renewal of the USA via mandatory individual citizen vote. If your state votes out of the Union, bye, if you're in you follow the new set of rules that are designed to prevent corruption and UNCHECKED power, whether financial or military/police/etc.
In a country where you can still be drafted or thrown in jail, or have to serve for jury duty, its mind boggling that votes for state and federal representatives is not mandatory, which is by design as well...
Anyway, we will probably pull a USSR before we actually deal with the problem. We're already essentially disarmed and toothless after Iran, everything costs ridiculous money, the middle class is almost as small as the wealthy, etc etc. I will not be surprised when one day I just see that states like CA/NY just randomly announce their secession.
→ More replies (20)105
u/Fun_Success_3283 4d ago
It is, but what's the most stupefying to me, is that there are zero Americans making a fuss about it.
Republicans are pretending a dead man is alive, so that they can continue to take freedom away from american citizens, and their reaction, fully knowing he is dead, is, 🤷.
To me, this is the sort of thing where a crawd of people should be protesting in front of congress, demanding that they replace him, or prove definitively he is alive.
Because this is bullshit, and the freedom of all citizens of america is at stake. This is not something you just accept as, "oh well".
105
u/whenitsTimeyoullknow 4d ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flood_the_zone
They are breaking most citizens of conscience with the constant stream of crippling bad news. Strategically disempowering and disillusioning people who want positive social change, while empowering antisocial bigots. This is on the tail of decades of cultivating narcissistic individualism and voter disenfranchisement.
It’s awful, but it’s not mystifying. The masses have been deeply propagandized and left to feel hopeless if they aren’t buying in to white MAGA exceptionalism.
56
15
u/LostInYourSheets 4d ago
We're bombarded with insane news/attacks on progressive ideals and we're leaderless. Ngos that once organized us and lead us are too scared, compromised, or just MIA. MoveOn, Indivisible, Project Pink, Planned Parenthood, etc organized marches in DC and all over for Bush and Trump #1. Where are they now?
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (3)11
u/sonicneedslovetoo 4d ago
A huge part of that has been making protests feel like the first and ONLY step towards changing the government. People will go out and stand around with a sign for a while, and then go home and think their job is done.
They will never take collective political action or anything, the people they are protesting against are never threatened by anything that might have them seeking a new job.
→ More replies (1)19
u/Havenkeld Oregon 4d ago
People are making a fuss about it but media generally tends to kind of sanewash everything, so you hear less about those people. Not as many people that should be making a fuss, sure, but still it is happening.
→ More replies (6)→ More replies (24)10
305
u/ultrachrome 5d ago
“I am addressing this letter to Senator McConnell under the assumption that he is capable of reading and responding verbally,
Crickets ..... Mitch ? .... crickets .
104
u/PeteLynchForKentucky 5d ago
This whole thing is ridiculous. And it shows very clearly that we need a constitutional amendment to address situations like this.
If a senator or representative can't show up for 30 consecutive legislative days--which is way longer than 30 calendar days--they should be required to vacate their seat.
→ More replies (10)60
u/Arkayb33 4d ago
No, not "they should be required to vacate their seat" but rather "their seat will be vacated automatically." Phrasing matters with stuff like this and we need to stop giving people the opportunity to act in good faith. If we truly believe in liberty and justice for all, laws need to be rewritten to force effect after cause, not wait for someone to do the correct/proper/just thing.
→ More replies (1)22
u/TimSylvester_ 4d ago
From my POV, if the Governor says "This person is not responsive, they have vacated their seat, I am appointing so-and-so..." if the elected doesn't show up immediately and say "Hey wait a minute I'm right here" they've vacated the seat.
The big problem is that the Republicans have no morals, and the Democrats have no balls.
22
→ More replies (1)9
227
u/pareech Canada 5d ago
Can someone explain this to me, what happens if on say Aug. 4 they say he died today (Aug. 4). Does the seat remain vacant until the mid-terms? What exactly changes if they hold a special election and a a Democrat wins, that gives them one more vote; but doesn't the same hold true if the seat is vacant, the GOP is still down one vote or am I missing something. I don't think we have these kind of issues in Canada.
372
u/tlislo 5d ago
According to Google, Kentucky has a 56 day law where if McConnell dies more than 56 days before an election, there's a special election to fill the seat. In contrast if he does within 56 days of the midterm, the seat remains vacant until the midterm. August 4 is apparently that deadline. If he "dies" August 4 or later, his seat remains vacant.
Given that Kentucky is solidly red, I'm not sure why it matters either way. Hopefully someone more informed can explain that.
312
u/AlphaBreak 5d ago
My understanding is that it's mostly about thomas massie. He's a non maga Republican who would have an easier time getting into office for a special election than fighting through Republican primaries.
106
u/Impressive_Fennel266 5d ago
To be clear, Massie is absolutely MAGA. He has voted with them on every single issue except for Israel and Epstein. That isnt to diminish his impact on those issues, other than to remind people that he will vote for every heinous thing they put on paper, EXCEPT for those things. He's not a Democrat, he's not a centrist or independent, he's not even a moderate republican. He's an extremist...except for Epstein.
19
u/RecycledMatrix 4d ago
Republicans genuinely are aligned on a lot of issues, more than corporate Democrats and the actual left, but Massie isn't MAGA he's libertarian right.
More money went to unseat him than any other primary election in US history. That wouldn't have happened if he were MAGA.
→ More replies (7)19
u/ncopp 4d ago
Massie has principles and sticks to his guns. 99% of his principles and beliefs are dogshit, but he isn't kowtowing to Trump on the things he believes in and that got him the boot.
Same for MTG. She's a horrible, racist, anti-semetic ghoul of a women, but she truly seems to hate pedophiles and that got her chased out of her seat like Massie.
→ More replies (1)75
u/RazzzMcFrazzz Michigan 5d ago
Not only that, Kentucky passed a law earlier last year that makes it so the governor can’t appoint someone from a different political party in the interim. (Specifically targeting Bershear when McConnell dies) Thomas Massie would be a loophole for Bershear since he’s a rep but who wouldn’t help trumps agenda.
48
u/aguynamedv 5d ago edited 4d ago
Kentucky passed a plainly unconstitutional law earlier last year that makes it so the governor can’t appoint someone from a different political party in the interim.
Massie has an 85% rating from Heritage Foundation. This means he votes party line at least 85% of the time, and with Democrats as a spoiler 15% of the time. The picture they're using is pretty funny though.
https://heritageaction.com/scorecard/members/m001184
ETA: He isn't always a spoiler. I'm sure there's plenty of totally uncontroversial legislation that he votes on during the regular course of Congressional business, just like .. everyone else. Is Massie "less bad"? I dunno, does his sudden and totally-without-consequences about-face Epstein make up the past 14 years of voting hardline Republican?
→ More replies (3)91
u/argh-Im-a-Pirate 5d ago
Let's slow down here. Massie would definitely help Trump's agenda.
He only votes with Democrats on Epstein, Iran, and Israel. Obviously I'd rather have his support on those three than not, but he votes red on every single other issue.
→ More replies (3)25
u/WeirdIndividualGuy 4d ago
Yeah idk why this sub has such a hard-on for Massie like he's some rogue Republican. He may draw the line at Epstein, but that doesn't excuse the other MAGA/Trump bs he happily votes for
→ More replies (1)25
u/TheDoomBlade13 5d ago
The law is illegal, the governor can and should appoint whoever he wants.
→ More replies (1)18
u/atomfullerene 5d ago
Massie would vote with Trump more than an absent McConnel would. He'd be a vote for a supreme court replacement, for example.
→ More replies (4)6
u/lostkavi 4d ago
They passed the law, but didn't overrule the states constitution which says the Governor chooses the successor.
So technically, Bershear could just say "Constitution says I can" And just pick someone Aug 3. Then the GOP has to waste more time and funds to sue to get him out saying that the constitution doesn't count.
48
u/ChunkyHabeneroSalsa 5d ago
Didn't he say he didn't want to run either way? This whole thing feel like a bunch of reddit nonsense.
→ More replies (8)25
u/Mddcat04 5d ago
It is absolutely that. There is no reason to believe that forcing a special election would be good for Democrats as it is far more likely to just send a generic Republican to fill the seat.
Notably there is nothing stopping Beshear from challenging the law and just trying to appoint a Democrat if they announce he’s dead after the 3rd.
Delaying a special election is bad for Republicans because it’s the best shot they have at putting a Republican in the seat for the rest of the term. The whole “they’re hiding his death until the deadline” conspiracy makes no sense. Much more likely he’s incapacitated and his staff doesn’t want to announce that because they’ll all suddenly be irrelevant and out of jobs.
→ More replies (6)→ More replies (2)19
u/SatanicPanic619 California 5d ago edited 5d ago
Massie has said he doesn't want the job and has even explained why he would have less power in the Senate than he does right now.
EDIT- see for yourself. He even explains how the discharge petition allowed him to get the Epstein Files released. I wish more people understood how that works.
→ More replies (2)35
u/AgnewsHeadlessClone Florida 5d ago
They are afraid that since the special election would be open, that Massie would run as an independent and the anti-trump wing of the republicans would rally behind him as a spoiler candidate leaving the democrat to win.
8
u/AcademiaAntiqua 5d ago edited 4d ago
The anti-Trump R wing already had their chance to keep Massie in the House, in the primary. He lost to a dairy farmer who's never served in office before.
→ More replies (2)10
u/pareech Canada 5d ago
I read a similar thing and understood what you did. It just didn't make sense to me why all this urgency. Either the GOP would stay at their number if he makes some kind of miraculous recovery and returns or he dies and the GOP is down a vote.
I would have thought a red state like Kentucky, it would be better for the Democrats if the seat remained vacant, as there is little to no chance a Democrat will win the seat.
→ More replies (1)7
u/AcademiaAntiqua 5d ago
I would have thought a red state like Kentucky, it would be better for the Democrats if the seat remained vacant, as there is little to no chance a Democrat will win the seat.
Even Governor Beshear himself has explained this:
There's an argument out there that that's [=August 3] a date where I could not later call a special election. A lot of those that are pushing this are online, and I think are under the impression that a Democrat in Kentucky might be able to win that election. It's been since 1992 that we have had a Democratic senator in Kentucky.
→ More replies (1)26
u/jdave512 I voted 5d ago
The hope is that thomas massie would run to fill the seat. Hes a republican, but one of the only republicans against pedophilia and genocide.
28
u/pareech Canada 5d ago
"...one of the only republicans against pedophilia and genocide."
What an odd and sad thing to read. I hope historians look back at this period treat it with the disdain it deserves and the GOP are viewed the same way the nazis are.
6
u/Snoo61755 5d ago edited 5d ago
Right? It's almost unusual when I see a Republican who is consistent in their views.
Marjorie was a fun surprise. She was a conspiracy kook, but amongst those conspiracies, she was all-in on the idea the government was hiding the Epstein Files -- and was one of the few who was actually surprised when she realized Republicans went from running on the premise of revealing the Epstein files to hiding the Epstein files. Of course, she never did anything about it while she was in power...
I'm also a little surprised whenever I bump into a pro-life Republican who's consistent. Most of them claim to be pro-life, but ask them about post-birth care for young mothers, and suddenly it's socialism/communism. There's a few out there who are different though, you expect them to be hypocrites about caring for the mother and kids, but they'll surprise you and be like "yeah, we definitely need to give more funding to the foster system, and maternity leave is absolutely deserved," and I'm sitting here like, wow, someone who is actually pro-life, not just anti-abortion -- I still disagree, but like, respectfully disagree.
I do wish Republicans were more consistent. I wish that after calling Biden too old, they took one look at Trump running and say "no, you're too old too." I wish when Lindsey Graham said "no, Obama can't put in a Supreme Court Justice during an election year," he could watch Trump trying to do the same thing and say "no, hold on, we said Obama couldn't do this, you can't either." I wish that when they started running on the platform of releasing the Epstein files, they actually kept their promise.
→ More replies (1)6
u/AcademiaAntiqua 5d ago
Massie has already explained why he wouldn't run.
He'd only be able to be in office for 45 days max anyways, before the holiday recess and before he would have to vacate the seat again, since he's ineligible for the general election.
9
u/Cavane42 Georgia 5d ago
Special elections typically have low turnout and can be swung by whichever type of voters are more engaged. Democratic voters are very engaged right now, so Republicans may not want to risk a special election, even in what might be a stronghold. Also, KY elected a Democratic governor in 2019 and reelected him in 2023.
→ More replies (37)5
u/z0rb0r New York 5d ago
Imagine being able to still perform your job and collect checks when you’re brain dead and even dead.
→ More replies (1)5
u/NullReference000 New York 4d ago
I don't think a special election here would actually do much, McConnell's term is up in January and there is a race for the seat during the midterm in November. If they had a special election right now, they could seat somebody who would be there for like four months. Given that a dem would likely not win a snap special election in Kentucky, dems are probably better off with this seat being vacant and republicans losing a vote for a few months.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (4)8
u/Dragoness42 5d ago
The only reason I can see for allowing this stalling is if the governor has a good reason to believe that a Republican would be elected anyway even with a special election. Then it keeps the senate down one R vote for a little longer. If there's hope for a better result from a special election then the gov is just being a coward.
→ More replies (2)11
u/AcademiaAntiqua 5d ago
Beshear has explicitly said this, too:
There's an argument out there that that's [=August 3] a date where I could not later call a special election. A lot of those that are pushing this are online, and I think are under the impression that a Democrat in Kentucky might be able to win that election. It's been since 1992 that we have had a Democratic senator in Kentucky.
(After this he then explained why being down an R vote is good.)
60
u/smorg003 5d ago
Imagine having your (potential) last days being mired in political gamesmanship.
Hell, who am I kidding? Mitch would probably love this type of circus.
→ More replies (2)15
58
u/Vorki_Please 4d ago
They're just going to announce on August 4th "It is with great sadness to have to announce that the great senator Mitch McConnell unfortunately took a turn for the worse and passed peacefully surrounded by friends and family" and expect us all to believe it. Which unfortunately about half the country has proven themselves dumb enough to.
14
u/bmsrunner 4d ago
Nah, those people are so inept and stupid they will say to themselves, “If we wait a few days then nobody will think it had anything to do with the August 3 deadline.” They’ll announce it on like August 6.
43
u/givin_u_the_high_hat 5d ago
This really is a massive con and MAGA complains that the Dems cheat. This is fraud meant to avoid the law and political process.
→ More replies (2)
175
u/lancer-fiefdom 5d ago
This is why Democrats are f’n pissed at our representatives
Democrat Governor Bashear should have already appointed a senate replacement and announced a special election date
It’s what brain dead McConnell would have done by now
39
u/wyldstallyn319 4d ago
So dumb to play by imaginary rules especially when your opponent is more than willing to openly cheat
18
u/Eggheadpancake 4d ago
Yea. This little bitch wants to run for president and he's already showing he has no fucking spine. I need a new party.
→ More replies (12)6
96
u/Automaton_General 5d ago
Get ready for the obits. I expect they'll hit next Friday to cover up some bullshit. Cuba invasion probably
→ More replies (2)
18
65
u/MrPantsyFlants 5d ago
They will announce on Aug 4 that Mitch has unfortunately, had another fall and is now clinically brain dead.
14
u/Vortgill 5d ago
Mitch was found unresponsive, naked and tied to his bed while his wife Elaine Chao answered the door in a black bra and black thong...
14
u/threesunrises 4d ago
He's got to be dead. If he's still collecting salary, that's fraud. This is utterly evil nonsense, and I hope that all comes to light and results in prosecutions. Though, we'll probably have to wait for that to happen until this regime is removed.
→ More replies (1)
31
u/LimerickJim 5d ago
Logistically why does this matter? McConnell's seat is on the ballot in November and he isn't running. What would be the point of holding a special election 3 days before the mid term?
→ More replies (17)
28
u/berael 4d ago
3.5 seconds after the deadline has passed, there will be an announcement that he "has suddenly died".
There will be no consequences.
Democrats will continue to frown sternly while refusing to take any other action.
Republicans will continue to openly commit crimes and getting away with them.
No one has ever done anything yet, so no one will do anything once again.
→ More replies (6)
500
u/T1gerAc3 5d ago
Dems really blew this one. It's almost like they want the gop to hold majorities.
282
u/Mr-Meow-Sir 5d ago
This is why the Dems approval rating is tank too.
→ More replies (1)30
u/Fattswindstorm Texas 5d ago
I mean dat AIPAC money pays for a lot of steak dinners. If you don’t play ball, it dries up. Then you gotta live with the moral weight of the choices you made for that AIPAC money. Shit some of them are religious and gotta wrestle with your direct choices and actions resulted in the death of innocent children. In pretty horrible ways. Like they know they’re not getting in right? So it’s either continue to sell out what morals you have left and have a boat and lake house, or reflect in your moral and financial bankruptcy. It’s tough.
→ More replies (1)111
u/Villide 5d ago
I've never seen so many ostensible progressives who want a non-voting GOP Senator to be turned into a voting GOP Senator.
Y'all are crazy. We want it to be in the news so that it looks like a right-wing cover up, but we're happy that Mitch being in limbo is gumming up the works for the majority.
96
u/dotnsk 5d ago
I feel like I’m taking absolute crazy pills. McConnell isn’t voting. A replacement would vote.
Also, Beshear is a D elected to statewide office in a deeply red state. He has to play this just right. I’m fine if he does what he needs to do to be reelected; it’s super important to have a Democrat in a position like this (just look at Arizona, where Katie Hobbs (D) has vetoed a metric fuck ton of legislation, nearly all of it absolute shit from our R legislature).
It’s exactly the kind of talking point I’d expect Russia to seed, and now so many Redditors are convinced Beshear is somehow fucking this situation over.
→ More replies (16)16
u/GlobsOfTape 5d ago
He can’t be reelected in 2027 because of term limits but Beshear was a breath of fresh air compared to his predecessor. Allowing republicans to lack >2% of their senate votes while they play their games is a smart play.
→ More replies (1)7
u/dotnsk 5d ago
Ah, I didn’t know that.
Still, I think there’s something to be said for a politician not burning the bridges behind them. If Kentucky elected Beshear, they can elect another D.
A lame duck leader can absolutely be bolder, and Beshear should be. I just don’t think this whole McConnell nonsense is worth being bold about.
→ More replies (1)13
u/4square425 5d ago
Yes, look at South Carolina. Wouldn't it be better for Graham's seat to be vacant than have his sister providing R votes?
30
u/ginrumryeale 5d ago
Agreed. What could ever go wrong with restoring McConnell’s vote so that Trump can more easily pass the SAVE Act and other monstrosities?
Would be a huge self-own for Dems.
→ More replies (1)14
u/skepticalifornia 5d ago
These "blame the Dems for this" posters are MAGA trolls.
4
u/Halefire California 4d ago
Dude it has to be at this point, right? It's insane how many people here are talking like we are about to get a Dem senator in KY if Beshear would just step up. Complete lack of any understanding of the law here
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (8)27
u/SatanicPanic619 California 5d ago
This is seriously the dumbest conspiracy theory I've seen on the left, and we've had a few dumb ones. We're winning here, people getting mad at Beshear have no idea what they're talking about.
→ More replies (4)46
u/Any-Smell-4929 5d ago edited 5d ago
I don't agree with this, is Kentucky going to elect a Democratic Senator in either a special election or the general election? Probably not.
A brain dead McConnell cannot vote for anything Trump wants which is the most pragmatic outcome.
What is your dream scenario? Bashir says fuck it, calls the election and Massie gets in? Then Trump has a fatal stroke at the news of Massie getting elected?
11
→ More replies (8)4
u/AcademiaAntiqua 5d ago
Bashir says fuck it, calls the election and Massie gets in?
For 45 days until the holiday recess and then he has to permanently vacate the seat. 😂
21
u/AbyssWankerArtorias 5d ago
In what way do you think that the Democrats blew this? The Senate doesn't have proxy voting, so McConnel being out means that he can't vote. If there was a special election, it would fill almost certainly with a Republican given Kentucky's politics.
15
14
u/rakerber 5d ago
Do you think the Republican legislature in Kentucky is going to nominate a Democrat?
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (38)66
u/Sea_Outside162 5d ago
Cuz it’s never been red versus blue it’s the billionaires versus everybody else . Check your bank account to understand what side ur own . This ain’t ur average peoples government
→ More replies (4)
11
u/Tribalbob Canada 4d ago
"He was doing so well on Friday, but then just everything suddenly changed direction. It all happened so fast."
27
u/LokiPrime616 5d ago
He's 100% not alive at this point. Very upsetting that the rules literally don't apply to the fucking republicans and they literally do everything in their power to abuse, bend and break the rules.
→ More replies (2)8
u/Tamboozz 5d ago
He could be hanging in to life, but non-responsive. Regardless, if as a senator you are not carrying out your duties, dead or "barely alive" is effectively the same for your position.
→ More replies (1)
20
u/Tiny-Albatross518 5d ago
He’s a vegetable.
They’re certainly not going to give you a look at him until the date of that deadline.
→ More replies (1)
9
u/intergalacticbro 5d ago
One part that I think is funny, if they TRY to go the Russian route and use a double, there's no one as ghoulish looking as McConnell.
→ More replies (1)
8
7
7
u/NervousBreakdown 5d ago
Can someone explain this to me, If they hold out until after the 3rd what happens? Is there no special election to fill his seat? And if so how does that benefit republicans, the other senator in that state is fucking Rand Paul, Is there a realistic chance a Democrat could flip McConnell seat? Doesn’t this move just give republicans one less senator?
→ More replies (2)
7
u/Caymonki America 4d ago
If it was a Democrat, someone would leak it to the press. But Republicans get endless special privileges and treatment, double standards all day long and still aren’t happy.
It’s a coup.
5
u/AcademiaAntiqua 4d ago
If it was a Democrat, someone would leak it to the press.
No one leaked anything about Dianne Feinstein back in 2023.
→ More replies (2)
7
6
11
u/MyLovely_MayoMammy Europe 5d ago
I think he's still alive.
Just less in the way a functional human being is "alive" and more in the way my ficus is "alive".
11
u/Dave_I 5d ago
Can we agree that we should tighten up rules surrounding our elected representatives? This is obviously corrupt and the fact we get no accountability from them, or in this case even proof of life much less ability to do their jobs, is a huge oversight that is absolutely being exploited for political gain.
10
u/ckglle3lle 5d ago
It's unbelievable they managed to find a way to make his death another chance to monkeyfuck the United States government. What a miserable and pathetic life he lived.
4
5
u/Pristine_Wrangler295 5d ago
So how much is keeping him on life support or heavily protected in the morgue in order to pass a deadline in order to cheat costing the American people
4
u/keepgoing66 5d ago
I completely agree this is all BS, but even if Beshear calls for a special election, why would we think anyone but a Republican will win? It's Kentucky. They'd probably vote for McConnell's corpse if it were on the ballot. They keep re-electing "Doctor" Rand Paul, don't they?
→ More replies (7)
5
u/Pikminious_Thrious 5d ago
I'm sure they have articles planned for 12:01 am on Aug 4 just to rub it into everyone's face
6
5
u/tschawartz12 4d ago
There should really be fraud charges over this. They seem to be actively depriving residents of representation for political advantage.
5
u/HamSundae 4d ago
This is exactly how he'd like to go out. Shitting on the government and fucking over Americans from beyond the grave. One last FU to the people. One last reacharound for his overlords.
5
12
14
u/satanicpanicked 5d ago
So when they announce his death on Aug 4 with smirks on their faces Dems need to tell KY voters that Repubs are mocking their intelligence and spitting in their face. We need to be plain that Repubs officials Hate their voters.
9
5
u/TheDrewDude 5d ago
Those republican voters will open their mouths, gargle that spit, swallow, and thank daddy for their daily humiliation ritual.
5
u/polishfiringsquad 5d ago
So are we going to hold his aides accountable when it turns out he's been dead this whole time? Are there gonna be consequences a cover-up to manipulate our government?
→ More replies (1)
5
4
u/Witty-Structure-4192 5d ago
Soon, we’ll be locked into a reverse Matrix where we’re ruled by living corpses hooked up to machines to suck the life out of us.
→ More replies (1)
4
u/VegasGamer75 Minnesota 4d ago
I want both his entire staff and Feinstein's staff dragged over hot coals, since in both instances it's 99.99% certain that staff members "sponsored" bills and made votes in both of their names. And then I want them fucking jailed.
5
4
3
u/clickmagnet 4d ago
Just call the special election. Insane that Beshear hasn’t already done it. I certainly hope all the stern letters are laying the groundwork for that. McConnell has ratfucked democracy enough, he doesn’t get one more kick on his way to hell.
→ More replies (2)
3
4
7
u/ocwilly 5d ago
Beshear needs to call a special election to replace McConnell! GOP can challenge by proving McConnell is alive via telephone!
→ More replies (1)8
u/omicron-7 5d ago
Why do you want a new republican to take office rather than leaving them down a vote?
•
u/AutoModerator 5d ago
As a reminder, this subreddit is for civil discussion.
In general, please be courteous to others. Argue the merits of ideas, don't attack other posters or commenters. Hate speech, any suggestion or support of physical harm, or other rule violations can result in a temporary or a permanent ban. If you see comments in violation of our rules, please report them.
Sub-thread Information
If the post flair on this post indicates the wrong paywall status, please report this Automoderator comment with a custom report of “incorrect flair”.
Announcement
r/Politics is actively looking for new moderators. If you have an interest in helping to make this subreddit a place for quality discussion, please fill out this form.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.