After three weeks of chaos and uncertainty, the Republican House of Representatives finally settled on a speaker, right-wing Louisiana representative Mike Johnson. All they wanted was a warm body; what they got was a loose cannon.
DMZ America Podcast #122: We Have a Speaker! Meet the Woke Pulitzer Prize. Should Americans Pay for Ukraine and Israel’s Endless Wars?
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Editorial cartoonists Ted Rall (from the Left) and Scott Stantis (from the Right) discuss newly-elected Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson (R-LA) and the process that led to his ascension. Scott raises the possibility that Representative Matt Gaetz and the far right-wing Freedom Caucus played the Republicans in the House to get the most radically-right Speaker in the history of the institution.
Next, Ted and Scott fill out the painfully woke questionnaire sent out by journalism’s most prestigious award, the Pulitzer Prizes administered by Columbia University. Listen, (and watch on YouTube), as the questions get progressively more politically correct. Making Ted rename the award “The Woke-litzer Prize.”
Finally, Ted and Scott discuss the question of the United States and its taxpayers spending billions and billions on the Ukraine and Israel wars. Should monies that might be better spent here at home be sent to conflicts that have very little to do with America? Scott and Ted take a deep dive into both and find disagreement over Israel as well as common ground over Palestine.
Watch the Video Version of the DMZ America Podcast:
DMZ America Podcast Ep 122 Sec 1: We have a Speaker!
DMZ America Podcast Ep 122 Sec 2: Meet the Woke Pulitzer Prize
DMZ America Podcast Ep 122 Sec 3: Should Americans Pay for Ukraine and Israel’s Endless Wars?
DMZ America Podcast #121: Israel Playing Into Hamas’ Plans, House Speaker Crisis, Biden’s Terrifying Speech
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Editorial Cartoonists Ted Rall (from the political Left) and Scott Stantis (from the political Right) discuss national and international events of the week.
First up: as we enter the third week of the war between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip, there are rising fears of regional escalation. Has Hezbollah agreed to open a second front against Israel? Will Iran attack Israel? How long will it take Israel to overthrow the Hamas government and what kind of regime do they plan to install if and when they succeed? Right now, it looks like they are poised to repeat the mistakes America made in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.
In the second segment of the podcast, Ted and Scott discuss the constitutional crisis created by the Republican Party’s inability to choose a Speaker of the House of Representatives. Steve, Scalise and Jim Jordan are both out. Will the speakership ultimately wind up in the hands of an obscure congressman? In the meantime, congressional business has ground to a standstill.
Finally, Ted and Scott react to President Biden’s second Oval Office speech since he became president. Squinting, unable to read the Teleprompter, tripping over his words and slurring, this was an extremely disturbing performance that seems to belie Democrats’ claim that he is a viable candidate for 2024. Will he resign? Step aside mid-campaign? Or try to muddle through somehow to reelection? Scott and Ted also discuss the substance of Biden’s speech: his attempt to link the Ukraine and Israel conflicts.
Watch the Video Version of the DMZ America Podcast:
DMZ America Podcast Ep 121 Sec 1: Israel Playing Into Hamas’ Plans
DMZ America Podcast Ep 121 Sec 2: House Speaker Crisis
DMZ America Podcast Ep 121 Sec 3: Biden’s Terrifying Speech
Welcome to the Federal Government
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For the first time in American history, a Speaker of the House of Representatives has been removed by a vote by his colleagues. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida and 7 far-right allies teamed with Democrats to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California as Speaker, throwing Congress into chaos.
We’re Republican Legislators and We’re Not Here to Help
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Without a Speaker of the House, Republicans aren’t able to advance their agenda. Is that necessarily a terrible thing?
