this post was submitted on 06 Oct 2023
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politics

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[–] [email protected] 84 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Low blood sugar. 100%. Get that man a Snickers stat and he'll be back to his sex trafficking, child raping self.

[–] [email protected] 72 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The stocks thing isn't new. He, AOC and others actually co-sponsored a bill banning members of Congress from owning individual stocks.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/matt-gaetz-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-congress-stock-ban-bill/

[–] [email protected] 63 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Watch Gaetz run for governor (and then president?). Run, Gaetz, run. Most old school Regan Republicans would never go for this stuff. Limiting their own terms? Banning donations from lobbyists? Limiting SCOTUS terms and risk losing the theocratic supermajority? Gudouttahere.

Gaetz knows this. He also knows the establishment right wing media (Fox) is trying to make him the villain, "It's not that Republicans can't govern, it's just that this one guy is an asshole."

When Gaetz does shit like this, it makes him sound almost reasonable, right? Republican voters say, ok I think all that stuff would be good, so why won't the rest of the party go along with it? Hmm, maybe Gaetz is right about House Republicans being part of the swamp. Maybe Gaetz is a true fighter for America and not the asshole that blonde lady on Fox said he was.

That's the game. Gaetz is building some serious media coverage and name ID. I have to admit, the shit heal is making the most out of his time in the spotlight.

[–] FriendOfElphaba 44 points 1 year ago (2 children)

shit heal

Chaotic evil clerics are the worst.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago

+16 HP

-100 Dignity

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Fucking Sharrans.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Did you watch the footage of Gaetz grilling the DEA on when were they going to delist marijuana as a schedule 1 drug and federally decriminalize it specifically addressing opioid crisis and THC being a viable alternative for pain management for many?

I totally agree with you. I was initially very confused, but it definitely diferentiates him from DeSantis.

What's next? He turns on Trump?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago

He takes off his mask and your realize it was Santos all along

[–] [email protected] 39 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

This….sounds…reasonable..? I’m with OP - confused

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Like, I'm expecting to find out all his accounts have been hacked or Bernie Sanders has a gun to his head or something

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago

He's playing Fox New's game against them. GOP and their media outlets want to make him him the bad guy for canning one of their own.

So he's getting out ahead of it and saying all this stuff he knows Republican voters will agree so anyone who tries to smear him looks like deep state establishment that are entrenched in Washingtons ways. Not that he probably expects it to pass but it will give him a leg up if or rather when he tries to get Florida Governor in 2026 sincr DeSantis can't run again due to term limits.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago

Same dude.. I can’t figure out what he stands to gain other than just being contrarian. I never thought I’d say this but I’m actually agreeing with something that representative butthead said. Strange times we live in.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)

yeah. a tad shocking... like, whats the angle here? guess we will see what shakes out.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Gaetz is trying to raise his own profile and is only in this for himself. Basically the attention economy. Which he is getting plenty of by ousting the Speaker. Older politicians are facing more scrutiny and passing a term limits law would look good right now. He may be positioning himself to run for Florida governor in '26. Which means most of the stuff in Khanna's reforms wouldn't hurt him if he runs for state office.

I'm all for term limits and if by some weird chance Gaetz being his prick self gets it passed, then sure why not. However, I really doubt a bill like that would get passed by a republican controlled house.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

appreciate the considered reply. 👍

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Motion to Vacate is now what I'm calling my morning poo.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Matt Gaetz is what I call my morning poo.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

At least you aren't calling it Santorum.

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Suddenly, I'm uncomfortable with liking something this guy wants. Sure let's have these incredibly populist reforms, but I sure as shit won't be giving Gaetz any credit for them if they happen.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago

It sounds like they are more likely to support the motion-to-vacate Gaetz from Congress by expelling him at this point.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Term limits would just add more power to lobbyists

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Can you explain why? I have a vague idea of why you would say that but can you help me clarify why term limits would empower lobiests?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

What we have seen in state legislatures with short term limits is that new officials come in and they need some help figuring things out. Whereas before you'd have qp year veteran lawmakers to partner with or etc., now the only people that have been around long enough to actually know how to get things done are the under staff and the lobbyists.
As an example, the Senate has a bunch of arcane rules that you have to know how to manipulate to be able to exert leverage. Now, we have Schumer and Turtle, who knows how to use those levers. However, if we had term limits, I doubt they would be able to operate those levers as effectively. But the lobbyist who has been there and watched things for 20 years will still know.
Also, there's a reason this is coming from Gaetz, and it's because someone is bankrolling him to support this. We all know he has no principles.
Tldr: I'd rather keep the power in hands of an elected official than in the hands of unelected corporate lobbyists. We all know corporations practically run the country right now, why give more power?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Would he support raising the age of consent in Florida?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

I'm not sure he knows that even exists

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The plan would seek to enact term limits for Congress members and Supreme Court judges, ban congressional stock trading, create a judicial code of ethics for all federal judges and Supreme Court justices, and prohibit candidates running for federal office from accepting donations from lobbyists or political action committees.

You can only do that by constitutional amendment.

[–] FriendOfElphaba 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I’m not familiar with a constitutional ban on term limits, and the idea has been floated by people at fairly high levels. Where do you think the restriction is, and do you think any limits could apply to new justices even if the currents are grandfathered in?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Not the term limits, the donations. The supreme court already rule via Citizens United that money is free speech, which is how PACs and dark money became legal. So to undo that, either the court has to reverse it (yeah right), or there has to be a constitutional amendment (which even the SC can't overturn).

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

which even the SC can’t overturn

Technically they can by using torturous logic, but then they'd swiftly be impeached.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Article 3, Section 1:

The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.

Unlike for President, Senators, and Representatives, no term is given for Federal Judges, which includes the Supreme Court Justices. They "shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour." Once a Federal Judge, always a Federal Judge.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I’m neither a lawyer nor scholar but that wouldn’t seem to preclude term limits or explicitly establish lifetime appointments.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Justices hold it during good behavior, not time limited per the Constitution.

As for members of Congress, a term limit would essentially be adding another qualification to those required by the Constitution.

The Constitutional requirements to be a Representative are:

  • at least 25 years of age; (Article I section 2)
  • a citizen of the United States for at least seven years prior to being elected; (Article I section 2)
  • a resident of the state he or she is chosen to represent; (Article I section 2)
  • not having taken part in insurrection or rebellion after taking an oath of federal or state office(14th Amendment)

Term limits would add on another restriction, disqualifying those who'd already served the term. Thus, unconstitutional.

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