In 1971, when Richard Nixon was doing his best to repay Southern states for their electoral votes, he nominated a Florida judge named G. Harrold Carswell to the Supreme Court.
Carswell never made it, largely because his record as a judge practically defined mediocrity.
Yes, that actually used to matter.
One Republican senator, Roman Hruska of Nebraska, issued a statement of support so ridiculous it made him a national joke.
What a guy.
Hruska actually was considered a leading conservative in his 22 years in the Senate, but he probably wouldn’t qualify now for his lack of belief in Qanon,
For some reason, I was reminded of Hruska because of a story I saw today about my favorite political loon. Actually, my all-time favorite loon is no longer in Congress, but it will be a long time before I forget Michele Bachmann. She had so much energy and was so out there that it was difficult not to admire her.
When she left Congress, several male representatives tried to take her place. But guys like Louie Gohmert and Gym Jordan were too mean to really admire.
But now we’ve got a new contender, and if loonitude matters, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia might just be the gold standard.
Sure, she’s mean. Meaner than a Georgia hillbilly who’s out of ‘shine. But everybody know meanness is more interesting in a woman. “Mean Girls” was a pretty popular movie, and I don’t recall one called “Mean Boys.”
Bachmann was right-wing evangelical weird, and I’m sorry, but that doesn’t compare to hillbilly Qanon weird. You never heard Our Shelly talk and Jewish space lasers.
It was pretty obvious that the Republican Party had gone around the bend when they wouldn’t consider expelling Greene from her seat after the events of January 6th. The House did vote to take away her committee assignments, but that was hardly a punishment for someone whose only real purpose in Congress is as a power base to lead an army of Qanon Wackjobs.
Actually, she says she no longer believes Donald Trump is waging a secret war against a cabal of child0molesting cannibals.
I suppose that’s progress, but it makes her a little less interesting.
Next thing you know, she’ll be the new Roman Hruska.