As the tallying of results from yesterday’s 2014 Midterm elections are finalized, Democrats are jubilant in their 17-seat pickup, switching the majority back to the Democrats and returning Rep. Nancy Pelosi to the Speaker’s Gavel for the first time since 2010, when Republicans took it over in a stunning Tea Party victory.
Pundits have all pointed to one cause for the stunning upset–the repudiation of the Tea Party by elderly and senior voters. Outgoing Republican Speaker John Boehner lashed out at Tea Party stalwarts, blaming the loss on them and their botched Government Shut Down and their unwillingness to raise the debt ceiling, leading to the infamous downgrade in the credit rating of the US to AA+.
The list of losing GOP representatives doubles for a list of Tea Party members. Going down to defeat were:
- Rep Lee Terry of Nebraska, who said–after he voted to put 800,000 government employees out of work–“I’ve got a nice house and a kid in college, and I’ll tell you I cannot handle it. Giving your paycheck away? That’s just not going to fly.”
- Rep Ted Yoho of Florida, who claim hitting the debt ceiling would “bring stability [sic] to the world markets.” Rep Yoho insisted the right thing was for the United States of America to file Chapter 13 Bankruptcy.
- Rep Ron DeSantis of Florida, who claimed the shutdown was “a simple issue of fairness”.
- Rep Jim Jordan of Ohio, who said “We have to get something on Obamacare”.
- Rep. Steve King of Iowa, who described Obamacare as “the largest political tantrum ever”.
- Rep Tom Massie of Kentucky, who described the shutdown as “not that big of a deal”.
- Rep. Randy Neugebauer of Texas who said, of the shutdown: “We’re doing the people’s work here”.
- Rep. Dave Schweikert of Arizona, who said whining about the shutdown was “my kind of fun”.
- Rep Marlin Stutzman of Indiana, who said: “We aren’t going to be disrespected”.
- Rep Justin Amash of Michigan, who demonstrated in a town hall meeting that he did not understand basic economics.
- Rep William O’Brien of New Hampshire, who compared the Affordable Care Act to the “fugitive slave act”.
- Rep Todd Rokita of Tennessee, who described the Affordable Care Act as “one of the most insidious laws created by man.
- Rep Rene Ellmers of North Carolina who said: “I need my paycheck. That’s the bottom line.”
- Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, who voters in exit polls described as a “dick” and a “POS” for his last-minute House Resolution 368, which had reversed a long-standing House Rule XXII, clause 4, that allowed any member of Congress to file a motion to?”dispose of any amendment” on a bill. Cantor’s bill reserved that right for himself and the voters rewarded him by ejecting him from his seat.
- Rep Louie Gohmert of Texas, who explained–in defense of the Keystone XL pipeline–that Caribou enjoy the warmth of a pipeline. “So when [caribou] want to go on a date, they invite each other to go over to the pipeline.
- Rep Michelle Bachman of Minnesota–who hadn’t been running for re-election–but whose seat was picked up by an unnamed Democrat.
- Rep John Kline also of Minnesota, who was defeated merely by his proximity to Michele Bachmann.
- Rep Blake Farenthold of Texas, who was too wimpy to answer a simple question on MSNBC. In exit polls, voters said he embarrassed them by seeming so much like a member of the Three Stooges.
Edited/Published by: SB
