Mattis To Visit China As Taiwan, S. China Sea Tensions Rise

If they want to stop Matt Gaetz, a Democrat needs to stand up on the floor--and show the guts in breaking precedent, collegiality, and tradition, with the truth that Republicans have shown breaking all rules, decorum and LAWS. Yet, in their case, they do it in service of lies, conspiracy, cruelty, Christian Nationalism and greed. A Democrat must use the speech and debate clause of the House--which fully protects them legally--to read the Gaetz report to the world.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries yesterday rejected the idea that voters delivered some kind of mandate to Trump and the Republicans, arguing that the GOP’s razor-thin majority in the House means that nothing will get done in Washington without Democratic support. Via The Hill: “Despite the claims of some of my Republican colleagues, who have spent a lot of time over the last two weeks talking about some big, massive mandate — I’m looking for it,” Jeffries said during a press briefing in the Capitol. The comments were a shot at the Republicans who, after winning control of the House, Senate and White House in the next Congress, have asserted broad powers to pursue a starkly conservative policy agenda. That includes Trump, who used his victory speech on election night to claim “an unprecedented and powerful mandate,” and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who argued Tuesday that voters gave Trump the authority to seat his preferred Cabinet picks — regardless of any controversy swirling around them. No way in hell it was a signal to implement their Project 2025 extremism.

I’m beginning to lose count of how many cabinet picks by President-Elect Sexual Abuser seem to have a similar predisposition. We have Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, Robert F. Kennedy and now Linda McMahon. Did I leave anyone out? Back to McMahon: Just one month ago, she was sued for allowing years of sexual abuse of young boys. From The Hill: McMahon was sued along with her husband, Vince McMahon, WWE and its parent company, TKO Group Holdings.

On this day in 1983, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” premiered in Los Angeles. Directed by John Landis (An American Werewolf in London, Three Amigos, Trading Places), the video paid homage to some of Hollywood’s biggest horror films, including a voiceover from one of the genre’s OG icons, Vincent Price. Digby's Hullabaloo: Onward Christian Soldier. driftglass: If you go looking through what little is left of late Steve Gilliard's blog for his seminal, November 2004 post "They Voted For This Mess", this is all you will find: "Page not found.

As of this writing, Matt Gaetz is about a 3-1 dog for confirmation by the Senate according to Polymarket, the online betting site that favors Republicans, and was bullish on Trump winning the election. Seems they're not so keen on Matt Gaetz though, earning just a 33% chance at the moment.

Avengers assemble: Trump’s team is evocative of the Marvel comics characters.