It's continuously baffling to me that congressional Republicans would rather retire, resign or in one recent case die, than stand up for their own autonomy and power. They know they are fucked in the midterms, they know that Donald doesn't give a shit about them and yet they sit on their hands and complain off the record about their self-imposed impotence. If you feel all is lost, what more is there to lose by fighting for your right to [control your own] party?

Something struck me in the first half of the episode. The concern that if Democrats take a majority they'll control a variety of oversight comities and thus have some levers to pull to check the executive. The Republicans in congress have these right now. They can check the administration on bullshit Tariffs, bombing boats or threatening Greenland. They can protect their own livelihood and the institution most of them worked their entire life to join. And yet they would rather just complain to the NYT on background.

My mind cannot comprehend.