A Train Wreck Waiting to Happen?

 

See the source imageThe first two years of the Biden administration have been a train wreck. Now that Republicans have a majority in the House, there is a chance to, at the very least, slow down the Woke Express in the next two years of a Biden administration.

The infighting between Republicans over the Speaker of the House reminds me of a parliamentary government. More time is spent on coalition building and then coalition failures that lead to a parade of Prime Ministers. I would hope that Republican representatives come to their senses and realize that they have a chance to influence Senate legislation. They also have the ability to control Biden’s spending over the next two years.

The egos, and the intellect of those who are elected to the House are interesting and amusing. You get two years of short-term employment to try and stop the train, but as it speeds down the track you spend that time tossing each other off the train.

GK Chesterton:

The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of Conservatives is to prevent mistakes from being corrected. Even when the revolutionist might himself repent of his revolution, the traditionalist is already defending it as part of his tradition. Thus we have two great types — the advanced person who rushes us into ruin, and the retrospective person who admires the ruins. He admires them especially by moonlight, not to say moonshine. Each new blunder of the progressive or prig becomes instantly a legend of immemorial antiquity for the snob. This is called the balance, or mutual check, in our Constitution. (Illustrated London News, 1924)

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  1. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Conservatives are calling for change, and it’s making Republicans very uncomfortable. 

    • #1
  2. Chuck Coolidge
    Chuck
    @Chuckles

    Doug Watt: they have a chance to influence Senate legislation. They also have the ability to control Biden’s spending over the next two years.

    Like the majority of them really care.

    • #2
  3. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Substitute “thoughtless” for “advanced” and the quote pretty much has it.

    • #3
  4. DonG (CAGW is a Scam) Coolidge
    DonG (CAGW is a Scam)
    @DonG

    A GOP Speaker can do very little in 2023.   There will be an opportunity at the debt ceiling and whatever they expose though investigations.   If the Speaker is a typical GOPe, they will choose to surrender on the debt ceiling and protect the Dems and Deep State in any investigation and thus waste 2 years of majority.  There are a few Freedom Caucus fighters that think America needs more, much more–real investigations and  hard-line negotiations on the debt ceiling to undo the Leftist agenda.  I agree with them.   We can’t win, if we don’t fight and fighting is uncomfortable.  Sorry.

    • #4
  5. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Doug Watt: I would hope that Republican representatives come to their senses and realize that they have a chance to influence Senate legislation. They also have the ability to control Biden’s spending over the next two years.

    What? Actually do what they were sent to Washington to do?

    You ask too much!

    • #5
  6. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    In a normal year, we’d probably have at least three main-feed posts on today’s House Speaker election, at least one by an editor of the site.

    I suppose it’s because everyone’s exhausted by years of ginned-up drama by the ruling class and an exhausting mid-term election year, but . . . it seems like everyone understands how little it matters.

    Even this post has only gotten five comments today. (Six if you count this one.)

    I can’t decide if that apathy is good or bad.

    I’m thinking . . . good?

    • #6
  7. DonG (CAGW is a Scam) Coolidge
    DonG (CAGW is a Scam)
    @DonG

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):
    I can’t decide if that apathy is good or bad.

    Apathy is good, if results in Jim Jordan being Speaker.  That guy is literally and figuratively willing to fight anyone at any time. 

    • #7
  8. Doug Watt Member
    Doug Watt
    @DougWatt

    Republicans are playing a dangerous game. In the third round of voting:

    Jordan, who nominated and voted for McCarthy, won 20 votes in the third round. Jeffries, the incoming Democratic minority leader, won 212 votes in each of the three rounds.

    Hakim Jeffries (D) was short 6 votes of becoming House Speaker.

    When I was on the streets, I never called a subject an idiot. I said sir, or ma’am I’m not calling you an idiot, but you’re acting like one. Whether it’s one Republican, or 20 Republicans I’m not going to call them idiots, but they’re acting like idiots.

    • #8
  9. 9thDistrictNeighbor Member
    9thDistrictNeighbor
    @9thDistrictNeighbor

    Doug Watt (View Comment):

    Republicans are playing a dangerous game. In the third round of voting:

    Jordan, who nominated and voted for McCarthy, won 20 votes in the third round. Jeffries, the incoming Democratic minority leader, won 212 votes in each of the three rounds.

    Hakim Jeffries (D) was short 6 votes of becoming House Speaker.

    When I was on the streets, I never called a subject an idiot. I said sir, or ma’am I’m not calling you an idiot, but you’re acting like one. Whether it’s one Republican, or 20 Republicans I’m not going to call them idiots, but they’re acting like idiots.

    Why isn’t anyone considering that Kevin McCarthy is publicly trying to ram his speakership through the congress.  If you are such a leader, then lead your own conference.  But he’s not.  Perhaps he will now that the House has adjourned sede vacante.  Lots of people think the freedom caucus votes were making fools of themselves.  Lots of other people think Kevin McCarthy made a fool of himself.

    • #9
  10. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    • #10
  11. DonG (CAGW is a Scam) Coolidge
    DonG (CAGW is a Scam)
    @DonG

    Doug Watt (View Comment):
    Republicans are playing a dangerous game. In the third round of voting:

    What is the danger?   Do you think 20 Republicans are going to choose to not vote?  Or that 10 will vote for Jeffries?
    Seriously, what is the risk?

    • #11
  12. Doug Watt Member
    Doug Watt
    @DougWatt

    DonG (CAGW is a Scam) (View Comment):

    Doug Watt (View Comment):
    Republicans are playing a dangerous game. In the third round of voting:

    What is the danger? Do you think 20 Republicans are going to choose to not vote? Or that 10 will vote for Jeffries?
    Seriously, what is the risk?

    The risks are a miscalculation on the actual voting. Jim Jordan does not seem to be interested in the Speaker’s job. He would be a great Party Whip. Want to remove Swalwell, and Schiff from any committee then have Jordan convince McCarthy to get rid of them. Want to revisit funding for 87,000 IRS agents then quit screwing around and begin that process on January 4.  

    • #12
  13. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Doug Watt (View Comment):

    DonG (CAGW is a Scam) (View Comment):

    Doug Watt (View Comment):
    Republicans are playing a dangerous game. In the third round of voting:

    What is the danger? Do you think 20 Republicans are going to choose to not vote? Or that 10 will vote for Jeffries?
    Seriously, what is the risk?

    The risks are a miscalculation on the actual voting. Jim Jordan does not seem to be interested in the Speaker’s job. He would be a great Party Whip. Want to remove Swalwell, and Schiff from any committee then have Jordan convince McCarthy to get rid of them. Want to revisit funding for 87,000 IRS agents then quit screwing around and begin that process on January 4.

    The GOP couldn’t even defund the baby-parts traffickers at Planned Parenthood when they held the White House and both houses of Congress.

    Defunding 87,000 IRS agents? Not a chance that’ll ever happen.

    • #13
  14. Doug Watt Member
    Doug Watt
    @DougWatt

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    Doug Watt (View Comment):

    DonG (CAGW is a Scam) (View Comment):

    Doug Watt (View Comment):
    Republicans are playing a dangerous game. In the third round of voting:

    What is the danger? Do you think 20 Republicans are going to choose to not vote? Or that 10 will vote for Jeffries?
    Seriously, what is the risk?

    The risks are a miscalculation on the actual voting. Jim Jordan does not seem to be interested in the Speaker’s job. He would be a great Party Whip. Want to remove Swalwell, and Schiff from any committee then have Jordan convince McCarthy to get rid of them. Want to revisit funding for 87,000 IRS agents then quit screwing around and begin that process on January 4.

    The GOP couldn’t even defund the baby-parts traffickers at Planned Parenthood when they held the White House and both houses of Congress.

    Defunding 87,000 IRS agents? Not a chance that’ll ever happen.

    Right now, the risk is that Jim Jordan takes enough votes away from, let’s say 30 or 40 from the current 20 votes. The Dems are voting a straight Jeffries vote. 218 votes are all Jeffries (D) needs to become Speaker.  

    • #14
  15. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Doug Watt (View Comment):

    Right now, the risk is that Jim Jordan takes enough votes away from, let’s say 30 or 40 from the current 20 votes. The Dems are voting a straight Jeffries vote. 218 votes are all Jeffries (D) needs to become Speaker.

    That would require six Republicans to join the Democrats. Can you imagine! Talk about ending your career in a blaze of glory!

    • #15
  16. Suspira Member
    Suspira
    @Suspira

    Republicans are nailing down the Stupid Party trophy. The idiocy on display in the House will serve only to persuade Americans that the GOP is not only not ready for primetime, they’re not ready for morning or drive time, either. Maybe wee hour, paid programming time, but even that might be a stretch.

    • #16
  17. HeavyWater Inactive
    HeavyWater
    @HeavyWater

    I think we might end of with Don Bacon, Republican of Nebraska, as Speaker of the House.

    Don Bacon has already said that if the 19-20 Republicans refusing to support Kevin McCarthy keep it up, he and a group of Republicans will form a coalition with the Democrats and have a bi-partisan Speaker.

    https://dailycaller.com/2023/01/02/opinion-if-mccarthys-speaker-bid-fails-democrats-might-have-to-be-part-of-the-process-rep-don-bacon/

     

    • #17
  18. Doug Watt Member
    Doug Watt
    @DougWatt

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    Doug Watt (View Comment):

    Right now, the risk is that Jim Jordan takes enough votes away from, let’s say 30 or 40 from the current 20 votes. The Dems are voting a straight Jeffries vote. 218 votes are all Jeffries (D) needs to become Speaker.

    That would require six Republicans to join the Democrats. Can you imagine! Talk about ending your career in a blaze of glory!

    You better hope that every Republican can attend the voting for Speaker. Six votes are a slim majority.

    To be the next speaker, a person needs a majority of the votes from House members who are present and voting. (See this useful Congressional Research Service (CRS) report for more details.) While the magic number is 218 votes out of the 435-member House, a person could become speaker with fewer votes if several members do not attend the vote. That happened in 2021 when Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., won with just 216 votes after three members voted “present.”

    • #18
  19. HeavyWater Inactive
    HeavyWater
    @HeavyWater

    Doug Watt (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    Doug Watt (View Comment):

    Right now, the risk is that Jim Jordan takes enough votes away from, let’s say 30 or 40 from the current 20 votes. The Dems are voting a straight Jeffries vote. 218 votes are all Jeffries (D) needs to become Speaker.

    That would require six Republicans to join the Democrats. Can you imagine! Talk about ending your career in a blaze of glory!

    You better hope that every Republican can attend the voting for Speaker. Six votes are a slim majority.

    To be the next speaker, a person needs a majority of the votes from House members who are present and voting. (See this useful Congressional Research Service (CRS) report for more details.) While the magic number is 218 votes out of the 435-member House, a person could become speaker with fewer votes if several members do not attend the vote. That happened in 2021 when Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., won with just 216 votes after three members voted “present.”

    Also, the House can vote to allow a Speaker to be chosen by a plurality, rather than a majority, of the House vote.   They can also vote to choose a Speaker through ranked choice voting.  

    • #19
  20. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Suspira (View Comment):

    Republicans are nailing down the Stupid Party trophy. The idiocy on display in the House will serve only to persuade Americans that the GOP is not only not ready for primetime, they’re not ready for morning or drive time, either. Maybe wee hour, paid programming time, but even that might be a stretch.

    But we already knew that.

    • #20
  21. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Also, the House can vote to allow a Speaker to be chosen by a plurality, rather than a majority, of the House vote. They can also vote to choose a Speaker through ranked choice voting.

    That would require changing the rules. They can’t even agree on the rules.

    • #21
  22. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Why doesn’t McCarthy put forward an acceptable alternative himself?

    I’ll answer my own question: It’s so very hard to give up power, isn’t it?

    • #22
  23. Chuck Coolidge
    Chuck
    @Chuckles

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Why doesn’t McCarthy put forward an acceptable alternative himself?

    Do we maybe have an answer to Joshua’s question (“Choose ye this day whom ye will serve..”)

    • #23
  24. HeavyWater Inactive
    HeavyWater
    @HeavyWater

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Why doesn’t McCarthy put forward an acceptable alternative himself?

    I’ll answer my own question: It’s so very hard to give up power, isn’t it?

    There is no acceptable alternative.

    The 19-20 Republicans want either Jim Jordan or someone like him.

    There are about 20 Republicans from New York, New Jersey and California who don’t want Jim Jordan or someone like him.

    So, it’s a deadlock.  No Republican can get 218 votes.

    Right now McCarthy has the support of 90 percent of Republicans.  But that’s not enough.

    • #24
  25. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Why doesn’t McCarthy put forward an acceptable alternative himself?

    I’ll answer my own question: It’s so very hard to give up power, isn’t it?

    There is no acceptable alternative.

    Acceptable to whom?

    • #25
  26. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    • #26
  27. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    Marjorie Taylor Green of GA is by no means a GOPe member. The GOPe in GA is not happy with her most of the time. She voted for McCarthy.

    I want the GOP to change. Giving control to the Democrats is not the way to win. This is not a “vote harder” situation, it is going with what we got.

    These 19 people are grandstanding. I don’t believe for a moment, they are doing any of this on principle. It is about their personal power, not what is best for the GOP and not what is best for America.

    They are there to do a job, and they are looking for perks.

     

    • #27
  28. WI Con Member
    WI Con
    @WICon

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    I’d been following the drama on this leadership vote but mainly through online/print. That was the first, extended coverage I’d seen of Matt Gaetz’ objections and they are pretty cogent and worthy of debate & coverage. Too much of this vote has been about “shut up and go along/we look like we can’t govern (as if what’s been going on there could be defined as governing)”. It may be messy but these kinds of fights against the staus quo are long overdue. The Continuing Resolution mode of budgeting is an embarrasment and McCarthy & McConnell have been in on this farce for decades now.

    • #28
  29. Jim McConnell Member
    Jim McConnell
    @JimMcConnell

    With all the loose “lobbying” cash floating around, and all the egos involved in this mess, I won’t be surprised if we end up having a Democrat Speaker.

    • #29
  30. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    WI Con (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    I’d been following the drama on this leadership vote but mainly through online/print. That was the first, extended coverage I’d seen of Matt Gaetz’ objections and they are pretty cogent and worthy of debate & coverage.

    Yes. I thought so, too.

    Too much of this vote has been about “shut up and go along/we look like we can’t govern (as if what’s been going on there could be defined as governing)”. It may be messy but these kinds of fights against the status quo are long overdue. The Continuing Resolution mode of budgeting is an embarrasment and McCarthy & McConnell have been in on this farce for decades now.

    The Status Quo is not acceptable. And it does my heart good to see members of Congress using what little power they have against it. They may end up defeated in the end. But not for lack of trying.

    • #30
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