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Can Kevin McCarthy Ever Be Trusted?
A number of representatives have criticized Kevin McCarthy, and I think they have good reason not to trust him. He took the House Republican representatives for granted. He ignored their efforts to negotiate. And it appears in some cases that he lied to them. All of these outcomes are a big deal.
At the same time, we have to reflect on our own lives, our relationship to truthfulness, and our ability to forgive and move on. I know that there are people in my own life who have done hurtful things to me or others, and I have chosen not to forgive them. I take betrayal very seriously, and I will always be skeptical, if not cynical, in reviving a relationship with someone who has let me down. I have chosen in some cases to shut them out of my life, although there are very few who have violated our relationship to this degree. Nevertheless, the damage was done and I may have no reason to try to rebuild our connections.
Ever.
But when it comes to the politics of our country and Kevin McCarthy, we might pause and reflect on the role of trust. If the Republican representatives choose to consider McCarthy making amends in order for them to vote for him as Speaker, they are entitled (from my perspective) to get certain commitments:
- I would expect McCarthy to admit his missteps and arrogance in taking the representatives for granted.
- I would expect McCarthy to be explicit about the changes he is willing to support.
- I would expect him to agree to be held accountable to apply new rules that have been negotiated.
- I would expect him to understand that breaking agreements and trust is a huge violation and will have consequences.
- I would expect him to accept that it will take a very long time to begin to earn the trust of those around him.
- I would expect him to know that any breach of agreements will be a setback to re-establishing trust.
There are probably many more requirements that the Republican representatives can demand of McCarthy, officially or unofficially. Although some would see these efforts as a way to disempower McCarthy, I believe his agreeing to them could have many benefits for him and his colleagues: the demonstration of humility and the importance of commitment and accountability to the caucus and to the country are just a couple. Just like any relationship that any of us try to mend, the violators must prove to us, over and over again, that they mean what they have said and that they will make the maximum effort to heal the damage that has been done. Every decision will be a statement of their sincerity and resolve. And of their courage. Just because we are working in the arena of politics doesn’t mean that anything goes.
McCarthy, if voted in, will need to prove every day that he is trustworthy.
Published in Culture
Was Kevin McCarthy ever trusted before?
If not (since can you ever truly trust a politician), he has the opportunity to turn over a new leaf.
From a distance, it sounds like they are negotiating for the wrong things, or at least for an incomplete list. Without a path to establish trust, nothing else matters.
He failed to achieve the speaker spot once before, I know that.
But yeah, at this point I don’t see how he can be trusted. Trust, once broken, can’t easily be rebuilt. Best to move on from McCarthy and find another option.
If McCarthy’s ego allows it.
I can’t understand why the OnlyMcCarthys hold the position they do. What makes them think that McCarthy is necessary? Why is he the only one who can do the job? What’s he holding over them?
There are a couple of difficulties with your argument, Drew. First, trust is hard to rebuild, but not impossible. It depends on whether McCarthy has the guts. Second, I think that McCarthy’s violations of trust aren’t as horrendous as they might be; they were foolish and arrogant, but that description applies to most politicians. Finally, I think the likelihood of finding someone willing and able to replace him will be an exercise in futility. One thought: who’d want the job?? But that’s my thinking.
We can trust Kevin McCarthy to do what’s good for Kevin McCarthy. We have done precious little to assure what’s best for Kevin McCarthy is best for Anerica.
Unfortunately we have no way of knowing. But that would be true of any politician that took the position. At least he’s the devil we know. . . maybe that’s a poor choice of words . . .
Heh. I was about to say “The devil we know is still the devil!” ; )
Yeah, I know. But to be perfectly honest, I don’t know that I trust any of them to be able to do the job. Sigh.
If I hired a plumber to fix a leak and ended up with sewage coming from my faucet, I would fire that plumber and get a new one. I have no loyalty to a plumber that badly fails at basic things. We do not have to settle for Gen. McClellen, when victory depends on having a Gen. Grant.
For as much Reagan worship as there is around here and on throughout the GOP,
“Trust but Verify” seems perfectly resonable. Have the demands and their acceptance in writing.
This whole thing has exposed for me the abuses of the Steering Committees, and Rules Committees and the Seniority system. McCarthy wasn’t responsible for initiating that system but doesn’t seem to have ever been motivated to reform it. If these 20 holdouts achieve in getting some substantive reforms, we’ll be very much in their debt (outside the monetary kind). This could be the Silver Lining in the the Red Trickle that was the 2022 Midterms.
Excellent comment, WiCon. I agree with all of it!
If a speaker has to provide commitments to every member of the 200+ under him, he not only really doesn’t have any power but he wouldn’t be able to satisfy all the commitments.
I don’t have any particular affection for McCarthy but I don’t have any particular animus either. The result of this effort no matter how it turns out seems to me to degrade overall power for the Republicans as a whole. Pelosi had a similar tiny majority in the last Congress, and she got Dem bills passed. They were cohesive. This has caused me to lose hope we will be able to get anything done now that we have the gavel.
This also does not forebode well for 2024.
Not if McCarthy steps aside and lets someone else have the position.
If he gets in, it will be a weakened Majority. Weakened by his own ego.
(And of course by the fact that he is untrustworthy and compromised.)
And you think the other 200 are just going to accept the outcome?
I do wonder why none of them have asked him to step aside. Is there some reason the speaker HAS to be McCarthy, aside from his assertion that he’s owed the position? We’ve got 222 people there. How is it possible only one of them is qualified (according to the 200)?
Maybe he’s built coalitions and traded chits with members over the years and has built a network of bonds that led him to be their obvious leader. Maybe he’s got friendships and similar goals with other members. Politics is an art of building coalitions and networks.
Remember, this is the guy who pushed budgets through with more votes from Democrats than Republicans. He builds coalitions all right. With Democrats.
I don’t want him in charge. I don’t even want him in the House.
Only thing I can say is it doesn’t forebode well.
Maybe nobody else wants the position.
From what I understand, most people actually agreed on the rule changes (except McCarthy). I just can’t see anyone else stepping up.
I have no idea. McCarthy probably wouldn’t accept it because it reduces his power. The others have political positions to take for their voters. One never really knows what’s a politician’s true opinion. The raw fact is they have not abandoned McCarthy. There are bonds within the House Republican body. You don’t know who or what is being aggravated and inflamed. I don’t see this turning out well.
My understanding is that while Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise are probably popular enough to be elected Speaker, neither one wants to do it. Several years ago Paul Ryan did not want to be Speaker, but people persuaded him to take it because he was about the only one that most all Republicans could support. I’d say it’s a thankless job. No matter who gets it, before their first year is up they will be declared a RINO, a squish, a sell-out, and so on because the Republicans don’t have the numbers to get through everything we want and repeal all the laws we don’t want.
I think this is extremely important – both to allow verification of McCarthy’s adherence to his promises as well as an indication of the seriousness of the “Gang of 20” (or whatever they are called)
The list should be detailed and specific enough to allow this.
I really don’t understand the dislike and disapproval of McCarthy.
Why is there so much hostility directed toward a successful Republican politician? I realize that he’s made many compromises over his career. That seems unavoidable in a legislator.
Some people hate Trump, and some hate McCarthy, and some hate McConnell, and on and on.
I generally favor the more conservative position, but I don’t like the idea of a tiny group of GOP Congressional hold-outs preventing the selection of a Speaker, when the vast majority of their colleagues seem to favor McCarthy.
No elite Republican should be trusted. In fact, I’d watch all of them carefully . . .
More likely, the Speaker lets it be known that he will have any dissenters primaried out of a job and that the largest employer in their district will get some harsh new regulations and the new bridge and interstate will bypass their district. Just saying, it is nice little district you have there; it would be a shame if something were to happen to it.
I recommend reading up on his history. Especially after the recently 1.7 trillion omnibus, people are remembering McCarthy’s propensity to deliver lots of huge spending packages such that he gets more Democrat votes than Republican votes.
And then there’s the simply untrustworthiness. He refused to cut any deals with the Freedom Caucus, who had been working with him all summer. He assumed he wouldn’t need their votes — that the Red Wave would deliver to him enough Republican votes that he could ignore their concerns. And then — ironically because he didn’t work to deliver those votes — the narrow victory meant that he was now forced to deal with them.
And then he kept breaking promises.
So yeah, the longer he strung this out, the more he damaged himself.
Sure, he got his coveted position after . . . fifteen? . . . votes. But now he’s damaged goods, and who can trust him anyway? He should have helped compromise on a different candidate 13 votes ago.
Rule of thumb – don’t trust any politician
Wise advice – don’t let one politician think his party should rubber-stamp his wishes
VERY easy in his state of California, where those policies already exist.