After three days and ten ballots and counting as I write this entry, the House of Representatives is still not able to move ahead and begin its responsibilities to the nation!
As things now stand, it seems likely that this chaos and disaster will be at least the 5th longest Speaker battle, only surpassed in 1819 (22 ballots); 1859 (44 ballots); 1849 (63 ballots); and 1855 (133 ballots)!
This is due to 21 Republicans refusing to support their Caucus leader, Kevin McCarthy of California, who “sold his soul” to Donald Trump after the January 6, 2021 US Capitol Insurrection!
These 21 Republicans are, effectively, “terrorists” who want to have the power to cripple the House of Representatives on a daily basis, with the idea that if even one member objects to anything McCarthy might do as Speaker, that a vote could be taken to oust him from the leadership of the chamber!
This is pure insanity, and it is time for Kevin McCarthy to refuse to do so, and ultimately, to withdraw from the possibility of being Speaker, in order to move the House of Representatives forward!
But, whoever else might wish to be Speaker, must NOT give in, either, to these seditionists and traitors!
So it is time for the more reasonable, more moderate, and more rational small band of House Republicans to agree to one of the following alternatives:
As this author and blogger suggested yesterday, back a former member of the chamber, such as Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, Justin Amash of Michigan, Fred Upton of Michigan, or John Kasich of Ohio, to be the Speaker, with the support of the Democratic minority, and refuse to agree to any demands that limit the Speaker’s ability to lead the chamber!
OR have a small band of these moderate Republicans agree to support Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the Democratic Minority Leader, in this crisis and arrange for a truly bipartisan House of Representatives!
These are the only choices now, and national security and stability are at stake, and these 21 members should be denied any committee memberships, and possible action to expel them from the House of Representatives should be under consideration!
No more MR NICE GUY, but rather tough action against members who have no interest in anything but their own egos!
With the second anniversary of the January 6 attacks coming tomorrow, one has to worry about a sudden attack by domestic terrorists as two years ago, or a foreign attack, with our international reputation as a functioning democracy in tatters right now!
Daily Kos has an article about what would happen if Republicans never pick a speaker.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/1/4/2145330/-We-re-better-off-without-the-House-of-Representatives-seriously
Make Cheryl Lynn Johnson Speaker. Keep the Gavel in her hands.
Totally agree with you, Rustbelt Democrat! LOL 🙂
I have to strongly disagree with Daily Kos’s idea of claiming that we don’t need a fully functioning legislature. The Senate cannot pass any legislation on its own, and what it can do on its own has nothing to do with who is Speaker of the House. Saying that we should just have the Congress do nothing until the fall is a repudiation of the notion that the Federal government is important.
Republican chaos is going to make good election ads.
I second that Pragmatic.
Some of the 21 flipped today. Vote #14 coming up tonight.