Kevin McCarthy

Speaker Of The House Mike Johnson May Lose Leadership During Unproductive 119th Congress!

Ronald 4 Comments

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson of Louisiana has been the leader of the House of Representatives (119th Congress) now for two years and one month, but his time as Speaker seems assured to be limited, and to end soon.

His House majority is becoming smaller, and after the announced resignation of Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, to take place in January, there are strong hints that some more House Republicans, sensing doom in the Midterm Congressional Elections of 2026, may opt out before then, leaving vacancies.

The 119th Congress already stands out as the worst, least productive Congress, possibly going back to the early 1930s, and the 71st and 72nd Congresses (1929-1933), as the Great Depression overtook the nation under Herbert Hoover!

That led to Democratic dominance for the next six decades from 1932-1994, and helped to bring about the New Deal of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Great Society of Lyndon B. Johnson.

If more House Republicans decide to take an early exit, suddenly, the House of Representatives could fall into the control of the Democrats, dislodge Johnson, and make Hakeem Jeffries Speaker of the House.

Even if that does not occur, there is a lot of discontent in the Republican Party with Johnson, who is seen as having “caved in”, being a sycophant and obsequious to the demands of President Donald Trump, and not concerned himself enough with pleasing his own House majority.

Hard to believe, but many think of Johnson as the worst Republican Speaker of modern times, which is saying a lot, when one considers his competition is Kevin McCarthy, his direct predecessor; Paul Ryan, who preceded McCarthy; John Boehner, who preceded Ryan, and even Dennis Hastert, the longest serving Speaker from 1999-2007, who ended up in federal prison on charges of sexual abuse of teenage boys.

By comparison, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (2007-2011, 2019-2023) shines as a brilliant House leader, regarded as one of the top few of all time, and now choosing to retire at the end of the 119th Congress at the end of 2026!

Nancy Pelosi Greatest Woman In American Political History, And Among Top Few Speakers Of The House!

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California Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, former Speaker of the House (2007-2011) and (2019-2023) has announced her retirement at the end of the present term in 2026, after nearly 40 years in the House of Representatives.

There is no way that anyone can deny that Nancy Pelosi is the greatest woman in American political history for anyone elected, as only a few First Ladies (Eleanor Roosevelt, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama) even come close in influence, and also Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg would be in that category.

Clearly, Pelosi is the best, by far, Speaker of the House in modern times, with only Sam Rayburn, Thomas “Tip” O’Neill, and Henry Clay competing with her for the greatest of all time.

Those three Speakers served 17, 10, and 10 years, respectively, as Speaker, while Pelosi served 8 years.

Her impact was massive, as she helped bring about the Affordable Care Act under Barack Obama, and resisted Donald Trump and his authoritarian impulses in his first term in the White House, and is still actively working against Trump’s dangerous moves in the first year of his second term. Also, she promoted the first gun violence prevention legislation since the early 1990s, during the Presidency of Joe Biden.

Pelosi was subjected to direct threat by the Insurrectionists on January 6, 2021 at the US Capitol, and the hateful rhetoric of Trump helped incite the attack on her husband in 2022.

Pelosi showed great courage and determination in the face of constant attacks by the opposition party in the House of Representatives over her two decade leadership of her party.

She was a master strategist, and had the respect of her caucus, which she was able to lead with great skill.

Not bad for a woman who had five children and did not enter politics until her mid 40s, a true model for women who wished to pursue public service.

The fact that Donald Trump continues to condemn Pelosi even now, says legions about the character of both Pelosi and Trump.

At the same time, the last six Republican Speakers since 1995–Newt Gingrich, Dennis Hastert, John Boehner, Paul Ryan, Kevin McCarthy, and now Mike Johnson, have been steadily getting more outrageously horrendous with each new Speakership!

While Pelosi will go down in history as among the greatest Speakers and Congressional leaders of all time, Donald Trump is assuredly, more every day that passes, adding to the reality of being the WORST President, by far, in American history.

It is causing reconsideration of James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, and Franklin Pierce, the others Presidents, all around the Pre Civil and Civil War period, who have been rated as the worst Presidents of American history!

House Speaker Mike Johnson Abuser Of Power, And Lackey Of Donald Trump!

Ronald 22 Comments

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson will mark two years in that position, second in line for the Presidency under the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, on Saturday, October 25.

It has been a tumultuous two years, serving under Joe Biden, and now, Donald Trump.

Johnson has been extremely controversial in his utterances and actions, demonstrating an abuse of power, and being a total lackey to Donald Trump.

Johnson claims to be a devout “good” Christian, but he is anything but that, including

having the House of Representatives not in session for almost a month while the federal government is shut down.

refusing to seat an Arizona Democratic Congresswoman, Adelita Grijalva, elected nearly a month ago, so as to avoid her voting on forcing the “Epstein Files” to be made available by a majority vote of the House.

claiming that the NO KINGS marchers and demonstrators taking place today are “terorists and radicals”, who “Hate America and are Antifa”, denying their validity as a means of protest of the authoritarian moves of Donald Trump.

and demonstrating no concern about the impending health insurance disaster, including in his own home state of Louisiana, due to the massive tax cuts given the wealthy at the expense of ordinary people.

His controversial and divisive leadership has made him look worse than former Speakers Kevin McCarthy and Paul Ryan, and made former Speaker Nancy Pelosi shine as easily the best recent Speaker of the House since fellow Democrat Thomas “Tip” O’Neill in the 1970s and 1980s.

Republican 118th House Of Representatives A Total Disaster!

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The 118th Congress (2023-2025) has been a total disaster, with the House of Representatives controlled by the extremist right wing Freedom Caucus, which deposed Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House, and now is moving toward deposing Mike Johnson, because of his cooperation with Democrats to adopt a budget bill and avoid default. Looney Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has taken the first steps to call for possible removal of Johnson from the Speakership.

This chaos has led some Republicans to quit the House of Representatives early including Ken Buck of Colorado and Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin.

So now, once Gallagher leaves in April, the split will be 217-213 in the House, meaning the Republicans only have a ONE vote margin!

So any further craziness, and the Democrats will gain control of the House of Representatives, an unbelievable situation!

The House Speakership Continues Downhill Under Republican Control

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The Speaker of the House of Representatives is second in line of succession to the Presidency under the Presidential Succession Act of 1947.

Sadly, under Republican majority leadership periods, the Speakership has been going steadily downhill in competence, accomplishments, and even common decency.

In the past thirty years since the Republican “Revolution” in the midterm elections of 1994 under President Bill Clinton, we have had now six Republican Speakers, and only one Democratic Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, who was a true star and extremely accomplished leader from 2007-2011 and 2019-2023.

The rest of those years, we have had one disaster after another from the following chronological list of Republican Speakers:

Newt Gingrich 1995-1999
Dennis Hastert 1999-2007
John Boehner 2011-October 2015
Paul Ryan October 2015-2019
Kevin McCarthy January 2023-October 2023
Mike Johnson October 2023-Present

Each one was horrendous and divisive, but Mike Johnson seems to have lowered the reputation of the office ever further.

Hopefully, Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic House leader will ascend to the Speakership in January 2025!

Top Five Political Heroes Of The Year 2023

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In a year with so many politically difficult moments, certain situations stand out as bright moments.

Liz Cheney, the former Republican Congresswoman from Wyoming, stayed strong and continued to fight against the cancer represented by Donald Trump, holding to the traditions and beliefs of a Republican Party that once believed in principle, but no longer exists, ready to sell its soul to a charlatan who is destroying its history and traditions.

Adam Kinzinger, the former Republican Congressman from Illinois, has also, like Cheney, been a Profile in Courage, who has refused to bend to the intolerance and authoritarian nature of a party which has left him, and Cheney, rather than the other way around.

Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York has proved to be an exceptional potential Speaker of the House in 2025, as he has kept the Democratic minority united and strong against the degradation of the small majority Republicans in the House of Representatives. His leadership contrasts with the disgraceful, extremist oriented leadership of Kevin McCarthy, but even more so, Mike Johnson, a true religious extremist and moral hypocrite, who is sadly only two heartbeats away from the Presidency in his role as Speaker of the House.

President Joe Biden has shown great principle, courage, and decisiveness in a multitude of domestic and foreign crises, too often underrated and unappreciated for his strong stand for basic principles, including promotion of democracy, common decency, empathy, compassion, and the rule of law. He is presiding over the greatest crisis to our Constitution since the Civil War, but something that will only be fully understood in the future.

And finally, above all else, the survival of American Democracy itself, with the support of Democrats, courageous Republicans, the courts, the responsible news media, and decent citizens who value our heritage of nearly 250 years of constitutional government, is the ultimate “HERO” in this nation!

Resistance to authoritarian Fascism in all its forms is a constant, long term battle, and the final defeat, conviction, and imprisonment of the evil Donald Trump is the battle ahead, and with the understanding, that MAGA Trumpism will continue to be a threat, that all decent people will need to continue to resist beyond the time of Donald Trump!

Top Five Political Villains Of The Year 2023

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As we look back at the year 2023, it was a very tumultuous year in so many ways.

The five most negative political factors in 2023 would include the following:

The disgraceful Republican controlled House of Representatives under Kevin McCarthy, and then, Mike Johnson, and including former Congressman George Santos, who represents the true nature of the Republican Party in the lower chamber.

The weak, spineless Republican contenders for the Presidency, including Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley, unwilling to condemn Donald Trump and take him on in a full throated campaign to remove this cancer on the party and the nation.

The corrupt, evil Fox News Channel, which lost a major defamation suit, but continues to spew forth poison, venom, and lies incessantly.

Billionaire Elon Musk, the owner of what used to be called Twitter, who showed how hateful, unstable, and dangerous unchecked wealth accumulation can be for society at large.

And finally, the continuing cancer and destruction of the Republican Party at large, provoked by Donald Trump, but with willing suicide victims who are willing to promote racism, nativism, and misogyny as a new norm for American politics.

New Threat Of Government Shutdown Under New Speaker Mike Johnson!

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A new threat of a government shutdown on Friday November 17, under the new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, is pending.

Johnson has division within the House Republican Conference, and just as former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, he cannot afford to lose more than four votes if all Republicans are present and voting on any budget matter.

And one member could call for a vote to dislodge the new Speaker from his perch, and new chaos and anarchy could reign.

Mike Johnson, an unknown individual until he was elevated to the Speakership, clearly is in above his head, and his extremist views and those of his wife are an alarm bell in the night.

Johnson wants two separate dates for funding, and he proposes no aid for now to either Israel or Ukraine, so it seems like a no brainer, with five days to go to the budget deadline.

If the government shuts down this Friday, it will cause all kinds of grief in innumerable ways.

Republicans Who Abandoned Their Principles And Supported Mike Johnson As Speaker Of The House!

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This author and blogger wanted to give slack to 18 House Republicans whose districts voted for Joe Biden in 2020, but now realizes he was naive!

Many of these 18 House Republicans are part of the so called “Problem Solvers Caucus”, and yet, they voted unanimously for a hardline extremist right wing Speaker, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, who is more extreme than Kevin McCarthy, and similar to Jim Jordan, but with a more amenable personality, which effectively hides his extremist views!

So it is time to stop believing that there are any Republicans in the House of Representatives who can be trusted on doing what is proper and mainstream, and Democrats must work to defeat as many of these Biden district Republicans as possible in the upcoming Congressional Elections of 2024!

However, this author and blogger is particularly angry at the following:

Don Bacon of Nebraska
Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania
Tom Kean Jr of New Jersey
Mike Lawler of New York
Marc Molinaro of New York
Anthony D’Esposito of New York
Nick LaLota of New York
Brandon Williams of New York
David Valadao of California
Mike Garcia of California
Michelle Steele of California
Young Kim of California
John Duarte of California

So these New York and California Republicans, in particular, are on notice that they are in danger due to their support of a MAGA Republican for the Speakership of the House of Representatives!

The Great, Prominent Speakers Of The House Of Representatives In History

Ronald 4 Comments

At a time of chaos and anarchy over the issue of the Speakership of the House of Representatives, it is instructive to examine the history of that office, which has had 55 individuals filling that role.

A small number of Speakers of the House of Representatives have made history, and are seen as exceptional.

The longest serving Speaker was Sam Rayburn of Texas, who held that position for 17 years, only ended by his death in 1961.

Henry Clay of Kentucky, arguably the greatest Presidential candidate who did not win the Presidency in all of US history, served a total of 10.5 years as Speaker of the House.

Thomas (Tip) O’Neill of Massachusetts was third longest serving, 10 years from the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s.

John W. McCormack of Massachusetts served 9 years in the 1960s, followed by Nancy Pelosi, who served 8 years from 2007-2011 and 2019-2023.

Dennis Hastert of Illinois, later disgraced by conviction on sex charges, is the longest serving Republican Speaker, serving a few days less than Pelosi, but still about 8 years at the end of the 20th and early 21st century.

Champ Clark of Missouri served about 7 years in the 1910s and Carl Albert of Oklahoma served about 6 years in the 1970s, followed by slightly less service in days by Joseph Cannon of Illinois, often called the “Czar” of the House because of his great authority that was tamed by “revolution” in House rules in 1910, and by Tom Foley of Washington State in the 1990s.

So about 87 years out of the total of 234 years of the history of the House of Representatives were served by these 10 individuals, with the other 45 serving a total of 147 years among them.

Kevin McCarthy’s 9 month tenure made him the third shortest serving Speaker, only more than Michael Kerr who died in office in 1875, and Theodore Pomeroy, who served one day in 1869.