What's Going on in the US House of Representatives?

[ATeam]

In what was originally expected to be a red-wave midterm election, Republicans barely eked out enough votes to win control of the US House. Now, notwithstanding the majority vote they enjoy, Republicans are struggling to elect their own speaker. As I write this, the second ballot is complete and no speaker has been elected. That kind of dysfunction has not been seen in the House for 100 years.

What does this say about the kind of order and governance we can expect from this MAGA-dominated group of Republican representatives? Little good, I'm sorry to say.

"A GOP lawmaker who is supporting House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy says members are already hearing from Republican donors and constituents who think the party 'looks stupid' for not being able to elect a speaker.

"Another Republican who is backing McCarthy predicted there will be pressure after three or four rounds of votes to either adjourn or start thinking about another strategy.

"As the vote drags on, a third Republican and McCarthy supporter described the frustration with the opposition within the party: 'They are embarrassing the whole team. We should form a parking lot committee and put them on it.'

"While many Republicans predicted it would go to multiple ballots, many are still in disbelief, and angry over how the drama is overshadowing their new majority." (Source)

This intpetude matters. The next election is less than two years away and voters tend to remember embarrassing incompetence like this. The "can't even elect their own speaker" trait that the MAGA Republicans are manifesting today will haunt them forevermore. They're going to hear "circular firing squad" and "gang that can't shoot straight" for a long time.

 

[coalminer]

I hope about 10 democrats say the heck with all of this fighting and vote for McCarthy, just to get it over with.

 

[LDB]

In "the good old days" of JFK there was maybe 60/40 split, 60% of republicans were really good and 40% of democrats were also legitimately good. Time passed and they turned into another example of the fairly universal 80/20 rule, sadly with 80% of both being bad and only 20% or so good on both sides. Now we're more into a 99/95% bad ratio of democrats/republicans and need to completely start over. We've gone over the hill and are now just hurtling faster and faster toward the eventual doom, unlikely to ever be able to correct and right things. This is just one more illustration.

 

[ATeam]

I hope about 10 democrats say the heck with all of this fighting and vote for McCarthy, just to get it over with.

In the first ballot, the Democrat candidate for Speaker, Jeffries got the most votes. 218 are needed. Jeffries got 212. Next came McCarthy with 202 and Jordan with 20. That puts Jeffries just six votes away from winning this election for Speaker.

I don't think it will happen but it would be astounding if the Republican-"led" house elected a Black Democrat for Speaker.

As I said, I don't think this will happen, but it is possible. All that's required is six moderate Republicans do what you suggest. Vote for Jeffries just to get it over with. It could also happen if a small number of Republicans simply grew tired of the shenanigans and went home, thereby changing the math to make it possible for a Democrat to win.

 

[ATeam]

In "the good old days" of JFK there was maybe 60/40 split, 60% of republicans were really good and 40% of democrats were also legitimately good. Time passed and they turned into another example of the fairly universal 80/20 rule, sadly with 80% of both being bad and only 20% or so good on both sides. Now we're more into a 99/95% bad ratio of democrats/republicans and need to completely start over. We've gone over the hill and are now just hurtling faster and faster toward the eventual doom, unlikely to ever be able to correct and right things. This is just one more illustration.

I agree. The willingness to work across party lines for the benefit of the country is what made those people good. Now, seemingly everyone is working for the benefit of their party and/or themselves. They don't try to look good by doing good. They try to look good by making the other side look worse. Over the years, the public came to believe both sides as each insisted the other was dishonorable and unworthy of respect.

 

[muttly]

In what was originally expected to be a red-wave midterm election, Republicans barely eked out enough votes to win a majority in the US House. Now they are struggling to elect their own speaker. As I write this, the second ballot is complete and no speaker has been elected. That kind of dysfunction has not been seen in the House for 100 years.

What does this say about the kind of order and governance we can expect from this MAGA-dominated group of Republican representatives? Little good, I'm sorry to say.

"A GOP lawmaker who is supporting House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy says members are already hearing from Republican donors and constituents who think the party 'looks stupid' for not being able to elect a speaker.

"Another Republican who is backing McCarthy predicted there will be pressure after three or four rounds of votes to either adjourn or start thinking about another strategy.

"As the vote drags on, a third Republican and McCarthy supporter described the frustration with the opposition within the party: 'They are embarrassing the whole team. We should form a parking lot committee and put them on it.'

"While many Republicans predicted it would go to multiple ballots, many are still in disbelief, and angry over how the drama is overshadowing their new majority." (Source)

This kind of stuff matters. The next election is less than two years away and voters tend to remember embarrassing incompetence like this. The "can't even elect their own speaker" trait that the MAGA Republicans are demonstrating today will haunt them forevermore. They're going to hear "circular firing squad" and "gang that can't shoot straight" for a long time.

They aren’t in lockstep like the Dems are who voted for an election denier as minority leader. So there is that.

 

[ATeam]

Characterizing the Day and the Republican Party

"Tuesday should have been a joyous day for Republicans in Congress, as they kicked off two years as the majority party in the House of Representatives by swearing in new members and electing one of their own as speaker of the House. Instead, Tuesday’s vote for speaker showed just how dysfunctional the GOP has become and what a precarious position the party has put itself in." (Source)

 

[Pilgrim]

In what was originally expected to be a red-wave midterm election, Republicans barely eked out enough votes to win control of the US House.

Republicans "eked out" the identical majority the Democrats held for the past two years. That doesn't seem to have been a concern for their party during that term.

They aren’t in lockstep like the Dems are who voted for an election denier as minority leader. So there is that.

One thing that can be said for the Democrats is that they almost always vote in lock step on almost everything. Anyone who shows party disloyalty or diversity of thought is treated like a leper, i.e. Manchin, Sinema and the departed Tulsi Gabbard. This dust-up will have been forgotten by the American public by this time next month.

 

[ATeam]

Republicans "eked out" the identical majority the Democrats held for the past two years. That doesn't seem to have been a concern for their party during that term.

It was not a concern because the Democrats were able to work together and actually pass bills that became law. The Republican thin majority can't even elect their own speaker. Under their "leadership," mayhem prevails in the house.

 

[ATeam]

Having listened to the late night news and commentary, it seems to me that the Republican hardliners are not seeking concessions from McCarthy. They are seeking his scalp. Their purpose is to bring him down. They had a good day in that regard today, but the show is not yet over.

 

[ATeam]

This dust-up will have been forgotten by the American public by this time next month.

That is entirely possible. But remember, these House Republicans must run for re-election every two years. Their opponents will be well funded and highly skilled in reminding the American public of this leadership failure and crisis (not dust-up). Dust-ups are minor events of some intensity. They are frequent events. This event has not happened in 100 years. It is big and historically significant.

 

[muttly]

It doesn’t matter if this hasn’t happened in a hundred years. Most people wouldn’t even know that fact if it wasn’t told to them, nor would they care.

 

[ATeam]

It doesn’t matter if this hasn’t happened in a hundred years. Most people wouldn’t even know that fact if it wasn’t told to them, nor would they care.

It matters. You'll see exactly how when the next round of congressional campaigns start if not sooner. It will probably matter sooner. The behavior you see now from those Fox News calls the rebels is likely to continue through the entire term. What we're seeing now does little to inspire the belief that this term's Republican majority will effectively govern.

Beyond the obvious example of their failure to elect their own speaker (can't blame Biden or Hillary or Obama or the media or the Democrats for that major blunder), is another example. Jordon nominates McCarthy. Jordon makes it crystal clear that he will not serve as speaker if he is nominated. Yet he is nominated and when he is nominated, he does not decline. Instead he stands for election and thereby draws votes away from McCarthy. What's up with that? Jordon's actions are genuinely confusing to me.

What sense does what his strategy make? What is he doing? How do his actions help him, his party, the Congress and the country? Sincere question. I honestly don't see any benefit to anyone in his actions, even himself. What am I missing?

 

[ATeam]

My calendar is full today and I'll only be glimpsing the news until later tonight. Hard to say how this will turn out. Highly unusual situation. Very hard to know all the moving parts, many of which are behind the scenes. Fascinating, entertaining and tragic all at once.

 

[muttly]

Tragic? A little hyperbole no?

 

[skyraider]

It is to bad that we the people cannot just send the members in the house and senate home till futher notice....

 

[Pilgrim]

Tragic? A little hyperbole no?

Nothing tragic has happened yet. What we're watching is the making of political sausage, and the media is turning it into high drama to (1) increase their ratings and (2) embarass the Republicans. This small gang of GOP renegades will probably reach a compromise with McCarthy in the next couple of days before they start getting heat from their districts. Otherwise, they'll jeopardize getting re-elected in 2024. That's the primary motivation for anything they do.

 

[danthewolf00]

What matters is the taxpayer's wallet....and the Democrats will spend it like its bottomless.

 

[coalminer]

Wouldn't it be wild if they elected Trump as speaker????? There are no rules that say the speaker has to be a rep.

 

[ATeam]

Nothing tragic has happened yet.

Tragic? A little hyperbole no?

Tragic: characteristic or suggestive of a tragedy.
Tragedy: a lamentable, dreadful, or fatal event or affair; calamity; disaster:

Two days, six votes, no speaker. Republicans have halted congress in its tracks with this failure.

It it lamentable? Yes it is. Millions of Democrats, Republicans and Independents are lamenting this situation.

Is it dreadful? Yes it is. Millions consider it dreadful. They dread not only the present circumstances but also that failure to elect a speaker is not the end of such things, it is only the beginning. The (rebels, hardliners, defectors, crazies, nihilists, ultra-right-wingers, arsonists, Freedom Caucus, holdouts, or whatever other term you care to use) have shown they are ready, willing and able to exercise the power they now have to derail anything they choose, not by offering something positive, but by ripping up the tracks.

Is it a fatal event or affair? No it is not, not in the sense that someone has actually died.

Is it a calamity? Yes, this is clearly a calamity.

it is it a disaster? Yes it is, according to many, including many influential Republicans in finance, politics and the media.