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

ATeam · Jan 4, 2023

Day two of the 118th Congress brings a second day of the US House paralyzed by the Republican majority's failure to elect their own Speaker. For the most part, today was remarkably similar to yesterday, except support for McCarthy weakened slightly.

The House is adjourned until noon tomorrow. I have no idea what will develop then. But it is now clear that whoever the Speaker of the House turns out to be, he or she will be continually hamstrung by a small group of Republicans who are willing to bring the House to a halt if they don't get their way, and the larger group of Republicans who are unable or unwilling to do anything about that.

About that group, one commentator said they'll burn down their house because the flames excite them.

Turtle · Jan 4, 2023

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

I think it would be hilarious if they elected Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker.

ATeam · Jan 5, 2023

muttly · Jan 5, 2023

Out of over 220 members. I guess there can’t be any opposition and difference of views, just 100 percent loyalty to their dear leader of the party.
That is tragic.

ATeam · Jan 5, 2023

muttly said:
Out of over 220 members. I guess there can’t be any opposition and difference of views, just 100 percent loyalty to their dear leader of the party.
That is tragic.

The Democrats have their extremists too; a group of "out-there" left-wingers who call themselves "The Squad." But that group has never blocked the election of their speaker or paralyzed the House with that method. The Republicans and Democrats have, for 100 years, always had opposition and differing views within their ranks, but they have also been been able to elect their House speakers without shutting the place down.

What we're witnessing now is not about opposition or a difference in views. It's about 20 Republicans (21 if you count the one who is voting "present) who are blocking all other House members from doing their legislative work.

This group doesn't even have a candidate. On six votes, they have supported various nominees; Biggs, Jordan or Donalds. They're not fighting for a particular candidate. They're fighting to keep a specific candidate, McCarthy, out of the seat. And they're willing to put all other considerations aside to make that happen.

If the leading contender for Speaker drops out or loses support, we don't know if this group will support the front-runner who then emerges. We'll learn that if that happens.

Is it possible that their real goal is not about the speaker at all, but about completing the work the insurrectionists failed to complete on Jan. 6? Did these 20 Republicans organize to defeat a speaker, or did they organize to defeat the Constitution?

danthewolf00 · Jan 5, 2023

No those 21 do not want Mccarthy period....they want any Republican other than him.

ATeam · Jan 5, 2023

danthewolf00 said:
No those 21 do not want Mccarthy period....they want any Republican other than him.

That may well be. It may not be about stopping the government but about stopping McCarthy personally instead.

If that's the case, what did McCarthy do or fail to do that has these 20 Republicans sooooo fiercely against him? What is it about McCarthy that makes them willing to bring the House itself to its knees to keep him out of the speaker seat?

danthewolf00 · Jan 5, 2023

ATeam said:
That may well be. It may not be about stopping the government but about stopping McCarthy personally instead.

If that's the case, what did McCarthy do or fail to do that has these 20 Republicans sooooo fiercely against him?

Don't know....but it has them mad enough to not for him over 5 times now.

ATeam · Jan 5, 2023

Maybe danthewolf00 and I are both wrong. If it is not about stopping the government (alternatively if it's not about continuing the insurrection), and if it is not about stopping McCarthy the person, what is it about for the 20 (or 21) Republicans now holding the House hostage? Why are they taking their uncompromising stand?

ATeam · Jan 5, 2023

Looking at this another way, what is it about McCarthy that has him so determined to win the speaker seat that he's unwilling to withdraw and clear the way for a consensus candidate that will enable the House to get on with it's work? Why is he as willing as the 20 to set aside all other considerations and bring the House to it's knees?

danthewolf00 · Jan 5, 2023

Honestly I don't know why but it seams they are holding to their believes that he is not a good fit.
They even say he is not a bad person just not the right person for the job.
I think Jordan or gaetz would make a great speaker because they take no bs from anyone and they don't want the job.

coalminer · Jan 5, 2023

Turtle said:
I think it would be hilarious if they elected Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker.

It would only take what 10 republicans to vote for him to make that happen. Since MTG is now attacking him, maybe there is talk of that????

ATeam · Jan 5, 2023

coalminer said:
It would only take what 10 republicans to vote for him to make that happen. Since MTG is now attacking him, maybe there is talk of that????

While it's an amusing thought, I think it is highly unlikely that the Republicans elect a Democratic Speaker of the House. And even if they did, the low threshold they have for speaker removal would be quickly triggered. With just one or maybe just a few congresspeople needed to make a motion to recall the speaker, that motion would be quickly made if a Democratic speaker was actually elected. Further House dysfunction would follow as that mess was worked out.

coalminer · Jan 5, 2023

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says Democrats would 'all be unconscious' if they took shots every time Kevin McCarthy lost a Republican vote for speaker

She can come up with a good one every now and then, I would wager the Republicans are the ones being driven to drink.....

muttly · Jan 5, 2023

danthewolf00 said:
Honestly I don't know why but it seams they are holding to their believes that he is not a good fit.
They even say he is not a bad person just not the right person for the job.
I think Jordan or gaetz would make a great speaker because they take no bs from anyone and they don't want the job.

I think the gist of it is that he might be a nice guy but is a sellout.

ATeam · Jan 5, 2023

Two Apt Quotes:

GOP Rep. Dusty Johnson (McCarthy backer): "I mean, either we're going to figure out how to work together in month one, or else we're going to have to replay this Greek tragedy every single week"

GOP Rep. Pat Fallon (McCarthy backer): "The entire conference should support their nominee for speaker, “otherwise, you get what? This. This dumb crap, which is chaos, and we don't want that.”

muttly · Jan 5, 2023

ATeam said:
Two Apt Quotes:

GOP Rep. Dusty Johnson (McCarthy backer): "I mean, either we're going to figure out how to work together in month one, or else we're going to have to replay this Greek tragedy every single week"

GOP Rep. Pat Fallon (McCarthy backer): "The entire conference should support their nominee for speaker, “otherwise, you get what? This. This dumb crap, which is chaos, and we don't want that.”

Never heard of either one of them.

muttly · Jan 5, 2023

Trump for speaker? For a hundred days?

coalminer · Jan 5, 2023

muttly said:
Trump for speaker? For a hundred days?

The only bad part of that is that the secret service would be going crazy because all of Trumps whack job followers would try to kill both Biden and Harris so that Trump could be president again.