Good idea. Sunshine could be the best motivation.I'm not sure what to believe among the various reports. On one hand, there are reports like these that say Jordan will fall far short of the needed votes if his election comes up on the House floor this week.
On the other hand, there are reports that Jordan and his bomb-throwing far-right combatants will successfully intimidate Republicans into voting for Jordan by forcing a floor vote on the record and threatening to primary any Republican who votes against Jordan. Those reports point out the difference between the anti-Jordan votes cast on a secret ballot in a caucus meeting behind closed doors, and a public, on-the-record vote conducted on the House floor.
Apparently, the festering resentments are already there. Considering the chaotic situation that exists right now among the GOP conference, the use of strong-arm tactics by the Jordan team makes perfect sense. It looks like reasoning, back-scratching, deal making, and the team-play concepts have all failed with the petulant holdouts, so brute force is all that's left.While I'm unsure how this will turn out, the bully-your-way-to-Speaker strategy is depressing. If you buy into it, you buy into the idea that a number of House Republicans are cowards who can be intimidated into voting for someone they would otherwise not. And you buy into the idea that it is perfectly fine, maybe even honorable, to use brute force against your fellow Republicans to get what you want ... as if doing that will somehow build trust and enhance intra-party friendships and make it easy for Jordan to lead if he wins ... as if this strategy is cost-free and will build no festering resentments of any kind.
Results are what counts. LBJ was well-known for using this tactic to get things done in the Senate, and he was one of the most effective majority leaders ever. Since all else has failed, if that's what it takes to get a Speaker in place, so be it.The latter strategy involves no deal making or mutual back scratching. It's about intimidation and fear, and mobilizing Republican voters against Republicans. What Jordan wants, Jordan gets, and if he does not get it, you will pay a huge price. We'll run a candidate against you in your own primary in your own district and thereby end your political career.
Motivation is healthy. Intimidation is not. I would like to believe that any elected official who serves at the high level of US Representative is a stand-up person of integrity and strength; a person who can make up one's own mind and act on one's own convictions. But when I see over 50 people vote in secret for one thing and then reverse themselves in public, I see no integrity and no strength at all.Good idea. Sunshine could be the best motivation.
Seems true on the Republican side. The Democrats are getting along just fine for the most part. They are cooperating and acting as a team.Apparently, the festering resentments are already there. Considering the chaotic situation that exists right now among the GOP conference, the use of strong-arm tactics by the Jordan team makes perfect sense. It looks like reasoning, back-scratching, deal making, and the team-play concepts have all failed with the petulant holdouts, so brute force is all that's left.
Or, let there be bi-partisan cooperation to elect a consensus speaker favored by the majority of the full House.Results are what counts. LBJ was well-known for using this tactic to get things done in the Senate, and he was one of the most effective majority leaders ever. Since all else has failed, if that's what it takes to get a Speaker in place, so be it.
It does not make sense any more.Considering the chaotic situation that exists right now among the GOP conference, the use of strong-arm tactics by the Jordan team makes perfect sense.
Good idea. Sunshine could be the best motivation.
Apparently, the festering resentments are already there. Considering the chaotic situation that exists right now among the GOP conference, the use of strong-arm tactics by the Jordan team makes perfect sense.
It looks like reasoning, back-scratching, deal making, and the team-play concepts have all failed with the petulant holdouts, so brute force is all that's left.
The Bulwark noted that Boehner doubled down on this criticism of Jordan in April 2021 during an interview with CBS’s John Dickerson, who asked the former speaker about calling some lawmakers “political terrorists.”
“Oh, yeah, Jim Jordan especially, my colleague from Ohio. I just never saw a guy who spent more time tearing things apart—never building anything, never putting anything together,” Boehner replied.
Results are what counts. LBJ was well-known for using this tactic to get things done in the Senate, and he was one of the most effective majority leaders ever.
Since all else has failed, if that's what it takes to get a Speaker in place, so be it.
A lot of people don't understand what goes on behind the scenes in a Capitol building. Some politicians are more skilled than others, and the ability to maintain an accurate whip count is a vital skill. Today, Jordan learned the limits of the bullying technique and the value of counting votes.They should probably consider hiring Nancy P. to give them remedial math lessons ... so they can learn to count correctly.
Welcome to the state of American politics; integrity is rare right now.Motivation is healthy. Intimidation is not. I would like to believe that any elected official who serves at the high level of US Representative is a stand-up person of integrity and strength; a person who can make up one's own mind and act on one's own convictions. But when I see over 50 people vote in secret for one thing and then reverse themselves in public, I see no integrity and no strength at all.
They absolutely are in lock step. Biden is a sock puppet for the Democrat party agenda. If anyone's in doubt as to what that agenda is, just look at CA right now or maybe Chicago or NYC for a smaller scale example.Seems true on the Republican side. The Democrats are getting along just fine for the most part. They are cooperating and acting as a team.
That sounds good, but it's not realistic. The Democrat definition of bi-partisanship is for the GOP to cave and give them what they want. Right now the Republicans are hell-bent on making themselves look like fools. But who knows - maybe they'll elect Jordan after only 9-10 votes.Or, let there be bi-partisan cooperation to elect a consensus speaker favored by the majority of the full House.
It is more serious than that and it's not just about the collapse of leadership in the House Republican caucus.Right now the Republicans are hell-bent on making themselves look like fools.
The analysis below says the same thing I'm saying above, but with more authority. I'm not the scholar this writer is.The Republican party is locked into a downward spiral of dysfunction. Like a patient fighting a losing battle with cancer, internal factionalism is killing the Republican Party. It's a painful, years-long process with various flare-ups and pauses.
The budget bill they recently passed was only good for 45 days. I think some in the Republican party believe a government shutdown is a good thing and they will do everything they can to delay the election of a speaker toward that end.Gaetz knew exactly what he was doing, he wanted to shut down the government to get what he wanted and when they found a way around him, he did what he knew would grind the house to a halt.
Just remember, this is THEIR country and they are GOING to take it back, one way or another.