As was to be expected, Democrats, liberals and the mainstream media are in full attack mode,
Like FOX, Breitbart and others were adoring fans of Nancy Pelosi, always saying nice things about her?
leading with the worn-out label of "MAGA Extremist" for the newly elected Speaker they don't even know.
"MAGA Mike" is the nickname given him by Matt Gaetz, not the liberal media. Regarding his views and actions on abortion rights, his views are indeed extreme; if you define extreme as his political beliefs and actions are significantly more conservative, far-right, or outside the mainstream of US public opinion. His abortion views and actions are well-documented. There is no ambiguity. The label "abortion-rights extremist" fits perfectly in this case.
No member of the US House is unknown to political reporters. They get there by being known by enough people in their districts to get elected. They get there by participating in public events, issuing press releases, meeting with journalists, debating their opponents, submitting disclosure information, having busy websites and social media accounts, and generating as much interest in themselves and their views as they possibly can. Almost all of them have prior history in lower offices and local activism where they have a very public track record.
I never heard of Mike Johnson until a few days ago. But it took me only minutes to learn about him. If I was inclined to invest the time, a few hours of study of the readily available information would give me a very good idea of who he is and what he is about. That goes double for journalists who can instantly tap the reporters and other sources in Johnson's district and know the man well. Because he is already a sitting House member, every media outlet and voter information service has abundant info on file that is easily tapped. His voting record, many speeches, etc. are all items of public record.
Of course this would have been the rhetoric aimed at any new Speaker, regardless of who the Republicans elected. Let's face it - their mantra is to label any strong GOP candidate as a "MAGA Extremist", and the same applies to any American who would vote for them.
No. Not any strong GOP candidate. News organizations often refer to certain House Republicans as "moderates."
This vitriol is not just reserved for Trump and his followers. For them it applies to conservatives in general, and Mike Johnson is a strong conservative.
You are painting with too broad a brush.
He should keep the Republicans united and get off to a good start by passing a continuing resolution to give the House time to cull through the remaining spending bills.
Early indications support your assertion. A honeymoon period clearly exists. Republicans who wold not easily agree to a continuing resolution before are now agreeing to give Johnson the continuing resolution he is asking for.
The big big question is how long will this honeymoon period last, and how long will Johnson keep his speaker's seat? I did not realize until the recent leadership crisis brought it to light that the House Republicans consistently turn on their speakers and force them out in one way or another. there is little reason to believe Johnson will be any different. He may make it through Election Day, 2024, but Republicans will lose the House then, and Johnson will lose his seat that way.
If he sticks to his principles, he should have the support to get rid of the ridiculous Gaetz rule which allows one member to make a motion to vacate the chair. This will not only benefit him, but also future Speakers from either party. House Speakers should not be held hostage by fringe lunatics like the Gaetz 8 or the Squad.
On that we agree. But I'm not sure the fringe lunatics who now have the power the rule gives them will easily give it up.
