He is indeed doomed, and a more appropriate fate for this piece of something I scrape off my shoes couldn't be found. The man has a backbone composed of a single strand of overcooked angel hair pasta. And whatever the sub-chimpanzees of the Fweedumbass Kawkuss come up with to replace him will doom them and the rest of the fools in the "mainstream" GOP who don't even have the single strand of overcooked pasta to keep them vertical.
Let's stop talking about this like it's Kevin McCarthy problem. This is all of our problem and we damn well better do something about it before we lose our representative democracy.
MAGA extremists in the House of Representatives actively wanted a U.S. debt default in the Spring, and now they actively want to shutdown the government. All the posturing about spending limits, immigration policy, Ukraine military aid, and so forth is not part of a serious legislative debate. Everyone knew all along that these demands will never be accepted by a Democratic Senate and Democratic President.
What the MAGA faction seeks is chaos and disruption, targeted at the very heart of our Congress. This is not Speaker McCarthy's problem. Mr. McCarthy's impotent leadership IS the problem, as it empowers those who proudly support convicted January 6 conspirators and openly welcome civil war.
MAGA extremists in the House are not ordinary politicians, like Libertarians or the Tea Party. This ia an assault on the institution itself., very much like January 6 but perpretated from the inside. So long as Kevin McCarthy remains Speaker of the House, the threat will persist and grow. They need to be confronted directly and decisively.
The only feasible solution is for a bipartisan coalition in the House to remove Mr. McCarthy and elect a centrist Republican Speaker like Don Bacon (R-NE) who owes nothing to the exremists. And it appears the only way that will happen is if enough outspoken citizens and a supportive segment of the media insist that leader Hakim Jeffries join forces with moderate Republicans to form that coalition. Democrats in the House must stop just watching from the sidelines waiting to see what happens.
Everyone who values our institutions is encouraged to pitch in to help end the chaos, hand MAGA forces a stinging defeat, and restore normal order to the chamber. Learn more here: www.FeathersOfHope.net or jerryweiss.substack.com
This republican chaos might be fun to watch from the cheap seats, and to revel in McCarthy's pain and discomfort (couldn't happen to a nicer guy - right?) - however, the impact of the republican disfunction will be felt by all of us. Why do republicans feel just because they can do something, they should and will do it? This seems to be true with just about everything, whether popular or not - voter suppression, limiting minority voting districts, abortion restrictions, shut down the government, etc.
Whether or not McCarthy is ousted, what is the chance any replacement will have an easier time in managing the republican side of the House? Even Vegas would have to put the odds very low.
Unfortunately, the best solution is for the voters to remove some of these representatives, however, this is still more than one year away. I suppose there could be an effort to impeach some of these House members, without documented evidence of wrongdoing, however, who would ever try to impeach an elected official without any evidence?
The silver lining (besides enjoying the republicans flailing around directionless) is this disfunction, and the shutdown, if (when?) it happens, will clearly be the fault of, and be blamed on, the republicans in the House, and when shutdowns have happened historically, the party causing the shutdown has usually paid a heavy price in the next election.
Question - how can the penalty of a shutdown be such that it is directly felt by those in the House causing it? Do they stop receiving a salary? In my mind, if there is a shut down, they should lose not only their pay, however, also the money to pay everyone on their staffs - immediate layoffs (not trying to hurt innocent bystanders - having to look their staff in the eye and justify why they are opting for a shutdown which will cause direct and immediate pain to their staff might make some think twice?). Further, they should not be able to access any funds to pay for anything, including accessing campaign funds. Everything (office rent, phone bills, etc.) should have to come out of their personal pockets, and they should be forced to have to do everything for themselves, answering phones, transportation to meetings, schedule appointments, etc. I would also suggest that they should lose funding for their security details as well (I realize in today's polarized environment, security threats are real - nevertheless, if they would lose their security, or have to fund it out of their own pocket, they might not look so cavalierly toward a shutdown). My point is, unless a shutdown is felt personally, how else is there an incentive to find a solution?
Mike, the key point you make is that while this is McCarthy's problem right now, ANYONE in his job would have the same problems. The Republican House -- due to the narrowness of the GOP majority and the out-there-ness of the Freedom Caucus makes governance impossible.
I think the Dems should start referring to “Republic votes”, and if called on it, should just say something about how we’re on a short timeline to get this agreement done, and we can save time by leaving off the last syllable of “Republican “ and Democratic “.
I’d be in favor of having the House Democrats vote to remove “My Kevin”. Yes; whoever replaces him would be worse, but even Republican voters are getting tired of the dysfunction. Watching the GOP wheels fall off might just be the wake up call they need.
Very interesting question as to what House Democrats would or should do. What would happen if they all simply voted "Present?" They would take no responsibility for the GOPher debacle, letting the country see where the problem is.
Do not care what happens to MyKevin. The bigger picture, IMO, is the whole Republican congress. Either they are following the MAGA crowd or too spineless to stand up for democracy & our country. Legislate? They do not seem to care at all. The ones that may care, don’t have a voice anymore.
Madger the Badger cares not a whit about legislation. She sees her job as pouring gasoline around and then playing with matches. I doubt that she'd take the role, since she'd actually have to perform a job, instead of just media performance.
So then, who in their right mind would take the roll from Republican leadership?
~ Steve Scalise - ill-health again,
~ Elise Stefanick - lives in the shadows to harsh on Biden via social media for everything he does, especially for waking up in the morning. (Caveat - no comment on Biden Bucks coming to the northern tier of New York State)
~ Tom Emmer - assists leadership in managing party's legislative program, since there is no Republican legislative program he has a lot of time on his hands,
~ Gary Palmer - heads Conference forum for policy development. See Emmer.
It's interesting to note that invertebrate MyKevin does show Moxie in the face of being booted because he knows there is no serious contender.
Question - Perhaps best left for Friday's Mailbag:
Would it make sense for Hakeem Jeffries, (Dem Minority Leader) to go to the Democratic Caucus and decide which Republican to back and then have those Reps from deep Republican districts...
NC-13 Wiley Nickel R+2 points over the national Republican average
OH-13 Emilia Sykes R+1 points over the national Republican average
PA-07 Susan Wild R+2 points over the national Republican average
PA-08 Matt Cartwright R+4 points over the national Republican average
WA-03 Marie Gluesenkamp Perez R+5 points over the national Republican average
Nice overview of the maddening situation in the House, where anarchists posing as Rs view anything bi-partisan as anathema and governing is not on the lists of objectives. If only more people would pay attention to the lunacy that threatens our stability and safety, perhaps sanity could be restored. You simply can't govern effectively when one side of the aisle in inhabited by populist zealots.
If Stefanik replaces McCarthy, I'd say that the Republican caucus will arguably become even MORE dysfunctional. She is farther to the right than McCarthy, and she will have even more trouble controlling the "moderates" in the Republican caucus, let alone getting the Democrats to go along with anything the House passes.
My only counter to that is that Stefanik was once a moderate! And maybe she rediscovers that side of herself if she is elected Speaker? I don't know just spitballing.
Certainly a possibility, but I would submit that it is quite unlikely, given how Republicans in general (and Stefanik in particular) have run scared from the MAGA base since day one.
Why doesn't a small group of Democrats come together and form a bipartisan group that can serve an alternate purpose to what the crazies in the Freedom Caucus do - hold McCarthy's feet to the fire and try to at least move things to the center. Give McCarthy an option to not be beholden to the insanity that is MTG and Gaetz, and actually try to get things done. Or would the majority of the "Republican" party be so against the idea of working across the aisle that trying to make it happen would blow up in McCarthy's face as well?
If only this could happen. It would be the best case scenario in preserving the democracy, unfortunately, Democrats are beholden to their constituents just as republicans are beholden to theirs and even though bipartisanship polls well people expect the other side to be the one to bend not the party they belong to. There would be political retribution on both sides.
He is indeed doomed, and a more appropriate fate for this piece of something I scrape off my shoes couldn't be found. The man has a backbone composed of a single strand of overcooked angel hair pasta. And whatever the sub-chimpanzees of the Fweedumbass Kawkuss come up with to replace him will doom them and the rest of the fools in the "mainstream" GOP who don't even have the single strand of overcooked pasta to keep them vertical.
Let's stop talking about this like it's Kevin McCarthy problem. This is all of our problem and we damn well better do something about it before we lose our representative democracy.
MAGA extremists in the House of Representatives actively wanted a U.S. debt default in the Spring, and now they actively want to shutdown the government. All the posturing about spending limits, immigration policy, Ukraine military aid, and so forth is not part of a serious legislative debate. Everyone knew all along that these demands will never be accepted by a Democratic Senate and Democratic President.
What the MAGA faction seeks is chaos and disruption, targeted at the very heart of our Congress. This is not Speaker McCarthy's problem. Mr. McCarthy's impotent leadership IS the problem, as it empowers those who proudly support convicted January 6 conspirators and openly welcome civil war.
MAGA extremists in the House are not ordinary politicians, like Libertarians or the Tea Party. This ia an assault on the institution itself., very much like January 6 but perpretated from the inside. So long as Kevin McCarthy remains Speaker of the House, the threat will persist and grow. They need to be confronted directly and decisively.
The only feasible solution is for a bipartisan coalition in the House to remove Mr. McCarthy and elect a centrist Republican Speaker like Don Bacon (R-NE) who owes nothing to the exremists. And it appears the only way that will happen is if enough outspoken citizens and a supportive segment of the media insist that leader Hakim Jeffries join forces with moderate Republicans to form that coalition. Democrats in the House must stop just watching from the sidelines waiting to see what happens.
Everyone who values our institutions is encouraged to pitch in to help end the chaos, hand MAGA forces a stinging defeat, and restore normal order to the chamber. Learn more here: www.FeathersOfHope.net or jerryweiss.substack.com
.
This republican chaos might be fun to watch from the cheap seats, and to revel in McCarthy's pain and discomfort (couldn't happen to a nicer guy - right?) - however, the impact of the republican disfunction will be felt by all of us. Why do republicans feel just because they can do something, they should and will do it? This seems to be true with just about everything, whether popular or not - voter suppression, limiting minority voting districts, abortion restrictions, shut down the government, etc.
Whether or not McCarthy is ousted, what is the chance any replacement will have an easier time in managing the republican side of the House? Even Vegas would have to put the odds very low.
Unfortunately, the best solution is for the voters to remove some of these representatives, however, this is still more than one year away. I suppose there could be an effort to impeach some of these House members, without documented evidence of wrongdoing, however, who would ever try to impeach an elected official without any evidence?
The silver lining (besides enjoying the republicans flailing around directionless) is this disfunction, and the shutdown, if (when?) it happens, will clearly be the fault of, and be blamed on, the republicans in the House, and when shutdowns have happened historically, the party causing the shutdown has usually paid a heavy price in the next election.
Question - how can the penalty of a shutdown be such that it is directly felt by those in the House causing it? Do they stop receiving a salary? In my mind, if there is a shut down, they should lose not only their pay, however, also the money to pay everyone on their staffs - immediate layoffs (not trying to hurt innocent bystanders - having to look their staff in the eye and justify why they are opting for a shutdown which will cause direct and immediate pain to their staff might make some think twice?). Further, they should not be able to access any funds to pay for anything, including accessing campaign funds. Everything (office rent, phone bills, etc.) should have to come out of their personal pockets, and they should be forced to have to do everything for themselves, answering phones, transportation to meetings, schedule appointments, etc. I would also suggest that they should lose funding for their security details as well (I realize in today's polarized environment, security threats are real - nevertheless, if they would lose their security, or have to fund it out of their own pocket, they might not look so cavalierly toward a shutdown). My point is, unless a shutdown is felt personally, how else is there an incentive to find a solution?
Mike, the key point you make is that while this is McCarthy's problem right now, ANYONE in his job would have the same problems. The Republican House -- due to the narrowness of the GOP majority and the out-there-ness of the Freedom Caucus makes governance impossible.
"Who would ever try to impeach an elected official without any evidence?"
Blessed be the sarcasm font!
"The thing that would force the motion to
vacate is if Kevin has to rely on Democrat
votes to pass a CR" Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.)
said.
Or Democratic if you speak English. That childishness just comes naturally to MAGA Republicans now, doesn’t it?
I think the Dems should start referring to “Republic votes”, and if called on it, should just say something about how we’re on a short timeline to get this agreement done, and we can save time by leaving off the last syllable of “Republican “ and Democratic “.
I’d be in favor of having the House Democrats vote to remove “My Kevin”. Yes; whoever replaces him would be worse, but even Republican voters are getting tired of the dysfunction. Watching the GOP wheels fall off might just be the wake up call they need.
Interesting theory!
Very interesting question as to what House Democrats would or should do. What would happen if they all simply voted "Present?" They would take no responsibility for the GOPher debacle, letting the country see where the problem is.
Do not care what happens to MyKevin. The bigger picture, IMO, is the whole Republican congress. Either they are following the MAGA crowd or too spineless to stand up for democracy & our country. Legislate? They do not seem to care at all. The ones that may care, don’t have a voice anymore.
Chris,
Thanks for the analysis.
Madger the Badger cares not a whit about legislation. She sees her job as pouring gasoline around and then playing with matches. I doubt that she'd take the role, since she'd actually have to perform a job, instead of just media performance.
So then, who in their right mind would take the roll from Republican leadership?
~ Steve Scalise - ill-health again,
~ Elise Stefanick - lives in the shadows to harsh on Biden via social media for everything he does, especially for waking up in the morning. (Caveat - no comment on Biden Bucks coming to the northern tier of New York State)
~ Tom Emmer - assists leadership in managing party's legislative program, since there is no Republican legislative program he has a lot of time on his hands,
~ Gary Palmer - heads Conference forum for policy development. See Emmer.
It's interesting to note that invertebrate MyKevin does show Moxie in the face of being booted because he knows there is no serious contender.
Question - Perhaps best left for Friday's Mailbag:
Would it make sense for Hakeem Jeffries, (Dem Minority Leader) to go to the Democratic Caucus and decide which Republican to back and then have those Reps from deep Republican districts...
NC-13 Wiley Nickel R+2 points over the national Republican average
OH-13 Emilia Sykes R+1 points over the national Republican average
PA-07 Susan Wild R+2 points over the national Republican average
PA-08 Matt Cartwright R+4 points over the national Republican average
WA-03 Marie Gluesenkamp Perez R+5 points over the national Republican average
...to vote for that Republican candidate?
Nice overview of the maddening situation in the House, where anarchists posing as Rs view anything bi-partisan as anathema and governing is not on the lists of objectives. If only more people would pay attention to the lunacy that threatens our stability and safety, perhaps sanity could be restored. You simply can't govern effectively when one side of the aisle in inhabited by populist zealots.
If Stefanik replaces McCarthy, I'd say that the Republican caucus will arguably become even MORE dysfunctional. She is farther to the right than McCarthy, and she will have even more trouble controlling the "moderates" in the Republican caucus, let alone getting the Democrats to go along with anything the House passes.
My only counter to that is that Stefanik was once a moderate! And maybe she rediscovers that side of herself if she is elected Speaker? I don't know just spitballing.
Certainly a possibility, but I would submit that it is quite unlikely, given how Republicans in general (and Stefanik in particular) have run scared from the MAGA base since day one.
Why would anyone want this job? Being a backbencher sounds a lot easier.
Agree, Sam. Seems totally miserable to me!
Well, why would anyone want to lead an infantry patrol in the mountains of Afghanistan? Maybe because our democracy is under attack?
Is it too much to ask that some elected member of Congress be patriotic enough to take the "risk" of becoming Speaker of the House of Representatives?
.
Is there any chance Elise Stefanik becomes Speaker? Since, for Republicans, it seems to be the political equivalent of hospice, I’d really love that.
Definitely a chance. I think Steve Scalise is in front of her in line but if McCarthy was pushed out who knows what and who would fill that void.
I saw somewhere that Scalise has health issues that might preclude him from taking it. The GOP never fails to be entertaining, tho.
McCarthy deserves whatever is coming to him, and I hope he leaves in embarrassing fashion.
Seems the dens could swing enough votes with a compromise package to get someone normal in the seat
Why doesn't a small group of Democrats come together and form a bipartisan group that can serve an alternate purpose to what the crazies in the Freedom Caucus do - hold McCarthy's feet to the fire and try to at least move things to the center. Give McCarthy an option to not be beholden to the insanity that is MTG and Gaetz, and actually try to get things done. Or would the majority of the "Republican" party be so against the idea of working across the aisle that trying to make it happen would blow up in McCarthy's face as well?
If only this could happen. It would be the best case scenario in preserving the democracy, unfortunately, Democrats are beholden to their constituents just as republicans are beholden to theirs and even though bipartisanship polls well people expect the other side to be the one to bend not the party they belong to. There would be political retribution on both sides.
What a freaking mess!!