The comparison between Nancy Pelosi and Kevin McCarthy is frankly embarrassing. As the article points out a strong and talented speaker would have had trouble governing the rabble that is the GOP House members but it has to be said he made a very bad fist of a tough job. A highly successful conservative Prime Minister said that in politics disunity is death. Here's hoping right and the House GOP hurries up and dies.
Yes, but how many will suffer before the House GOP does, Michael Wild? I don't give a crap about politicians, but I'm officially a Senior Citizen, so keeping Social Security and Medicare funded and operational are a real concern for me.
Catching up on my reading... The GOP are flip-flopping constantly on issues; small gov, low tax( of course, except for the rich). Meanwhile, any frustration that average voter has, not their problem - look, the Dems did that, they are to blame for everything. And boy did they find a poster boy for that juvenile cause in Trump! Although, trying to actually suck up to him AND try to do functional work in the Congress, either house not possible for how many GOP Speakers now? Sheesh...
David Sea's prediction: The Freedom Caucus will help delay nominating a Speaker to attain the gavel indefinitely, and purposefully, to force a shutdown of the US Gov't.
They don't want to govern, so they certainly do not want the US House to govern either.
The GOP is not a feasible political party in the modern era. They need to become a rump regional party that can't win on the national level for good reason. This isn't being a Democratic stan, it is accepting the reality of a political party that refuses to update their policy programs with the opinions and needs of most of the nation. Especially in regards to climate change and student loans.
That's a great take. People now seem to have a hard time understanding the position some of us argue from. I have never trusted either party, but I've never voted for a Republican, because I've always viewed the party as right of center-right. The Democrats have always been a coalition spanning progressive through center-right characters. But I do not necessarily trust the institution holding all that together, so I'm not a Democrat. Yet, I live in a two-party system so I never throw away my vote (except to the Libertarian in my first Presidential election in 1992).
My point? There's a lot of us, I think. I'm looking at this rationally, I hope. I'm popping up to call a time-out, perhaps permanently, on the Republican Party, based solely on their leaning into authoritarian governance. People are waking up to this. It is critical that people gain a better overall perspective, or the ability to entertain different perspectives. Education.
Agreed--the next Speaker will likely a be a MAGA, knuckle-dragging loon. That said, McCarthy sealed his fate when he blamed the Democrats for the (almost) shutdown at the end of September and allowed the bogus impeachment inquiry to go forward. Why would he think that any Democrats would support him after he did those two things?
That they did, because strategically and for the country, it was the right thing to do. For this vote, however, a different calculation and determination was made.
Yes, I see that—but what are the odds enough Republicans are going to vote for Hakreem Jeffries, even to PWN! Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene, for him to win the Speakership?
I'm missing the calculation, because the Dems sure don't want chaos, and wasting everybody's time on Yet Another Attack Biden by Going After His Son stunt and shutting down the Government benefits nobody except the MAGAts.
Never mind, I'd forgotten that McCarthy isn't trustworthy enough not to backstab anybody he thinks will get him ahead....
Jim Jordan, eh? Is he hoping the Speakership will give him powers Fawni Willis surgically removed it in her response to his demand for information he had no right to?
A coalition government is the only way to go realistically. Not saying it’d be fun for the Republican speaker in place, but if it requires more Democratic votes than Republican votes to pass anything that would actually pass with the Senate and the President and reality, in a so-called Republican chamber, then that’s the reality and McCarthy should have leaned into that.
"Republican congressman to nominate Trump for House speaker
Faced with a dearth of viable or willing candidates, Republicans have already begun floating and endorsing the four-times indicted disgraced ex-president Donald J. Trump as the next Speaker of the House. Rep. Troy Nehls has already announced his intention to nominate Trump when the House reconvenes, and Marjorie Taylor Greene (of COURSE) has declared that she would endorse his Speakership."
Can they even legally DO that? Doesn't the Speaker have to be a member of House, at least...?
::as bad as McCarthy was, the next GOP House speaker is likely to be worse.::
Well, THAT's comforting! 😧😧😧
I just have to ask—what did the Democrats benefit from voting against McCarthy? Couldn't they have made a deal with McCarthy to work as a bipartisan House, and castrated the likes of Matt Gaetz?
::Thinking of that fucking (alleged!) pedophile getting his nuts cut off? Brings a smile to my face....::
I absolutely agree that the alternative, if the so-called "Freedom Caucus" supports her/him, is going to be even worse. If Biden can work with McCarthy, then why didn't the Dems leave him in place?
What am I missing here? Is it just "He's not one of us!"? (Which is the excuse the Dems gave for not supporting Bernie Sanders, who would have been a far better President than Trump OR Hillary!) If McCarthy agreed to stop the Impeachment inquiry, which he has to know was a losing game, and actually work with the House Democrats, maybe they could've turned a liability into an asset. 🤷♂️
::The thought of McCarthy turning on that (alleged!) babyraping Nazi scum Gaetz and launching an Impeachment inquiry on him instead? Brings a HUGE smile to my face!::
Noah, you are such a wonderfully talented writer! I love reading your pieces.
The comparison between Nancy Pelosi and Kevin McCarthy is frankly embarrassing. As the article points out a strong and talented speaker would have had trouble governing the rabble that is the GOP House members but it has to be said he made a very bad fist of a tough job. A highly successful conservative Prime Minister said that in politics disunity is death. Here's hoping right and the House GOP hurries up and dies.
Yes, but how many will suffer before the House GOP does, Michael Wild? I don't give a crap about politicians, but I'm officially a Senior Citizen, so keeping Social Security and Medicare funded and operational are a real concern for me.
Good question DR Darke but I fear their long march into unelectable irrelevance will take a lot longer than it should.
Yes, that's what I fear as well.
Catching up on my reading... The GOP are flip-flopping constantly on issues; small gov, low tax( of course, except for the rich). Meanwhile, any frustration that average voter has, not their problem - look, the Dems did that, they are to blame for everything. And boy did they find a poster boy for that juvenile cause in Trump! Although, trying to actually suck up to him AND try to do functional work in the Congress, either house not possible for how many GOP Speakers now? Sheesh...
David Sea's prediction: The Freedom Caucus will help delay nominating a Speaker to attain the gavel indefinitely, and purposefully, to force a shutdown of the US Gov't.
They don't want to govern, so they certainly do not want the US House to govern either.
Prediction in politics is a risky business but yours seems all too credible and sensible Mr Sea.
The GOP is not a feasible political party in the modern era. They need to become a rump regional party that can't win on the national level for good reason. This isn't being a Democratic stan, it is accepting the reality of a political party that refuses to update their policy programs with the opinions and needs of most of the nation. Especially in regards to climate change and student loans.
And Women's Choice and LGBTQIA+ Rights!
💯
That's a great take. People now seem to have a hard time understanding the position some of us argue from. I have never trusted either party, but I've never voted for a Republican, because I've always viewed the party as right of center-right. The Democrats have always been a coalition spanning progressive through center-right characters. But I do not necessarily trust the institution holding all that together, so I'm not a Democrat. Yet, I live in a two-party system so I never throw away my vote (except to the Libertarian in my first Presidential election in 1992).
My point? There's a lot of us, I think. I'm looking at this rationally, I hope. I'm popping up to call a time-out, perhaps permanently, on the Republican Party, based solely on their leaning into authoritarian governance. People are waking up to this. It is critical that people gain a better overall perspective, or the ability to entertain different perspectives. Education.
Agreed--the next Speaker will likely a be a MAGA, knuckle-dragging loon. That said, McCarthy sealed his fate when he blamed the Democrats for the (almost) shutdown at the end of September and allowed the bogus impeachment inquiry to go forward. Why would he think that any Democrats would support him after he did those two things?
::Why would he think that any Democrats would support him after he did those two things?::
Well, they did for the interim funding vote....
That they did, because strategically and for the country, it was the right thing to do. For this vote, however, a different calculation and determination was made.
Yes, I see that—but what are the odds enough Republicans are going to vote for Hakreem Jeffries, even to PWN! Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene, for him to win the Speakership?
I'm missing the calculation, because the Dems sure don't want chaos, and wasting everybody's time on Yet Another Attack Biden by Going After His Son stunt and shutting down the Government benefits nobody except the MAGAts.
Oh, they won't, I know. I read that Jim Jordan is running--that could and would be a complete circus!
Never mind, I'd forgotten that McCarthy isn't trustworthy enough not to backstab anybody he thinks will get him ahead....
Jim Jordan, eh? Is he hoping the Speakership will give him powers Fawni Willis surgically removed it in her response to his demand for information he had no right to?
A coalition government is the only way to go realistically. Not saying it’d be fun for the Republican speaker in place, but if it requires more Democratic votes than Republican votes to pass anything that would actually pass with the Senate and the President and reality, in a so-called Republican chamber, then that’s the reality and McCarthy should have leaned into that.
Noah, “glib-haired Matt Gaetz” started my morning with a belly laugh!
Venomous, constipated vipers. Very apt description of the GOP.
Actually I think it libels some of God's creatures!
OMFG! From AtAdvocacy News (https://atadvocacy.com/ ):
"Republican congressman to nominate Trump for House speaker
Faced with a dearth of viable or willing candidates, Republicans have already begun floating and endorsing the four-times indicted disgraced ex-president Donald J. Trump as the next Speaker of the House. Rep. Troy Nehls has already announced his intention to nominate Trump when the House reconvenes, and Marjorie Taylor Greene (of COURSE) has declared that she would endorse his Speakership."
Can they even legally DO that? Doesn't the Speaker have to be a member of House, at least...?
::as bad as McCarthy was, the next GOP House speaker is likely to be worse.::
Well, THAT's comforting! 😧😧😧
I just have to ask—what did the Democrats benefit from voting against McCarthy? Couldn't they have made a deal with McCarthy to work as a bipartisan House, and castrated the likes of Matt Gaetz?
::Thinking of that fucking (alleged!) pedophile getting his nuts cut off? Brings a smile to my face....::
I absolutely agree that the alternative, if the so-called "Freedom Caucus" supports her/him, is going to be even worse. If Biden can work with McCarthy, then why didn't the Dems leave him in place?
What am I missing here? Is it just "He's not one of us!"? (Which is the excuse the Dems gave for not supporting Bernie Sanders, who would have been a far better President than Trump OR Hillary!) If McCarthy agreed to stop the Impeachment inquiry, which he has to know was a losing game, and actually work with the House Democrats, maybe they could've turned a liability into an asset. 🤷♂️
::The thought of McCarthy turning on that (alleged!) babyraping Nazi scum Gaetz and launching an Impeachment inquiry on him instead? Brings a HUGE smile to my face!::
Thank you, Noah for a good take on McCarthy and the republican caucus.
So let's hear about who the next Speaker might be. Jim Jordan would take us a level lower.