💣 The Disastrous 118th Congress - MAGA Mike Johnson Saved by Shadow Speaker Hakeem Jeffries

[Dr. Ken]

[bob]

If McCarthy makes a deal with the Democrats, that will only infuriate the rest of the party.

Too also: The Democrats have no incentive to work with McCarthy.

McCarthy countenanced (if not actively encouraged) the worst in his conference, and his word means nothing. There's nothing that he could promise that couldn't later be taken away.

It would appear rank-and-file Republicans expected Democrats to be the adults and quietly vote present to let McCarty ascend.

* * *

This whole debacle is certainly entertaining, but there is a serous question: If not McCarthy, then who?

If the R's finally give up and decide that Kevin is not going to be their speaker, who might emerge as a consensus candidate, that might actually be elected speaker?

Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Mike Gallagher (R-WI), and Dave Joyce (R-OH) have been suggested as possibilities. Ex-Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) also has been floated (he made the poll!).

Republicans have suggested Scalise or Jordan, but extremely doubtful that the Democrats would select either over McCarthy.

Too also: several Republicans have said they won't vote for anyone other than McCarty. But the Democrats only need six Republicans to vote for the agreed-upon compromise speaker.

[AndyinPA]

Does anybody think if Kevin finally decides he's toast, he will take his toys and go home?

[bob]

Does anybody think if Kevin finally decides he's toast, he will take his toys and go home?

[Suranis]

Does anybody think if Kevin finally decides he's toast, he will take his toys and go home?

If he gives up this position he is nothing, forevermore.

[pipistrelle]

Angry Staffer
@Angry_Staffer

I feel like it’s too early to assume this isn’t going to happen

Adam Parkhomenko

@AdamParkhomenko
To their credit, House Republicans haven’t started smearing their own feces on the House floor yet.
1:28 PM · Jan 5, 2023

[bob]

[noblepa]

This whole debacle is certainly entertaining, but there is a serous question: If not McCarthy, then who?

If the R's finally give up and decide that Kevin is not going to be their speaker, who might emerge as a consensus candidate, that might actually be elected speaker?

Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Mike Gallagher (R-WI), and Dave Joyce (R-OH) have been suggested as possibilities. Ex-Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) also has been floated (he made the poll!).

Republicans have suggested Scalise or Jordan, but extremely doubtful that the Democrats would select either over McCarthy.

Too also: several Republicans have said they won't vote for anyone other than McCarty. But the Democrats only need six Republicans to vote for the agreed-upon compromise speaker.

A lot of people have been suggested, including TFG. Do any of them stand a chance of being elected? They all seem like splinter candidates to me, each garnering a handful of votes. If a dark horse like that came along, would the Never Kevin faction vote for them, or would the renew their demands for concessions and what amount to bribes, in the form of plum committee assignments.

Would Democrats ever tire of the drama and vote for a Republican, just so that the House can get back to some semblance of governing? What incentive would D's have to do that? I can't think of anything. This fiasco just weakens McCarthy, or any other Republican speaker and makes a laughing stock out of the Republican party.

[bob]

A lot of people have been suggested, including TFG. Do any of them stand a chance of being elected? They all seem like splinter candidates to me, each garnering a handful of votes. If a dark horse like that came along, would the Never Kevin faction vote for them, or would the renew their demands for concessions and what amount to bribes, in the form of plum committee assignments.

Again, it would take only six Republicans (who are neither never-Kevins nor always-Kevins) to end this clown show. Bribing Encouraging them with plum assignments is possible.

Would Democrats ever tire of the drama and vote for a Republican, just so that the House can get back to some semblance of governing? What incentive would D's have to do that? I can't think of anything. This fiasco just weakens McCarthy, or any other Republican speaker and makes a laughing stock out of the Republican party.

The only incentive is money*: That is, if the federal government needed to spend money that it currently isn't authorized to do.

Making last year's move to fund the remainder of the fiscal year seem surprisingly wise.


* In theory: also declare war, confirm a replacement vice president, decide whether Acting President Harris needs to return the presidency to Biden, etc.

[AndyinPA]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics ... YS36CDRQGE

Former House speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told reporters there’s no chance that Democrats will strike a deal to provide the votes to elect GOP leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as speaker.

“You’re missing the whole point,” she said. It’s Democrats’ responsibility to find common ground with Republicans on policy and even on House rules such as the motion to vacate, she said, “but they have to select their leader first.”

Pelosi also called the deadlock over electing a speaker “unfortunate” because it distracts from the $35 price cap on insulin for Medicare beneficiaries passed last year as part of Democrats’ climate package, which takes effect this month.

[Kendra]

Who is this rep speaking right now?

[p0rtia]

Who is this rep speaking right now?

[Kendra]

Out of order. Also,
@RepRosendale
she is Rep. Waters or Maxine Waters to you unless you are in personal conversation with her. Rep. Waters is not your servant. Disgusting display. But congratulations, you got your fundraising clip. B/c nothing sells better.

[Suranis]

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1611103085648310272

Aaron Rupar@atrupar
·
2m
so now the Republican votes are being split between McCarthy, Donalds, Hern, and Trump (assuming Gaetz votes for him again). On the 9th ballot, we're getting further away from Republicans hitting 218.

Not gonna lie, if I was McCarthy I would be saying "eff this."

Pelosi must be laughing her ass off. And, I think that by resigning she helped make this happen. There is no "Lets wipe the smirk off that bitch" factor making people vote for McCarthy just to "spite her."

[Dr. Ken]

*laughs in Herman Cain*

[Luke]

29 Votes for #BiscuitForSpeaker! Kevin gets no more votes but Biscuit keeps going up up up! We're going to need an official comment from the 699th or Fogbow brain trust on this:

StormyTheCat @StormyTheCat9 23m
Replying to @Orly_licious and @GreggEvans16

I’d vote for Lt. Biscuit in a second if I weren’t, you know, a cat. And not because she’s a dog, but because cats can’t vote.

MAGAts have a new flag!

[Kendra]

[Suranis]

NINE! NINE LUDICROUS FAILED VOTES! AH AH AH!!

[noblepa]

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1611103085648310272

Aaron Rupar@atrupar
·
2m
so now the Republican votes are being split between McCarthy, Donalds, Hern, and Trump (assuming Gaetz votes for him again). On the 9th ballot, we're getting further away from Republicans hitting 218.

Not gonna lie, if I was McCarthy I would be saying "eff this."

Pelosi must be laughing her ass off. And, I think that by resigning she helped make this happen. There is no "Lets wipe the smirk off that bitch" factor making people vote for McCarthy just to "spite her."

I don't think that her stepping down as speaker had anything to do with it. The R's won a (slim) majority in the House. They were going to elect a Republican speaker in any case.

Had the Democrats held on to a majority in the House, it is possible, but I don't believe likely, that we would be seeing the same thing playing out with the D's. I don't know who the D's would have elected, but I'm pretty sure the process would have been more orderly than this.

On another note, I suspect that, when this finally ends and they elect SOMEONE as speaker, the R's will try to find a way to blame the chaos on the D's.

[Slim Cognito]

Just my arrogant opinion but I can't help but wonder if Matty nominated trump bc he got a nasty text from the OSG after he refused to take his advice and vote for McCarthy.

[Volkonski]

So the nine rounds of voting ties the nine rounds in 1923. But at least one more round is needed so 2023 will exceed 1923.

[Volkonski]

I am concerned that McCarthy will give so much away to the gang of 20 that he won't be able to function as speaker. The moment he does something they don't like one of them will call for his ouster. That could become a frequent occurrence.

[Dave from down under]

Just to show my ignorance

Is anything happening in the US Senate while this bit of theatre is happening?

[Volkonski]

One the 9th vote McCarthy's total dropped from 201 to 200.

[New Turtle]

Does anybody think if Kevin finally decides he's toast, he will take his toys and go home?

Yes, he will go the way of Eric Cantor and resign from leadership. Since it's the beginning of the term, he may stick around in office a year trying to land a private sector gig, but I doubt he will show up for votes. My guess is he would hand pick someone for Speaker and tell his 200 or so to move their votes to that person. He won't go out of his way to pick a compromise candidate, it will be his preference.