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

[Reality Check]

The motion to table failed 218 to 208 with 11 Republicans voting nay. They are now debating the resolution to vacate the Office of Speaker. If this split holds on the actual vote McCarthy is brunt toast. However it is not a given that the vote to vacate will match this vote.

[bob]

The motion to table failed 218 to 208 with 11 Republicans voting nay. They are now debating the resolution to vacate the Office of Speaker. If this split holds on the actual vote McCarthy is brunt toast. However it is not a given that the vote to vacate will match this vote.

The Democrats voting against tabling is free money. ("The People deserve an up-or-down vote!") Especially if McCarthy wasn't offering anything.

[Reality Check]

They are doing a roll call vote. This will take a while.

[Suranis]

As an aside, that use of "table" is a weird US thing because everywhere outside the US, tabling a motion means exactly the opposite - that they are going to start considering it. That's what I thought the articles were talking about and I was really confused.

[Reality Check]

As an aside, that use of "table" is a weird US thing because everywhere outside the US, tabling a motion means exactly the opposite - that they are going to start considering it. That's what I thought the articles were talking about and I was really confused.

Yes, I meant to mention that. In Parliament in the UK to "lay upon the table" means to bring the matter to the House immediately and vote on it. While in the US Congress to table means the opposite. I was confused by this during all the Brexit votes.

[Volkonski]

216 to 210

McCarthy is out.

[SuzieC]

McCarthy ousted 216-210. All Ds and 8 Rs. Patrick McHenry is Speaker Pro Tempore.

[AndyinPA]

What a mess.

[raison de arizona]

lie down with dogs...

[Atticus Finch]

Update the title to Disgraced Former Speaker

[Dr. Ken]

216 to 210

McCarthy is out.

[bob]

Patrick McHenry is Speaker Pro Tempore.

Politico:

The speaker pro tempore is imbued with all the powers of an elected speaker of the House. McCarthy hand-picked McHenry (R-N.C.) for this role when he was elected speaker in January. The pro tempore is kept as a secret, held by the clerk of the House, until a speaker is removed or incapacitated, a process designed after Sept. 11, 2001, to ensure continuity of government.

I presume the Acting Speaker will, well, act, until a permanent speaker is selected.

So it is quite possible McHenry will be in the job until January 2025.

[Shizzle Popped]

I'm no fan of McCarthy, and he deserves what he got, but what kind of pile of shit will Gaetz and his ilk approve? I'm afraid things are about to get much worse. Maybe the Dems can get together and find a moderate Republican (are there any left?) that both sides can work with but it doesn't seem likely.

[W. Kevin Vicklund]

Time to bring this one back out.

Welcome, Monsieur, come join the clowns
And meet the best ringleader in town
As for the reps, all of them crooks:
Who got their seats by cooking the books
Seldom do you see
Crooked men like me
A gent of ill intent
Who's content to be

Speaker of the house, doling out the chairs
Ready with a handshake and some put on airs
Tells a saucy tale, makes a little stir
Constituents appreciate a good old slur
Owe the Freedom Caucus some favors
It'd cost me to be nice
‘Cause nothing gets you nothing
Everything has got a little price!

Speaker of the house, keeper of the zoo
Going to have to throw to them a bone or two
Pandering their whines, carrying their weight
Punishing the queers and anyone who isn’t straight
When you’re a spineless leader
Everybody's bosom friend
I do whatever pleases
Jesus! Won't they bleed me in the end!

Speaker of the house, witless little slime
To get the spot they had to vote all of fourteen times
Servant to Boebert, butler to Matt Gaetz
Beholden to a party full of lifelong hate!
Everybody's boon companion
Everybody's whipping boy
Here they come with their valises
Jesus! Won't they skin you to the bone!

Bills beyond compare
Bills beyond belief
Nix the regs and make them wonder where’s the beef
Tax cuts in due course, add a little fat
Making of the sausages with tit for tat
Whackjobs are more than welcome
Wall street is occupied
Racking up those charges
Plus, some little extras on the side!
(Oh Santos!)

Charge 'em all the fees, extra as you please
Two percent for armoring up the damn police (Hand it over!)
Here a little slice, there a little cut
Three percenters want to pull the purse strings shut
When it comes to these deficits
There are a lot of tricks he knows
How it all increases, all those bits and pieces
Jesus! It's amazing how it grows!

I used to dream of a Saudi prince
But God Almighty, have you seen what's happened since?

Speaker of the house? Boebert’s little bitch!
Couldn’t hold a candle to that turtle Mitch!
Cunning little brain, useless little twit
Thinks he's quite a leader but he’s got no wit
What a cruel trick of nature landed us with such a louse
God knows how we’ll keep her living with this creeper in the house!

Speaker of the house!
Speaker and a half!
Confronter, party leader
Don't make me laugh!
Servant to Boebert, butler to Matt Gaetz
Hypocrite and toady and inebriate!
Everybody bless the leader!
Everybody bless this house!
Everybody raise a glass
Raise it up the Speaker’s ass
Everybody raise a glass to the Speaker of the House!

[bob]

The Republicans who voted in favor of removal include, in addition Gaetz: Ken Buck, Eli Crane, Tim Burchett, Andy Biggs, Bob Good, Nancy Mace, and Matthew Rosendale.

Victoria Spartz, Cory Mills, and Warren Davidson (all Republicans) voted against tabling but also against the motion to vacate.

[RVInit]

I am not a supporter of McCarthy but hate to see the Democrats voting with Gaetz.

Me too. If he's replaced it will be by a hardliner. I could be missing something or not thinking clearly, but I don't see the benefit to Democrats to get an even worse right winger as House Leader.

[bob]

I could be missing something or not thinking clearly, but I don't see the benefit to Democrats to get an even worse right winger as House Leader.

I'm going to take the over on no new Speaker being elected until 2025.

The House may conduct business with the pro tem. at the helm.

[Volkonski]

I recall that when McCarthy was running for Speaker that the House could do nothing except try to elect a Speaker until a Speaker is elected.

[Foggy]

Hey, he's in the record books now. Nobody has ever been removed as Speaker on a vote of the membership before.

[Foggy]

Hey, he's in the record books now. Nobody has ever been removed as Speaker on a vote of the membership before.

[bob]

I recall that when McCarthy was running for Speaker that the House could do nothing except try to elect a Speaker until a Speaker is elected.

That's a different situation. At the start of each session, a Speaker must be elected, and the rules voted on, before any other business may proceed.

The Speaker has been elected, and rules were voted on; business may proceed. The legal fiction is the Speaker is "temporarily" incapacitated.


The various articles say there is a list of pro tem. Speakers. Which suggests that, if another motion to vacate is made (to oust this pro tem.), then the next pro tem. steps up. (DItto if this pro tem. dies, resigns, or is expelled.) The list's membership is secret (to everyone except the Clerk).

[SuzieC]

I am not a supporter of McCarthy but hate to see the Democrats voting with Gaetz.

Me too. If he's replaced it will be by a hardliner. I could be missing something or not thinking clearly, but I don't see the benefit to Democrats to get an even worse right winger as House Leader.

The Dems owed Kevin NOTHING. He reneged on deals almost before the ink was dry, he ran to Trump to grovel after first condemning him for Jan 6, he pushed a sham impeachment, and he is as MAGA as Gaetz and others of his ilk. As I understand, the Dems were offered no concessions for their votes. I'm thrilled that they stood in solidarity and voted him down. Admire the leadership of Rep. Jeffries.
OMG. And also, just on MSNBC, Kevin went on TV and lied that Democrats were actually pushing for the govt. shutdown. Rep. Omar says they were all sick of the lies.

[AndyinPA]

This is all on the republicans.

[bob]

[Gregg]

Nothing moves in the House without a speaker in place. The shutdown will become unbearable for millions, and they won't care.

So let's get this Bloodbath started!

Normal Republicans wil finally wake up and start telling the children to sit down, shut up and do what you're told.

They'll have to bring someone the head of Matt Gaetz before anything happens. They might end up actually expelling him from the House which wouldn't hurt my feelings.

Next topic, who is stupid enough to take the job now? For the last 30 years it has mostly been the way Republican politicians torch their career. Who was the last "sccessful" Republican Speaker of the House?

(Answer, a Cincinnati guy, Nick Longworth who was Speaker 3 times during the roaring 20s from 1925 through 1931)

Yeah, he was there for the bank crashes and the start of the Depression, but for a Republican, that's as good as it gets for people who never shook Lincoln's hand.