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56 thoughts on “Kevin McCarthy fails a third time”

    1. Marlowe

      Because unlike presidentin', Drumpf might not be able to serve as Speaker while spending the bulk of each day in a bathrobe, posting on Truth Social, scarfing Big Macs and guzzling Diet Coke while watching, and calling into, Fox News. Then again, since the GQP has no real legislative agenda beyond owning the libs, investigating Hunter Biden, impeaching Joe Biden and half of the executive branch, and taking hostages until they crash the world economy, maybe he can.

      3. Jasper_in_Boston

        Drumpf might not be able to serve as Speaker while spending the bulk of each day in a bathrobe, posting on Truth Social, scarfing Big Macs and guzzling Diet Coke

        Donnie already served a term as POTUS. Zero reason the speakership couldn't be adjusted to fit his, uh, unique requirements.

  2. AnnieDunkin

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      1. ColBatGuano

        I don't think the rest of us are going to make the $100/hr that Annie does at her "job". Is simple activities what the kids are calling it these days?

  3. cld

    There are going to be around 15 or so who won't vote for anyone but a lunatic, so they need to find someone lunatics can believe is an actual lunatic yet who is pleasant enough to make no more than four of the rest puke.

    Who is that magic nazi-but-nice unicorn?

    2. J. Frank Parnell

      These are the sorts of issues one runs into when you are trying to organize a social movement made up of people who are anti-social.

  6. D_Ohrk_E1

    He'll get his speakership if he promises Democrats to keep a select group of Republicans out of any committees.

    It's that easy.

    1. cld

      Who could believe him if he promised that?

      And if he did and it immediately comes out that he did, as it will, what then?

      1. D_Ohrk_E1

        There are some promises that must be kept or else everything breaks down. This would be one of them.

        McCarthy wouldn't keep the promise in the dark. He would make it known: those who voted against him in the next round + MTG + Jim Jordan.

        If he can't recognize that his grip on power is directly related to his ability to control the never-McCarthy wing, he's not just a fool, but a fool who will never become Speaker.

        1. ScentOfViolets

          Excellhent anaylsis. I'd extend it full-on modus ponens though. If McCarthy can't recognize yadda yadda. McCarthy doesn't recognize yadda yadda.With entirely predictable results.

      2. D_Ohrk_E1

        What sort of fool would willingly allow the sword of Damocles to be hung over his head?

        If it's McCarthy, I think the bet will be that a head of lettuce will outlast him.

        1. ScentOfViolets

          Innerestin' coda: After being realesed from the throne, Damocles last act as a coutier was to promptly grab said sword and run Dionysius through. His first act as King was to order that the body be dragged from his court and thrown on top of the pile other bodies predeceasing the former King. Hey, there was a reason the guy wasn't liked.

    3. zaphod

      I seriously doubt that Democrats would go for that. Why help Republicans solve a problem that Republicans are entirely responsible for?

      It's not as if this "solution" would allow anything to get accomplished anyway. They are going to grandstand their way to 2024 in any case. Let the voters see what happens when R's have real power.

      1. D_Ohrk_E1

        Ds would go for this because it would block the likes of Jim Jordan from the Judiciary and the fake witch hunts he's already signaled he's planning on conducting.

    4. Mitch Guthman

      I’ve got no idea what will happen. Perhaps the Democrats will rescue McCarthy either deliberately or through inadvertence by failing to show up for every vote (thereby making him speaker). Perhaps a deal to make a compromise candidate speaker. I don’t see any advantage to it for the Democrats.

      But it’s truly inconceivable that any Republican would accept such a deal as he or she would be unanimously and instantly voted out of the speakership by the entire Republican caucus. Even the most “moderate” Republican would quite rationally consider such a deal to be treasonous to the party. McCarthy wouldn’t last out a day as speaker.

      1. Vog46

        "But it’s truly inconceivable that any Republican would accept such a deal as he or she would be unanimously and instantly voted out of the speakership by the entire Republican caucus"

        Never been done before. Other officers of the House like the clerk and the doorkeeper HAVE been removed but the speaker removal raises some really unique constitutional questions if they tried to pursue this avenue. Unless McCarthy just went quietly in the night. I just don't see anyone trying to remove the speaker.
        a

        1. Mitch Guthman

          There’s not enough Democrats+McCarthy to keep him as speaker. Instantly as this deal was discovered every single Republican in the House would go nuts. There’d be a motion to vacate and every Republican would vote in favor of removing McCarthy. It’s clear to me that such a deal would be fatal to McCarthy’s speakership.

          And, it seems to me, that the fine print would be problematic. The chairperson of all important committees would still almost certainly be Republicans. Whether Gym Jordan is chairman or not, the GOP’s is clear and as long as the chairman is a Republican, the same hearings will be held, the same subpoenas will be issued, and the same witnesses will testify.

          I just don’t see what such as deal offers to Democrats. There’s deals that are possible but not with McCarthy.

          1. Vog46

            Mitch
            As it stands right now the GOP - AS A WHOLE - is being ridiculed and the vast majority of the GOP caucus is seething at the MAGAts for what they are pulling

            Would it be beneficial to the majority of the caucus for some DEMs to help stomp on the MAGAts? Sure it won't change chairmanships of committees and the DEMs know this

            The question is this - are there enough GOP moderates to back up McCarthy - along with some DEMs should a motion to remove be put in play? At this point I would say that the moderate republicans are really sick and tired of the antics of Bobert, Gaetz, and a few other crazies. Pelosi kept her crazies under control far better than the GOP has. Bowhnner had no use for the his crazies. McCarthy may NEED the DEMs help and at this point it may be MORE IMPORTANT for the republicans (and the country) to put Gaetz and Bobert and others in their place.
            I am surprised no one in the media has resurrected the old "quid pro quo " argument about Trumps phone call to the Ukraine because that is EXACTLY what McCArthy offered the MAGAts. Kevins bribes didn't work. They need to be collectively and publicly bitch slapped - even if it requires democrats help.

            1. Mitch Guthman

              I think you’re making a fundamental mistake in your categorization of the Republican caucus. the entire Republican caucus is composed of conservatives. McCarthy’s loyalists aren’t moderates, they are either conservatives themselves or their greatest fear is exposing themselves to a primary attack from the far right. The difference is of affect but not of substance.

              The agenda of the “moderates” is essentially the same as that of the right wing “firebrands” like MTG. They might walk a quieter path that’s less overtly MAGA but, ultimately, they would use their power to pursue the same goals as the MAGA crowd of protecting Trump or investigating Hunter Biden or whatever.

              There’s no value to the Democrats in saving the Republicans. And considerable value in having incompetent lunatics trying to do those things rather than allowing competent politicians to do them more skillfully. There’s no role for the Democratic Party in this affair and no good can possibly come from rescuing the Republicans.

              1. zaphod

                Yes. The Republicans have made a bargain with the devil. Democrats have no reason to try to bail Republicans out of this Faustian deal. Not good to get in between the devil and his due.

              2. Vog46

                Mitch
                The "useless" investigations will happen regardless of whether the Dems help McCarthy or not.
                But right now the DEMs have a HUGE advantage in that ANY conservative legislation gets killed in the Senate - even if Manchin flips on several bills the DEMs have the advantage of the Biden veto with no means for the republicans to over ride that veto.
                It's a rather unique opportunity for the Dems to say to McCarthy - go ahead and legislate knowing that the republicans will embarrass themselves even further.
                But if they help McCarthy the MAGAts are no longer capable of hostage taking.
                The Congress HAS to operate. Pelosi knew this and kept the progressives under control. McCarthy CANNOT do this with the freedom caucus.
                Embarrassing the MAGAts has the additional benefit of embarrassing Trump - and how is the media describing these MAGAts? As anti impeachment Trump supporters. Well they and we have to move on from Trump. Lets do it now so their inability to legislate becomes the key factor in 24........

                1. Mitch Guthman

                  I don't believe that a single Freedom Caucus member is capable of being embarrassed. Plus, as you say, the investigations, debt limit crisis, etc will go on regardless as long as the Republicans are in control.

                  So, yes, the Democrats can prevent McCarthy's speakership from being taken as a "hostage" but they cannot spare themselves or the country from the pain of the GOP's agenda because McCarthy is committed to that agenda. And, since the House has neither the inclination nor, evidently, the ability to govern, there's no real benefit to the Democrats if they continually step in to rescue McCarthy. There's no reason not to allow this GOP tragedy to play out amongst the Republicans and every reason not to get involved.

                  (A caveat would be the a bipartisan compromise like Upton would be acceptable if there were an equal number of Republicans and Democrats on each committee, Gym Jordan doesn't get the chairmanship of Justice, etc)

            2. J. Frank Parnell

              Most of the Democrats (maybe all now that Sinema has departed) consider being crazy a bug. The vast majority of the Republicans view it as a feature.

  8. kahner

    i don't see how any sane republican would want to be speaker after seeing what's happened to mccarthy so far or how any of the real nutjobs who would want it can get the votes to win.

      1. kahner

        In normal times, yes. But with the current crazy GOP caucus, the concessions they're demanding (like the ability to call for a vote to depose the speaker anytime) and the fact that they'll likely accomplish zero legislatively in the term if seems like far more risk than reward right now. You get those board or lobbyist paydays when you get something major done for a couple billionaires, which seems unlikely to me.

        1. Mitch Guthman

          That’s true. Previous GOP speakers haven’t really been able to cash in. But it’s still a pinnacle of achievement in American politics and evidently something that McCarthy has lusted after strongly enough to be willing to sell his soul to get.

  9. RadioTemotu

    Saw that Marlowe commented above.
    How singularly appropriate given that Kevin sold his soul to the devil Trump and now is reaping the reward

  12. iamr4man

    Is the only business that can happen now the election of the Speaker? Could they change the rules to make the Speaker the person who gets the most votes? If they did that, would that force the Q-Lunatics to vote for McCarthy? Because if they didn’t Jeffries would be Speaker?

    1. mudwall jackson

      they could change the rule to make it a plurality if they wanted to. i believe i heard a dem. rep. say she considered making such a motion as a jab at mccarthy, but decided that the moment wasn't quite right. i don't know house rules but i'd guess it would take at least a majority of members present, and i doubt too many Rs would go along with it.

      1. mudwall jackson

        and even if they got enough votes to do it, mccarthy would DOA at the Speaker's Chair.

        the funny thing is mccarthy was so confident that he had the gig, he had his stuff moved into the speaker's office.

      2. iamr4man

        But the point would be that it would force the Putin-puppet contingent to vote for McCarthy. Then they could vote to oust him, I suppose, but they wouldn’t have a majority to do that.
        I don’t know the rules well enough to say it would be possible. Just a bit of spitballing.

  13. MrPug

    No one wants this job. McCarthy really seems to be the only person who actually wants it. All of the other leading lights in the GOP don't want anything to do with any thing resembling work, and being Speaker, even in this f*cked up legislature, will require something resembling work. The MTG wing just wants to shoot spitballs from the back of the class, stab each other in the back and get on Fox News. Just give it to McCarthy, already. The upside is that you'll get to torture him for the next 2 years (or 2 weeks).

  14. spatrick

    No one wants this job. McCarthy really seems to be the only person who actually wants it. All of the other leading lights in the GOP don't want anything to do with any thing resembling work, and being Speaker, even in this f*cked up legislature, will require something resembling work.</i?

    Much of that work is fundraising and one suspects that Jordan, who everyone on the Far Right wants to have the job, would rather not spend his time sucking up to rich (not to mention have his involvement in a Ohio State sex abuse scandal get any more attention than it already has). So yes, McCarthy wants the job very badly and when he misses like he did today, he just looks stupid (like trying to psysche out his detractors by saying the Dems wouldn't vote which would allow him to claim the Speakership with fewer members voting).

    This will go on as long as Scalise, Jordan, Emmer and Stefanik want it to go on regardless if Kev wants to fight to the bitter end. The person to watch in all this is, IMHO, Stefanik. With Trump basically backing away from his support of McCarthy, she has a pass now to say to McCarthy he can't make and that she'll put her own name in nomination which may drive a stampede towards her from all the factions ot be the GOP's first female Speaker.

    Sam Houston once said about Jefferson Davis that he was "as cold as a lizard and as ambitious as Lucifer." I think that sums up Stefanik as well. If nothing else she would love to say to the New York Times: "Yeah I sold out but now I'm Speaker. Fuck You!"

    1. zaphod

      I thought something like this earlier today. The only argument against it is GOP misogyny. But GOP racism never stopped them from welcoming submissive black opportunists like Herschel Walker.

  15. Justin

    Good stuff... as far as it goes. The right wingers are right to complain about being ignored. They tried to stage a coup 2 years ago and are doing so again. I'm disappointed there are only 20 of them! Their goal is to shut down the federal government. I wish them luck... not because I agree with them, but because the whole country needs to see what the republican party is all about.

    When they elected this congress they enabled this group of radicals. Let's see what kind of damage they can do. Bring it on.

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