As the chaos and dysfunction within the House Republican caucus brings the country closer and closer to a now almost inevitable government shutdown, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) praised former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for her leadership and ability to keep her caucus together when she held the gavel.
I guess he doesn’t want to be in Congress any more. But good on him for speaking with some truth and civility.
Leadership means nothing to nihilists intent on burning the government to the ground.
Eventually, Kevin will cut a deal with Dems to pass the previously-agreed spending in exchange for enough votes to shoot down Gaetz’s motion to vacate.
I hope he brought a coat, 'cause it’s gonna be cold on that iceberg as it drifts out to its doom.
In other news … Joe Manchin is OUTRAGED over the new Senate dress code. Children starving in his state, meh, fine.
But before he goes, might he please participate in a backroom conspiracy to dump McCarthy with Democratic support? I don’t know why we seem to be looking at helping McCarthy at this point. Why not help get rid of McCarthy? If one R is willing to risk throwing his career away, maybe we can find four more? Let one of them be Speaker.
That’s not going to go over well with leadership or the Chaos Monkey caucus. He’d better watch his back unless he’s in a +30 district.
Burchett is leaving out the fact that the Democrats weren’t advocating extremist ideas that the mainstream of their party opposed. Pelosi deserves her props, for sure, but McCarthy is hamstrung b/c he’s beholden to a bunch of radicals, not because he’s a poor leader per se.
He is dead to me, has been for a while.
He actually has a better chance if he’s in a purple district. It will be harder for the GQP to primary him if the seat isn’t safely red.
I think to prevent or end any shutdown will require Republicans to force McCarthy to put a bill on the floor, without any agreement with Democrats in regard to a Speaker vote, that Democrats with some Republican support will pass and then deal with the fallout. Furthermore, any deal Democrats should agree to must adhere to the agreement McCarthy made in regard to the debt a few months ago.
As I understand the agreement McCarthy made with the crazies to become Speaker there is no limit to the number of times they can move to vacate. If that is true, there is no way Democrats can agree to save is butt every time.
But even if it is only once that Gaetz and company can move to vacate, for Democrats to save McCarthy there would need to be some serious concessions, or if you would sanity, from McCarthy like ending the impeachment nonsense, stopping the interference with DOJ and state prosecutors and pretty much sidelining Jim Jordan, MTG and other Republicans who like Gaetz are crazy but unlike Gatez are supporting McCarthy.
While we will see what happens, I do not think Democrats can, or without concession McCarthy cannot make, should agree to save McCarthy in any meaningful way.
So far, at every turn, the so called not crazy Republicans have been cowered into going along with the crazies. In my view the only way this can end is for McCarthy, along with the other not crazy Republicans, is to care more for the nation than for their jobs.
McCarthy can’t make concessions beyond just allowing a vote on the agreed-upon funding, as that really would generate sufficient GOP votes to can him. Funding for protection – that’s the deal.
I’ve mentioned before that McCarthy could decapitate the Freedom Caucus with one statement:
“I will no longer work with the Freedom Caucus. If they attempt to oust me as Speaker, I will throw my support to Jeffries.”
The only one doing the hamstringing is McCarthy himself. It’s possible that he’s playing a political game, allowing the FC to throw gas on the fire so that he can ride in and cut a deal with moderate Repubs and Dems (pre @txlawyer’s post above). That would be an awesome blow to the FC. I’ll hope for that outcome, but I don’t have any faith in his spinal fortitude. He got the gavel by being a kowtowing suck up, why would he change horses midstream?
I’m not sure that’s the way to go.
McCarthy is a weak leader who will continue to allow damage to his brand. If he’s dependent on the Democrats to retain the title, so much the better.
I’m undecided; although, retaining him as speaker (until his party implodes) seems better than getting one of the radicals, or someone who’s effective and sympathizes with them.
And further to the point, who besides McCarthy would be so willing to debase themselves before the Gaetz Gang? Stefanik? Donalds?
Nancy Pelosi is to Kevin McCarthy what Billy Jean King was to Bobby Riggs.
The remaining question will be that once McCarthy throws the MAGA orcs under the bus to get things done is whether or not he will continue to kow tow to them? He has the opportunity to sideline these reckless fuckers if he wants to and form a new governing coalition. Will he do it? Does he have what it takes to do it (i.e. intestinal fortitude)?
His caucus will not let him sell out their majority. But there are probably enough members who are sick of the crazies’ b.s. to accept Qevin’s use of Dem votes to stay in the chair. We’ll see.
At least that 17 year old got drugs and a vacation.
If we’re relying on Qevin’s spine, I’m afraid that was pithed a long time ago.