Conservatives thrust the House back into chaos on Wednesday, grinding business to a halt in protest of the spending deal Speaker Mike Johnson struck with Democrats to avert a government shutdown and leaving the funding package in limbo.
A dozen hard-line Republicans defected from the party line to tank a routine procedural measure, blocking consideration of a pair of G.O.P. bills in what amounted to a warning shot by members of the ultraconservative Freedom Caucus that they would not stand for the agreement. As the measure failed, members of the group could be seen in animated discussion with Mr. Johnson and his deputies on the House floor.
The Republican revolt underscored Mr. Johnson’s predicament in trying to steer the spending deal through the closely divided House, where it has enraged a sizable bloc of Republicans, while keeping his grip on his job. The upheaval came as it was becoming clear that Congress would most likely have to resort to yet another short-term spending patch — something Mr. Johnson had previously ruled out — to buy time to push a bipartisan deal to fund the government.
HAHAHAH. fucking regressives.
I hope the deal passes, and then Johnson gets shit-canned by his own people.
Sounds like we have 3 parties under the guise of 2. The right can splinter, this is good.
Agreed. They helped make that bed, let them languish in it.
Maybe we’ll actually end up with rank-choice voting once conservatives realize they’re split down the middle and will never win another election again (we can hope).
Hakeeeeeeem Jjjjjjjjeeeeffffries!
Joking aside, my gut says this would be a good time for the Democrats to extract some concessions from Johnson in exchange for his job–something they didn’t really want to do for McCarthy because the calculus was different. I’m not sure that the circus is as good for them this time around (in part because “independents” might well decide that what the nonfunctioning government needs is a stronger GOP majority and a Cheeto). There ought to be enough ordinary-right Republican Reps to cobble together a majority without asking vulnerable Dems to vote to keep him.
If Johnson’s to stay, the Speakership in general should just be weaker with a negotiated organizing resolution that gives Jeffries and the (barely) minority party more control–something not unlike what 50-50 Senates have done. I appreciate, however, that that’s a tough sell even to the most center-leaning GOP. They might rather burn the place down, and I really wish that was more metaphorical. [And honestly, the MAGAs know all this, which is why the threats to actually remove him are probably all smoke. If he calls their bluff, there’s only so many times they get to play the vacation card before their leverage evaporates in a coalition government.]
In any event, the reality is that a shutdown is bad for everyone, and by current polling, Trump can afford it more than Biden can. Unless something changes, the House is going to do nothing but make noise for the next 11 months, and the best way to curtail that is to put a lid on stunt’s like Mace’s this morning by getting the House back to regular business and order. It needs to not be in the news. For the rabid GOP base, a fractured GOP majority fighting amongst itself over the Speakership, screaming expletives and fist-fighting on the chamber floor? still better than a GOP that negotiates with the enemy. That leads me to think that the smart move is to get them to do just that: Johnson’s already given up on holding the line, so in for a penny. It’s worth keeping the Christofascist in the big chair if it means the bullshit impeachment hearings disappear because, say, for example, Jordan lost his committee assignments.
Is this a pipe dream? Sure. But I’m no professional strategist. The point is, this seems like an opportunity for the Democrats to get more out of the House than just setting some more records in Speaker Replacement Shenanigans III. Don’t just let them eat each other. Eat them yourselves, you cowards.
The problem for Johnson is that if he works with Democrats he will get primaried from the right next time he is up for reelection.
Meanwhile Mike McCarthy laughing his ass off at home in his PJs
This guy doesn’t even have any savings or investments. How is he supposed to organize the spendings of an entire country?
Jokes on you, he doesn’t need to because Jesus is coming back any day now…
Literally all he has to do is work with democrats to end all of this. Just actually work with them on something and the freedom caucus goes away.
Here’s why gerrymandering is so bad. Say you live in a district that is 90% Red. The only people who are interested in the primaries are the true diehard MAGoos. They don’t want to hear the words ‘compromise’ or ‘common sense.’ The most extreme candidate is the one who will win. So there’s no upside for co-operating with the Dems.
The upside is that you served your one term with dignity and got something done.
The fact that everyone thinks political action should be driven by reelection prospects and seems perfectly fine with the ill motivation and contempt for the people that goes with is a major fucking problem.
Thats what Kevin McCarthy did and he got ousted. Much as it would solve things to actually be the House leader and not just the leader of two minority factions that don’t like each other, the House was set up such that the majority party runs things alone.
I wish the party would just fall apart already.
This would benefit only the American people and neither party cares about them.
Donald Trump’s lawyers are saying that he would be justified in assassinating Americans. The GOP supports him.
Joe Biden is pardoning people who were arrested for smoking pot.
Both sides are not the same.
This is not about supporting one party or another. This is about the two parties working together and some politicians helping Americans over their careers. Working with Democrats will be seen as treason by republican base and helping Republicans avoid chaos won’t move any voters to Democrats. When shut-down happens they can just blame one another which is the best scenario for both parties.
When did the Dems ever shut down the government? It takes two people to have an agreement, and only one to start a fight.
In 1980 but that’s not the point. I’m not arguing who’s right or wrong here. I’m saying that neither party will benefit from compromising. The bases are to entrenched and politicians are not willing to sacrifice their careers over this. If you disagree I happy to hear you out but so far you’re arguing against something I didn’t say.
I’d never heard of the 1980 Government shutdown. According to this article, it was due to an interpretation of an obscure law, and only affected 1600 employees at the FCC.
And again, you’re doing a backdoor defense of the GOP.
They voted for the laws and are only shutting the government down to try and make Biden look bad. I could cite dozens of times the Dems compromised with the GOP and also cite dozens of times the GOP blocked needed actions for political gain.
Trump lost. He couldn’t convince the lickspittle Mike Pence to break the law, so Donnie tried to have a mob take over the Capitol. Now the GOP is running a traitor for President. One side is the party of treason. Stop pretending.
It’s like you read whatever you want to read, right? No matter what I say you will always see the same comment. I think it’s time to get out. Internet broke you a bit.
Surely it isn’t news that these folks are revolting…
Lol fuck ‘em.
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