Trump bootlicker Kevin McCarthy is being challenged by Andy Biggs for not licking Trump's boots hard enough. https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/06/politics/andy-biggs-running-for-speaker/index.html
Forget where on Twitter I read it, but someone was threatening that the Dem-moderate compromise would be Liz Cheney. I can’t imagine even 150 Democrats would vote for Cheney under any circumstances. But with no hope of a Democrat winning, Jeffries could probably convince enough of the caucus to vote for a Dusty Johnson, along with a couple dozen GOP defectors.
I seem to recall that traditionally the Speaker of the UK House of Commons puts up a token show of resistance whilst being escorted to his chair. IIRC being Speaker put that person in danger of being executed if the House took actions or things were said on the floor that displeased the Monarch. I can imagine a scenario where the next speaker of the U.S. House is dragged kicking and screaming to the podium...of course, they might be dragged kicking and screaming from the podium...
Pretty funny that the next 3rd in line to the presidency will be someone who literally represents a 20 million acre desert and Bakersfield.
Ahhhh Bakersfield where the most popular radio station plays country music and was owned by a former country music b-list artist who was married to a porn star.
Despite the same name, in the Westminster style parliamentary system the speaker is a very different role and they have a lot less influence in their party. (In fact it's not unknown for the speaker to not be from the same party that has formed government!)
Quite so. However, the titles are similar and despite the many differences, the biggest being that although the U.S. Speakership evolved (devolved?) into a partisan office, they are each the presiding officers of their respective bodies.
Hilarious, but also irrelevant since it's not a first-past-the-post election. The extremists aren't going to sit it out or vote "present"; they're going to vote for one of their own.
After the way the Republicans fucked themselves out of a massive victory in the mid terms that was there for the taking, what with some of the worst candidates I've ever seen and Trump's paranoid rantings over absentee and early voting, I'm not ruling out the idea that there might be enough (it would only take 5) to sink McCarthy's chances. I wouldn't bet on it, but it strikes me as a non-zero chance that it could happen.
Add in the fact that it’s almost impossible to have every member of the House at one time to vote on it, and it gets complicated.
The old cliches about the Democrats being able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory seems to have been co-opted by the MAGA heads.
saw a reporter yesterday tweet that the idea of the Dems nominating Liz Cheaney for speaker had at least been discussed. I don't agree with her politics except in one regard but that would be the single most hilariously fun watch in my lifetime if they did it and she won. Not enough popcorn in the whole damned universe.
NEW: On House GOP call, Kevin McCarthy said that he has given in on the motion to vacate -- the no-confidence motion allows members to boot the speaker. This is something he had indicated he would never do. https://twitter.com/jakesherman/status/1609678414151139330
JUST IN: New letter from conservatives says McCarthy hasn't gone far enough. Notably, the letter also says that McCarthy has not addressed the leadership "working to defeat conservatives in open primaries." Speaker election is Tues and 9 Rs are still skeptical. https://twitter.com/jakesherman/status/1609703791846199297 Letter at link. It was apparently sent before the phone call mentioned in the above tweet. Vote is the 3rd.
I for one am shocked, SHOCKED, to learn that one of the first things this Repug Congress is going to do is to gut the independent ethics oversight board and cut staff. SHOCKED I SAY! https://twitter.com/nicholaswu12/status/1609936404838055936
I think we are going to hear Trump get votes for Speaker tomorrow. Not that it will work, as even the GOP doesn't actually want him there, just a few crazed Qultists. But there's just enough of them to stop McCarthy from becoming leader. Also Santos has had his case opened again by Brazil so 1) we'll see an international criminal and fugitive sworn in as a GOP house member tomorrow and 2) he'll support McCarthy for Speaker - at least at first. Obviously he's for sale.
One question: Is the Never Kevin caucus fully committed to stopping him from becoming Speaker, or will they decide that simply not voting for him is enough to keep their credibility with the batshit wing of the party? If they're committed to stopping him from being Speaker, they can do it (or at least force him into making a deal with some Democrats). Take five votes away from 222 and he only has 217 out of 434. On the other hand, if they only care about making a show of not voting for him, they can simply decline to vote. If five people don't vote, the total number voting is 429, and 217 is a majority of that.
I doubt anyone knows but the 5 themselves. At this point their rhetoric certainly makes it seem like they will oppose his election. Will that last past vote 2? Vote 5? Longer? He's already caved on their primary request, of course that could mean a very short stint for him. My personal guess is they will eventually fall in line to let him get past the gate, but will see what concessions they can get out of him first.