The GOP Fight Over House Speaker Doesn’t Matter

After three rounds on Tuesday, Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy did not secure the 218 votes needed to be elected Speaker of the House. It was the first occasion in a century that multiple ballots were cast. Now, “fight spills into a second chaotic day,” notes ABC News. There’s a lot Washington is buzzing with excitement  

Because the GOP takes a few more days to get their leadership vote, it is unlikely that any of the zero voters will have a change in their worldviews or political affiliations. There is nothing particularly. “dysfunctional” About disagreeing with the question. McCarthy isn’t an admiral or preordained by the Lord to be speaker, so this isn’t “mutiny,” it’s just a vote. A battle for leadership is a better example of democratic dynamics than traditional lockstepping. This kind of parliamentary fight is normal in most democratic countries.

However the vote ends up, though, it won’t matter much because neither side in this battle has anything special or particularly consequential to offer.

“This is about saving the country and getting somebody that’s going to cut and get us on a financial path of solvency,” claims McCarthy supporter Ralph Norman. Guess what? Kevin McCarthy isn’t Henry Clay. He possesses no extraordinary skill or vision that makes him uniquely qualified to stop the Democrats’ next spending bill, much less “save” The country. Insufferable is the ingenuity and sanctimony displayed by politicians who believe that the world needs their skills. You can venerate the middling House members by becoming a Democrat, and throwing your hosannas at Nancy Pelosi.

Republicans are more dependent on their ability to be competent than ever. The American people voted to split government power — again. The House Republicans’ governing mandate is to control the executive branch. With a slim House majority, and the Senate and presidency in the hands of Democrats, the only requisite skill needed in a speaker is the ability to corral the party’s factions to stop the opposition. How will you achieve consensus in a partisan vote to become a leader?

“You can’t accommodate a small group that essentially has you hostage, and that’s what’s going on here — we’re not going to do it,” says Don Bacon is a McCarthy booster. Sure you can. This isn’t the papacy. Is there a conservative in the House who has the basic ability to bring the party together? McCarthy could go back to his roots as a congressman or a lobbyist, and the country would be exactly the same as it was before he left. McCarthy is as competent as any other member of Congress. However, he’s not as good as anyone in Congress.

But what is the point? It’s not clear to me. Lauren Boebert, Matt Gaetz, and Lauren Boebert do not have a competing legislative agenda. McCarthy has gone to great lengths to placate his party’s nuts. McCarthy is a normal person who would not want to have to deal with these people. Paul Gosar Or Marjorie Taylor Greene It is beyond my understanding.

Others among the 20 holding up the coronation probably have some personal gripes against McCarthy — which is a completely legitimate reason to oppose electing him boss, by the way. Others are intent to fight the “establishment” For its own sake, which is absurd and nonsensical. Someone is going be in control. McCarthy isn’t Fred Upton. And if you’re constantly opposing that person because you can’t do everything you want, you will get nothing. This is a state where many Republicans seem content.

It’s true that the two-party system creates stability by building left-right consensus before elections. Although this fight is almost meaningless, it concerns the future of management and not an ideological schism.

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