By Robert Willmann
The writer Gore Vidal said that in the United States we do not have politics, we have elections. This observation has become more and more accurate. The Democratic and Republican Parties have maneuvered themselves into being the dominant and controlling political organizations at the federal, state, and local levels. On some important policy questions they are the same, and have been described as the “Uni-Party” and “two wings of the same bird of prey”. On 29 December 2022, an omnibus spending bill for fiscal year 2022-2023 was signed as Public Law 117-328. It was not a budget bill, and instead was a grotesque hodge-podge of uncontrolled spending and policy enactments [1].
Despite ongoing voting fraud, members were elected to the House of Representatives that gave the Republican Party a small majority. When the 118th Congress began its session on 3 January 2023, the first thing to be done was to elect a Speaker of the House. As of early today, Thursday, 5 January, that has still not happened, which means that nothing else happens until a Speaker is voted in by all the members.
Article 1, section 2, paragraph 5 of the U.S. Constitution says, “The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers….” And section 5, paragraph 2: “Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behavior, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member”. From those short statements of authority, the House has had six open, unsuccessful roll call votes on members nominated to be the Speaker until the session was adjourned last night at 8:25 p.m.
Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, has been in Congress since 2007 and has prepared himself to be Speaker. He lives with Frank Luntz, who does opinion surveys and related consulting work. Luntz can be described as a creature in the Washington DC swamp. However, around 20 Republicans have banded together to oppose McCarthy which prevents him from getting the 218 votes needed to get the Speakership. The House has 435 members.
For the sixth vote, the Democrats nominated Hakeem Jeffries to be Speaker, McCarthy was nominated by a Republican, and one of the group opposing McCarthy nominated Byron Donalds, a Black representative from the 19th District in Florida since 2021.
Some of the contentious issues among Republicans include passing new rules of procedure in the House that will reduce the Speaker’s almost absolute authority, the appointment of committee chairmen, and the ability of committees to issue subpoenas when conducting investigations.
Talk behind the curtain in Congress, especially among Republicans, certainly went on last night and is continuing now. The process begins again at high noon eastern time today.
[1] http://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/2617/text
This is a good thing. Much better than everyone lining up CCP style to vote for the anointed one.
Trump continues to be the big loser having backed loser candidates in the mid-terms & McCarthy and is on his way to irrelevance.
McCarthy would follow Ryan, Boehner, Hasttert, and Gingrich. All the progeny of Thomas Dewey who, in ’48 ousted the libertarian/conservative coalition that had guided the GOP. After losing to socialist FDR 4 times the “professional” pols nominated Dewey and transformed the GOP from those who opposed socialism, and gave America 70 years of “Hollow Men” w/o ideology (b/y winning a seat). Over the years conservatives and libertarians anguished over the GOPe’s lack of brains, courage, fight. The GOPe is plenty smart but does not have an ideology; they don’t care. Could taking a position lose a vote; don’t take it. Is backing this or that controversial, don’t do it. Could being committed to a position hurt your election chances, finagle out of it. The GOPe/RNC controls money (and press) and thereby candidates. The Majority Leader and Speaker controls assignments (and press). Seventy years of “play fight” against a devoted party of socialists leaves us where we are now. So don’t believe the nonsense about a disjointed Republican Party. This is a fight for the heart of the party. If you want an alternative to socialism and a voice for conservative libertarian principles of Coolidge and Taft, hope McCarthy does not b/c speaker. If he does, expect more of the same. I predicted after 2020 that Trump would not be able to rtn the GOPe to the GOP. The socialist press happily supports the GOPe as a convenient foil (a Washington Senators BB team). The GOPe is too corrupt to kill; even a vampire must first have a heart.
Bill,
This fits with your point. It has ham-strung the Republican party for generations: “Principles”
https://sigforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/320601935/m/4650084194?f=320601935&a=tpc&m=4650084194&s=674608412&cdra=Y
Thanks but worse than Buckley and principles, the “boys of ’48” boldly said they were “pros” w/o principles. Who was the poet who spoke about “the empty men, the hollow men”? Maybe Pat Lang would know. That is what the GOPe has been for 70 years. They won’t put up a fight b/c, they don’t care. We have a political landscape of dedicated socialists against a party w/o ideology.
WW just an after thought re your link (again tnx). Buckley advocated a principled, that is to say high road debate on the issues. As Pat would say, no ad hominems! He d/n run from any issue. His old show “Firing Line” was an example of this. Nothing in political discourse has matched it since (IMHO). Dewey brought professional politicians to the GOP who pretended to be constrained by principle. They were not. The were simply not interested in any ideology. GOP b/c GOPe. Conservatives and libertarians lost political voice, and lying b/c the stock and trade of the GOPe.
Good points all. “Firing Line” was a top notch debate forum and I wonder if something like it could be created now by some new players. I notice this new start up University of Austin with lecturers from across the spectrum is gaining some buzz online. Hope so. Some ‘old left’ meaning not illiberal and some conservatives who could all debate sensibly would make a good show for many young people today.
As for the “empty or hollow men”, could it also be “men without chests”? Sounds like something GK Chesterton might have written.
Maybe before it is all over, some elderly Congress people will start beating each other with walking sticks. Nothing like a little rebellion in the morning. The Dems have lined up behind a black Marxist while most of the Rs are trying to line up behind a “fighting moderate”. Many Rs have had enough though not nearly enough.
went duckduckgo for the hollow men. It was Eliot.
Well, I was close anyway.
There might be some (good) reason that it’s hard for McCarthy to get thru.
https://twitter.com/RWMaloneMD/status/1610631604564594689
Why has the color of ones skin been represented in the original post and one of the two responses?
CBridge,
Yes, how DARE somebody other than a self-annointed commenter identify members of congress that way, even if those individuals are both members of the Congressional Black Caucus (still zero Hispanic or “white” (notice I left out the capitalization to avoid triggering anyone) members).
RW: “Despite ongoing voter fraud…” What voter fraud has creeped into your imagination?
Al,
you mean like this conviction:
https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2022/11/14/54-year-old-convicted-felon-pleads-guilty-to-voter-fraud-false-registration-charges/
Or the ones listed here (7 in Arizona alone):
https://www.heritage.org/voterfraud/search
Some of those AZ seven voted a straight GOP ticket.
Leith,
Does that mean you excuse their criminal conduct?
Just making sure the readers here know it happened on both sides.
Was wondering too. Kari Lake and Arizona on his mind? A Trump epigone.
Those few instances had no substantial effects on outcomes
Ongoing voter fraud? If so why have the multitude of court actions not went anywhere, even when in front of Trump appointed judges? Is there a judicial conspiracy with even Trump appointed judges involved? What is the reason for the complete failure of the cases to go anywhere in court?
If election fraud were to be taken seriously it would lead to a tremendous loss of faith in the system and that is what all incumbents, regardless of party or position want to avoid.
I really know nothing about McCarthy but generally agree the position of “speaker” has been given too much power, though I suppose that is inevitable in any governing system. The problem for the gang of 20 is I don’t see the end game. Think it will come down to “the rebel who succeeds is a patriot, the rebel who fails is a traitor”.
scott kudos to you. Most don’t understand that our elections are fixed or cheated on. If the public knew they would realize the political scene is a hoax and its actors charlatans. Better to deny it all! Deny it from state assemblies to S.C. judges and defame the “20” as trouble making crazies.
“Ya say you want a revolution, well you know we don’t want to change the world.” What pol would want to change their world?
Stefan,
I believe the unelected ones said “latches”, “standing”, and “moot”, essentially in that order, and therefore saw no evidence in their courtrooms. BTW do you believe judges need to be loyal to the one who appoints them or to the Constitution?
Don’t you worry, Fred dear, next time it’ll work:
Fintan O’Toole, NYR, January 2023.
“You’ll never take back our country with weakness.”…
If it happens again, it will probably not happen like this. The pilot episode was a disaster because it had no coherent script, too many ham actors, too weak a grasp on the difference between gestures and consequences. But there is much to learn from it. Next time, if there is one, the plot will be much tighter, the action less outlandish, the logistics much better prepared, the director more competent. And the show will be called Defending Democracy./i>
.
Or defending the constitution if you prefer. All it needs as Fintan argues is a coherent narrative and well prepared plot.
https://archive.is/C6ruP
Mr. O’Toole has the gift of gab, but little understanding of the US Constitution. I wonder if the Taoiseach pays as much attention to his writings as I do?
The proven and documented kind. The kind that was referred for criminal charges. At least in my state.
Gore Vidal in his late years. 2008 before the election. I love the man. Especially with this smarmy chicken interviewer as foil.
https://youtu.be/tHAgvMhRO2Q
There is some serious national security implications from not having a functioning Congress. The origins of this debacle was a long time ago, as the GOP started to embrace extremists. McCarthy has already given away enough authority to make himself nothing but a figurehead of an unruly mob.
Lars,
There is? What might that be?
“a long time ago, as the GOP started to embrace extremists…”
You mean those Radical Republicans who hated Lincoln and wanted to usurp exectutivce power, or just Congressman Eye-patch who thinks those who oppose McCarthy as speaker are traitors, or do you refer to the 212 other members of the House who won’t vote for McCarthy either?
Should a major crisis erupt, it could take the entire Congress to rapidly deal with it. As it is, we only have one functioning party, as even some of the GOP have discovered.
On the other hand, it should be rather obvious who I am referring to.
Lars,
LOL you mean like Covid, an “emergency” the executive branch extended with the stroke of a pen? Maybe that open border which the last piece of congressional legislation passed, has particular instruction to CBP? Nah, of course not.
Yes it is obvious who you are refering to: all those members of congress who took funds from FTX’s head honcho Sam Bankman-Fried, the second largest contributor to the Democratic Party. Then there were all those members who coerced Twitter under the prior owner to silence political oppostion. Then the members of the FBI/CIA/NIH/FDA/DOD and the rest of the government who did precisely the same thing.
Sure can’t wait to get a Speaker who won’t cover it up, much less engage in all that, like you know who did.
Fred,
Bankman-Fried said he split his 40 million donations about evenly between the Democrats and Republicans. He was the second or third largest donor to the Republicans. That included a $750k to McCarthy and a million to McConnell. Republican donations were largely kept dark which is something else he can charged with. He’s an equal opportunity con man.
TTG,
You trust what SBF said? “Both sides do it!” Makes it so acceptable to cover up Democratic party corruption. Maybe you can link to all the pictures of SBF with republicans and the equivalent meetings with conservatives.
Fred,
The news of equal opportunity graft is also coming from investigators. A few Republican recipients have publicly joined Democratic recipients in dumping those donations now that SBF has been outed as a first class swindler. Also, there won’t be photo ops associated with dark money donations. That defeats the whole purpose of dark money.
TTG,
Dark money? That’s as believble as your Russia collusion lines now.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-12-29/bankman-fried-met-white-house-aides-in-pre-collapse-crypto-push
https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meetthepressblog/sam-bankman-frieds-downfall-deprives-dems-key-donor-rcna57091
Would you care to explain why our ‘ally’ Ukraine invested in FTX if it was a dark money operation?
Fred,
You never heard of dark money in politics? Politicians and those who want to buy politicians of all stripes love dark money. And Citizens United made it all legal. Bankman-Fried was deep into this dark money scheme in order to buy politicians willing to keep cryptocurrency regulation free. That’s why he donated to Democrats and Republicans.
FTX was just another cryptocurrency exchange until it collapsed and Bankman-Fried’s crimes were laid bare. Plenty of people were using it for legitimate purposes although I don’t give cryptocurrencies any more credence than tulip bulbs or beanie babies. Ukraine didn’t invest in FTX. That’s just another bullshit conspiracy theory. The truth is that “Ukraine had created a website to accept donations in cryptocurrency that would benefit its war effort, and it used three companies to route the donations and turn them into usable assets — Everstake, Kuna and FTX.” Ukraine never invested in FTX, nor did Democrats funnel money to Ukraine through FTX as another bullshit conspiracy theory claimed.
BTW, I’ll probably do a posting soon about Russia collusion soon. The scheme revolved around Moscow’s fixation on Ukraine from the beginning. Trump campaign and presidency connections focused on such personalities as Cohen, Artimenko, Yanukovych, Deripaska, Kilimnik and Manafort. There’s even a cameo appearance by Butina, but Trump himself was only a bit player at best. It’s more likely that he was an unwitting dupe than a colluder.
TTG,
I commend you on your loyalty to the party. I am glad you have managed to determine SBF’s true motivations from public source information and it was all about regulations on crypto. That doesn’t match too many other public conclusions, but what does the public know anyway.
“nor did Democrats funnel money to Ukraine through FTX…”
Absolutely correct, and none other than Democrats trying to deflect blame for giving our tax dollars directly to Ukraine with zero accountabilty or traceability for its use afterwards are saying that. I don’t include you in that, I’m sure someone mapped all the crypto funds into or through FTX and know just who was making those transactions and their source of original funds to do so. Great work, but probably not getting released to the public any time soon.
“I’ll probably do a posting soon about Russia collusion soon. The scheme revolved around Moscow’s fixation on Ukraine from the beginning.”
I did not see that from all the years Meuller was at work. At least the triggering effect of “Russia Collusion = Trump bad” will go by the wayside, it was all really about Ukraine! I’ll go buy some more popcorn. This ought to be a great couple of years.
Nonsense. On Foreign Policy issues the two right wings of the uniparty act as one.
Extremists in Republican party are not the issue here. McCarthy lacks the character to function as the speaker. Simple as that. He needs to withdraw and someone more worthy for the job needs to step forward.
True, but his entitled mentality won’t let him. I’m not sure America can survive as a Republic under our Congress. Or our government in its entirety.
Funny “extremism” in the rep. party is mentioned. Not a word about what the dem party has b/c over the past 25 years. Well extremism in defense of liberty is no vice. Someone said that once (1964).
Notfakebot…
Exactly!
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11608231/Kevin-McCarthys-concessions-won-pocket-votes-Speaker.html
What happens if he backtracks on these concessions after he’s elected speaker?
Sam,
Nothing happens as the 20 members couldn’t persuade any of the other 200 to join them to begin with. I hope their math on doing budgets isn’t as bad.
Sam of course he will. RINOs have no ethics. Their politics are amoral and the “20” know that. McCarthy will backtrack and crush the 20 who stood in the way of the RINO machine. The careers of the valiant 20 are over.
I am seeing that he finally was elected speaker of the house…
And, for what I have seen in a video, pledged to drain the swamp…to the applause of the Republicans, and the thick silence, worried faces, and nervous laughter of AOC, in the Democrats side….He pledged also to investigate the origins of Covid….amongst the mire definitely consolidating the thickness of the swamp
Btw, I am missing Colonel Lang´s take on this relevant issue…Is he well?