8 Republicans succeed in removing Kevin McCarthy as Speaker

Post Reply New Topic

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/10/03/poli ... index.html

“ . . Because of the GOP’s razor-thin majority in the House and a Democratic conference united against him, McCarthy needed the support of nearly all of his party’s members to keep the gavel. . . ”

“ . . GOP Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina was named speaker in the interim. . ”

**************

I think most of the people who voted against McCarthy are probably more interested in Internet clicks than they are in the difficult and often boring work of governing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_C ... membership

“ . . There are at least 45 caucus members as of July 2023; . . ”

**************

I wonder if these 8 Republicans are in the so-called “House Freedom Caucus”?

as unrelated good news—

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/sig ... -103686653

“ . . the unemployment rate (at 3.8% in August) remains near a half-century low. And inflation, which hit a four-decade high in mid-2022, has decelerated markedly over the past year, raising hopes that the Fed can achieve a so-called soft landing . . ”

*************

This good economic news is one of many reasons we would very much benefit from a smooth-functioning government. In particular, we don’t need the brinksmanship of again risking a gov’t shutdown in 40-some-odd days.

I think the Democrats could have thrown support behind McCarthy, so they could make him their b*tch and had some semblance of bipartisanship. Then again, he had made himself such a Trump Yes Man that I can see the animosity and contempt they felt for him.

How many votes is it going to take to confirm a speaker this time around and how long will it take oust said person?

https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/articlei

United States Constitution

Article I, section 5:

“ . . . 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.

“Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may in their judgment require secrecy; and the yeas and nays of the members of either House on any question shall, at the desire of one fifth of those present, be entered on the journal. . . ”

*************

Expel those disruptive 8.

Each member of the U.S. House of Representatives, represents about 750,000 citizens. If someone leaves, typically the governor of that state will appoint a new representative for the balance of that term.

Of the 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, I’d really like if 150 Democrats and 150 Republicans formed the “Middle of the Road” party.