The Wall St. Journal gives it to us:
"Kevin McCarthy suddenly quit his bid to succeed John Boehner as House Speaker on Thursday, amid an increasingly toxic crack-up inside the Republican conference. At 247 Members, the GOP enjoys its largest House majority since the 71st Congress of 1929-30—but a minority may squander it with ultimatums and self-sabotage."
"Republicans met Thursday to nominate a candidate for Speaker, only for Mr. McCarthy to stand down before the ballot. By all accounts the California Republican would have won a majority. And in a normal Congress the conference would unite behind the winner as the GOP candidate for Speaker later this month."
http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-republican-crack-up-1444347391
Hmm. They're really trying to put lipstick on a pig here by telling us this is some noble gesture by McCarthy. He was blackballed but there's nothing inspiring or beneficial in it certainly not for the party.
"Kevin McCarthy suddenly quit his bid to succeed John Boehner as House Speaker on Thursday, amid an increasingly toxic crack-up inside the Republican conference. At 247 Members, the GOP enjoys its largest House majority since the 71st Congress of 1929-30—but a minority may squander it with ultimatums and self-sabotage."
"Republicans met Thursday to nominate a candidate for Speaker, only for Mr. McCarthy to stand down before the ballot. By all accounts the California Republican would have won a majority. And in a normal Congress the conference would unite behind the winner as the GOP candidate for Speaker later this month."
http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-republican-crack-up-1444347391
There's been a lot made of the fact that after McCarthy stepped down there were literally GOPers crying but I understand this entirely.
They were right to weep. If I were a Republican I would have wept too. Because this is positive confirmation that the Republican party is no longer a party.
http://lastmenandovermen.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-republican-party-is-no-longer-party.html?showComment=1444438790012#c3305410280883853500
As WSJ chronicles basically the Freedom Caucus of about 40 or 50 members is thwarting the will of 200 GOPers. Talk about the tyranny of the minority.
"But despite being the overwhelming Republican choice, Mr. McCarthy lacked enough GOP votes to get to 218 to make a House majority. The California Republican was implacably opposed by some 30 or 40 Members who refuse to abide by the majority-of-the-majority precedent on the floor. To obtain the gavel he probably would have needed Democrats, effectively elevating Nancy Pelosi to co-Speaker. That would mean major concessions to the liberal agenda, and Mr. McCarthy chose the public good over personal ambition."Hmm. They're really trying to put lipstick on a pig here by telling us this is some noble gesture by McCarthy. He was blackballed but there's nothing inspiring or beneficial in it certainly not for the party.
I do wonder if it could be in the Dems interest to help the GOPers elect their Speaker not in exchange necessarily for ideological concessions but in terms of procedures.
We help you elect McCarthy or whoever-a gaffe machine like McCarthy would be great for the Dems-and in exchange you take government default, failure to pass a budget or fund the Import-Export Bank or pass a transportation bill off the table.
Again, don't demand that the GOP support policies they oppose but just demand the end to the Hastert Rule, to end the logjam.
This would probably still be a nonstarter but I think it's how Dems should negotiate this-put out a feeler at least.
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