Search for a Speaker

We have been watching the US House of Representatives struggle to elect a Speaker of the House. The Speaker has incredible power over House procedures, the movement of legislation, the appointment of Committees and Committee Chairs, and more. Nothing happens in the House without the approval of the Speaker. We know that clearly from the past reign of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat in a Democrat House majority.

The big question is whether Kevin McCarthy, who has been the minority leader and leader of the Republican Caucus, is the person to be Speaker. To become Speaker, one must garner a favorable vote from the majority of Representatives. In times past, this has been almost automatic for the winner to be the existing leader of the political party in the majority. Not now.

The majority held by the Republican Party in the new Congress is slim; only a few votes. McCarthy has managed to alienate several Representatives who now have taken a stand against him becoming Speaker. The number now is about 20 who oppose him.

Representative Warren Davidson rose for one of the Congressional votes for Speaker to nominate McCarthy. As part of his nomination speech, he read a long list of changes in Republican Caucus and House procedures and rules McCarthy had agreed to make. Davidson must have thought this to be a positive move, but it came across as an indictment of McCarthy’s inaction in the time he has been minority leader. Why haven’t changes already been made or promised without the pressure from the now opponents of him. Frankly, McCarthy cannot now be trusted.

It is time to move on. McCarthy needs to step aside. His opponents are entrenched in opposition to him. As long as they are, there will be no Speaker. Unless!!!!

It is not beyond possibility that McCarthy will begin to negotiate with Democrats for votes. Not many votes from Democrats would be needed to take McCarthy into a majority of the House vote and the Speaker office. Democrats do not have any possibility of electing one of their own as Speaker even if they stick together 100%. Democrats may conclude it better to support a Speaker that has made concessions to them, which he would have to do to get their votes. What concessions: committee appointments, agreement about specific legislation, and more. This would be a disaster for conservative Republicans and a win for Democrats.

McCarthy made the arrogant decision to physically move into the Speaker’s office before being chosen as Speaker. I think this says it all. Do we want another dictator Pelosi as Speaker of the House? I don’t think so.