Dysfunction in the house

No, not the home, the house...of representatives

Everyone is aware at this point of the multiple votes that have now been taken in an attempt to name a new Speaker of the House. The Democrats have, with each ballot, unanimously voted for Hakeem Jeffries. The Republicans, on the other hand, can not reach consensus, and the presumed speaker, Kevin McCarthy, has not been able to garner enough votes to assume the seat. Many rushed to criticize the Republicans who will not fall in line and vote for McCarthy.

In a way, this reflects what we see all year every year as a difference between the parties. The Democrats generally rally united behind whatever measures the party puts forward, even if some have reservations or disagreements. The Republicans, more often than not, suffer disconnect, disorder, and infighting. Why? Perhaps because some in the Republican party have character and the ability to think independently. There is nothing inherently wrong with what is happening; if anything, it is a sign that there are actually some in Congress who might be worth having there.

Though some have labelled the anti-McCarthy voters as “insurrectionists” (oh that that word could be removed from the English language), or as my own traitorous representative Crenshaw called them, “enemies,” perhaps it would be better to describe them as anti-establishment. It is no secret that McCarthy is an “establishment Republican;” he is not a conservative. Those in the party voting against him trend more toward the conservative side. These are actually, in a way, attempting to protect the American people from business-as-usual in the Capitol. Why then castigate them?

Ronna McDaniel, the head of the RNC (who should have been fired after the abysmal results of what should have been a huge win for Republicans in the 2022 midterm elections) says that this infighting exposes a failure to keep “our eye on the prize.” What prize that may be, at this point, is anyone’s guess. More establishment governance? While the Republicans now have enough votes in the House to effectively neuter any noxious policies the Democrats and the President put forward, with a speaker like McCarthy, that will not likely happen as easily as it should. Frankly, because of many Republicans in Congress (both House and Senate), conservatives can not count on any legislation being stopped. Just look at how many Republicans voted in favor of the abominable omnibus.

I am not in the least disappointed at this process. In my mind, it reveals those who, at least to some degree, are not part of the establishment uniparty. These are people we (hope we) can count on to legislate based on principle and conscience rather than party lines and political expediency. I would much rather have the halls of Congress lined with such as these rather than the McDouble the establishment would prefer.

This is not the first time Congress could not elect a speaker. Though not a common event, it has happened multiple times, one time taking two months and 133 ballots to finally decide on a speaker. The issue will, in the end, work itself out. The only question is whether the final result will be a speaker dedicated to the people or to the establishment. In the meantime, we should all be happy that no legislation can be considered until the speaker is elected, at which time new members can be sworn in. At the very least, that means that no further superfluous spending, mindless mandates, or loathsome laws can be enacted. When put in that light, perhaps it would be best if they failed to elect a speaker until January of 2024.