Next Speaker of the House? (5 Viewers)

[MT15]

There’s a lot of doubt that Kevin McCarthy will be able to get enough votes to become Speaker. It certainly won’t happen on the first ballot. Already Boboert and MTG are publicly at odds over it.

Maybe this is worth it’s own thread to watch. One person mentioned is Scalise.

 

[DaveXA]

Just forking gross what they're doing. I mean this is political bullying.

 

[Lapaz]

Just forking gross what they're doing. I mean this is political bullying.

I general I wouldn’t think it is gross. It is just part of lobbying. The only part that I think is gross is that a “news” organization is actively involved in the lobbying.

 

[Incumbent]

I general I wouldn’t think it is gross. It is just part of lobbying. The only part that I think is gross is that a “news” organization is actively involved in the lobbying.

That it's coming from a "news" network is precisely the point.

 

[DaveXA]

That it's coming from a "news" network is precisely the point.

Indeed. I mean..."Fair and balanced."

 

[MT15]

The so-called moderate Rs are caving. They have no integrity or moral courage. We’re doomed to have this despicable man as Speaker.

 

[MT15]

 

[Optimus Prime]

the only 'positive' to Jim Jordan being speaker is that it very well may lead to a blue wave in next year's elections

 

[DaveXA]

the only 'positive' to Jim Jordan being speaker is that it very well may lead to a blue wave in next year's elections

Yes, but it's not worth it imo.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Yes, but it's not worth it imo.

agreed

 

[Optimus Prime]

In a historically fraught time marked not only by partisan gridlock but also a remarkably incohesive Republican Party, the House GOP could soon elect a speaker with a remarkably thin legislative track record and precious little experience building the bipartisan consensus he would soon need.


Critics of Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) have increasingly pointed to this — most notably the fact that he has yet to get a bill signed into law since being elected in 2006.

“House Republicans have just elected a speaker nominee who in 16 years in this Congress hasn’t passed a single bill,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Friday, “because his focus has not been on the American people.”

Legislation isn’t the only measure of a member of Congress, and that statistic could be characterized as misleading. (Congress these days passes few bills, and many members never get one they wrote signed into law.)

But it’s not the only data point that suggests Jordan would come into the job from a very unusual position.


The most oft-cited data on legislative success comes from the Center for Effective Lawmaking, a joint project of Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia.

It tracks not only bills that become law, but bills that get some kind of traction, along with how significant the bills are. (i.e. you don’t get the same credit for getting a bill naming a post office passed as you would for an overhaul of health care.)


Lawmakers of both parties often tout these rankings when boasting that a member has had a bona fide impact on our nation’s laws.

Jordan has not had much impact, at least by this measuring stick.
CEL data have routinely ranked Jordan near the bottom of the House when it comes to his effectiveness.

To wit:


Last Congress, only four lawmakers ranked below him.


He has ranked in the bottom five among House Republicans each of the past four Congresses.

He has ranked in the bottom quarter of House Republicans in every full Congress he served in.


Before this Congress, its data don’t record any bills Jordan sponsored passing or receiving any action — whether in committee or on the floor.


How unusual is this? Part of the reason is that Jordan doesn’t sponsor a lot of bills.

But other prominent members have significantly more robust track records.


For instance, CEL data show Jeffries last Congress sponsored nine “substantive” bills — i.e. not commemorative things like naming a post office — which went on to pass, including four that became law. (Jeffries was in the majority with Democrats controlling both the Senate and the presidency, but Jordan has been in a majority for most of his tenure, and his party had that same trifecta from 2017 to 2019.)


Ousted former speaker Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) during Jordan’s tenure has sponsored 17 bills that passed and eight that became law. Five of those laws were regarded as “substantive.”


And House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) during Jordan’s tenure has sponsored eight “substantive” bills that passed, including one that became law……..

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/10/16/jim-jordan-speaker-legislation-effectiveness/

 

[MT15]

A small ray of hope:

 

[LA - L.A.]

Yes, but it's not worth it imo.

Recovery from dysfunction only occurs after hitting rock bottom. It's unfortunate, but that's how it works. Ideally rock bottom comes with lowest price possible, but obviously the Republican party hasn't hit rock bottom yet.

If Jordan as Speaker gets us there and starts a recovery from the current dysfunction of the Republican party, I think it's worth whatever the price is, because if he's not rock bottom, then we're going to be paying an even higher price later on.

The House Republicans can only obstruct which can be catastrophic, but they can't force any oppressive laws onto us. The Senate and Presidential veto will stop that.

If Jordan's obstruction becomes catastrophic, Republicans in the House will oust him out of political self-preservation. If they do not, then there will be either a blue tidal wave or red tide of reform in the 2024 elections. I don't think Jordan will destroy our democracy, because they don't have military support or enough law enforcement support to pull that off.

 

[MT15]

A small ray of hope:

BTW, I think Dems would and should support this. And throw their votes to McHenry, just to keep Jordan out of the Speaker’s role.

 

[DaveXA]

Recovery from dysfunction only occurs after hitting rock bottom. It's unfortunate, but that's how it works. Ideally rock bottom comes with lowest price possible, but obviously the Republican party hasn't hit rock bottom yet.

If Jordan as Speaker gets us there and starts a recovery from the current dysfunction of the Republican party, I think it's worth whatever the price is, because if he's not rock bottom, then we're going to be paying an even higher price later on.

The House Republicans can only obstruct which can be catastrophic, but they can't force any oppressive laws onto us. The Senate and Presidential veto will stop that.

If Jordan's obstruction becomes catastrophic, Republicans in the House will oust him out of political self-preservation. If they do not, then there will be either a blue tidal wave or red tide of reform in the 2024 elections. I don't think Jordan will destroy our democracy, because they don't have military support or enough law enforcement support to pull that off.

Maybe you're right. But I worry Jordan being speaker just rewards the nonsense. If that happens, this will be a long way from the bottom imo.

 

[DaveXA]

Maybe you're right. But I worry Jordan being speaker just rewards the nonsense. If that happens, this will be a long way from the bottom imo.

Just to add. What I'm getting at is the Republicans are already there to a large degree, but we as a country can't get to a place where we're normalizing extremism. Making Jordan Speaker does this. He's actually more dangerous than MTG or Boebert. He can do more damage to the Republic than either of them, or anyone else short of Trump himself.

 

[LA - L.A.]

Just to add. What I'm getting at is the Republicans are already there to a large degree, but we as a country can't get to a place where we're normalizing extremism. Making Jordan Speaker does this. He's actually more dangerous than MTG or Boebert. He can do more damage to the Republic than either of them, or anyone else short of Trump himself.

I hear your concern. I think it only gets normalized if the general public shrugs it off. I don't think they will. I don't think the Republicans in the House electing him automatically normalizes it. Maybe for a segment of Republicans, but I don't think it will for all Republicans or the majority of Americans.

I do understand your concerns though.

 

[LA - L.A.]

Just to add. What I'm getting at is the Republicans are already there to a large degree, but we as a country can't get to a place where we're normalizing extremism. Making Jordan Speaker does this. He's actually more dangerous than MTG or Boebert. He can do more damage to the Republic than either of them, or anyone else short of Trump himself.

I'm hoping it leads to a backlash instead of normalization. I wouldn't bet on it going either way.

 

[Maxp]

Jordan's brand of, burn it down because I can't have it my way, is already normalized with the Republican electorate. It's the ultimate, "sticking it to the Liberals" move. Once real pain is felt due to shutdowns, etc they will blame Biden and Republicans will believe it. There was barely a hint of backlash when Trump literally tried violently to steal the election.