Kevin McCarthy ousted as Speaker of the House

[ThatRobGuy]

October 3, 2023 - Kevin McCarthy ousted as Speaker of the House

Kevin McCarthy said he will not run again for Speaker of the House after he was ousted earlier Tuesday.

www.cnn.com

Welp, at least they got the budget through before this happened.

Although I have to question the logic of the the GOP contingent on this one...

Given the hoops that had to be jumped through just to get him in (and that barely got through), what's their end game? They thinking they'll get someone who's even further to the right up at the gavel? Seems like wishful thinking.

McCarthy should've done what I recommended in another thread, which was offer up an additional concession or two to the democrats in exchange for a protection vote. Although, I guess there's still an opportunity for him to wheel and deal and get the gavel back if he can thread the needle between the moderate republicans and moderate democrats.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

What's even more interesting is the takes of some GOP hopefuls.

• Former President Donald Trump, who has frequently attacked fellow Republicans, decried the GOP infighting, in an apparent reference to Rep. Matt Gaetz moving to oust McCarthy and said Republicans should be fighting Democrats instead of each other. “Why is it that Republicans are always fighting among themselves, why aren’t they fighting the Radical Left Democrats?” Trump posted on Truth Social.
• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reiterated his criticism of McCarthy but said he's not sure hardline Republicans, like Gaetz, have a "plan in place" to deliver on the vow to oust McCarthy. "You're in a situation where they haven't produced results, and that's just the reality," DeSantis said on Fox News as the House voted on a motion to vacate the speakership. However, he pointed to conservative Reps. Chip Roy, Thomas Massie and Jim Jordan, who he said are making the point that "there's not a plan to go forward with whatever Matt Gaetz is doing."
• GOP Sen. Tim Scott called Gaetz a “polarizing figure” who “does a lot of damage.” The showdown between House leadership and the far-right contingent of the House Republican caucus is “not helpful,” he told CNN ahead of the vote and called the infighting “another show in the House run by Congressman Gaetz” that distracts from messaging around important issues.
• Former Vice President Mike Pence said he was “deeply disappointed” that a handful of House Republicans voted to remove McCarthy. “Chaos is never America's friend and it's never a friend of American families that are struggling. And I'm deeply disappointed that a handful of Republicans would partner with all the Democrats in the House of Representatives to oust the speaker of the House,” Pence said during a forum hosted by the Associated Press and Georgetown University. Pence, however, predicted that McCarthy would be reelected speaker before the end of the week.
• Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson wrote on social media platform X: “What happened today on the floor of the House of Representatives is a gift to Democrats. It sets off alarm bells as the 2024 election nears. There is hope across America but Washington is broken. And today the GOP illustrated the dysfunction.”

So it would seem as if this house GOP contingent is outflanking all of the GOP candidates on the right-hand side. When Trump and DeSantis and all the others are basically saying "Uh, Gaetz, whaddya doin kid...you know you need some sort of backup plan for a new speaker right???", I think that's quite telling.

Some people razz me for my "both sides" style of critiques on CF, but this is one situation where that won't be my angle... this particular GOP contingent is unequivocally worse than their left-wing counterparts in terms of strategy and critical thinking. Say want you want about Nancy Pelosi, she wouldn't have put up with that kinda garbage from the "squad"...by the same token, as radical as the squad is, I don't see them trying to torpedo Pelosi's speakership. (especially with nothing even remotely resembling a backup plan in place)

 

[DaisyDay]

So now what?

 

[ThatRobGuy]

So now what?

Mike Pence speculates that McCarthy will be speaker again by the end of the week.

I think he might be onto something. There is a pathway for that to happen if he can get enough moderate democrats and republicans on board, and make some "deals" and assurances to democrats.

The other scenario is that Steve Scalise (who's the #2 house republican) could make a move to take over the role (which, again, would require some "deal-making" with the other side)

To me, those are the two most likely scenarios. Given that McCarthy (who's a California republican and closer to the center than the far right)

Report Cards for 2022 - Ideology Score - All Representatives - GovTrack.us

Year-end 2022 legislative statistics.

www.govtrack.us

...and the vast effort it took to get him in, the odds it being anyone drastically to the right of him (like this particular far-right house contingent wants) are slim and none. Scalise is the #2, and just a tad right of McCarthy, so it's possible that he might be able to swing 3-4 of the far right contingent to support him...but the flip side is that slight bit to the right he is could cost him some moderate republican votes.

 

[trunks2k]

Mike Pence speculates that McCarthy will be speaker again by the end of the week.

Apparently not. McCarthy says he won't run for speaker again.

...and the vast effort it took to get him in, the odds it being anyone drastically to the right of him (like this particular far-right house contingent wants) are slim and none. Scalise is the #2, and just a tad right of McCarthy, so it's possible that he might be able to swing 3-4 of the far right contingent to support him...but the flip side is that slight bit to the right he is could cost him some moderate republican votes.

That's the problem they find themselves in. McCarthy gave enough concessions to the hard right of the party in his first election that the rumor was he risked losing votes from the more moderate wing if he went any further. And after today I don't think the moderates in the party are going to want to give the hard right more power. There seems to be no room for movement. Appease the hard right, and you'll lose moderates. Appease the moderates to try to get a few democrats on board and you lose Republicans on the right. One vote gained is one vote lost.

The possibility here is they go through many rounds of being unable to choose someone and McCarthy throws his hat back in the ring hoping people will realize he's the only chance they have.

 

[ToddNotTodd]

So now what?

The Republicans bring back duels as a means of resolving differences…

 

[High Fidelity]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t Matt Gaetz a paedophile? I’m sure I recall he was caught with a 17-year-old.

 

[BPPLEE]

So now what?

Now the Democrats sit back and laugh at the Republicans.

 

[DaisyDay]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t Matt Gaetz a paedophile? I’m sure I recall he was caught with a 17-year-old.

No, paedophilia is lusting after pre- not post- pubescents. Seventeen, while perhaps not legal depending on the state, is not a child. There is some question of his sex-trafficking a minor.

 

[BPPLEE]

No, paedophilia is lusting after pre- not post- pubescents. Seventeen, while perhaps not legal depending on the state, is not a child.

You’re correct but I think he is the subject of an ethics investigation and that’s probably what this is really about.

 

[DaisyDay]

You’re correct but I think he is the subject of an ethics investigation and that’s probably what this is really about.

I know he was but I thought that was dropped (soon to be reopened?)

 

[Valletta]

Apparently not. McCarthy says he won't run for speaker again.


That's the problem they find themselves in. McCarthy gave enough concessions to the hard right of the party in his first election that the rumor was he risked losing votes from the more moderate wing if he went any further. And after today I don't think the moderates in the party are going to want to give the hard right more power. There seems to be no room for movement. Appease the hard right, and you'll lose moderates. Appease the moderates to try to get a few democrats on board and you lose Republicans on the right. One vote gained is one vote lost.

The possibility here is they go through many rounds of being unable to choose someone and McCarthy throws his hat back in the ring hoping people will realize he's the only chance they have.

Trump is too tied up in court to be Speaker.

 

[BPPLEE]

I know he was but I thought that was dropped (soon to be reopened?)

I am not sure of the status

Matt Gaetz appears to run afoul of House ethics rules

The Florida Republican spent thousands of dollars on a speechwriting consultant.

www.politico.com

 

[Valletta]

I am not sure of the status

Matt Gaetz appears to run afoul of House ethics rules

The Florida Republican spent thousands of dollars on a speechwriting consultant.

www.politico.com

Notice the article says there is no evidence of Gaetz saying he got permission while not presenting any information to the contrary. The number one problem, the real problem, the establishment has with Gaetz is that he is the only member of Congress who does not accept money from PACs or lobbying organizations.

 

[BPPLEE]

Notice the article says there is no evidence of Gaetz saying he got permission while not presenting any information to the contrary. The number one problem, the real problem, the establishment has with Gaetz is that he is the only member of Congress who does not accept money from PACs or lobbying organizations.

Well I admire him for that but I question his judgment about what happened today

 

[USincognito]

So now what?

CNN devotes hours of programming to how this is bad for Biden and shows that Democrats are in disarray.

 

[wing2000]

So it would seem as if this house GOP contingent is outflanking all of the GOP candidates on the right-hand side. When Trump and DeSantis and all the others are basically saying "Uh, Gaetz, whaddya doin kid...you know you need some sort of backup plan for a new speaker right???", I think that's quite telling.

His only plan was to dethrone McCarthy....with no thought of the long term consequences for his conference or the House at large.

 

[wing2000]

So now what?

I nominate Liz Cheney for Speaker.

 

[SimplyMe]

Apparently not. McCarthy says he won't run for speaker again.


That's the problem they find themselves in. McCarthy gave enough concessions to the hard right of the party in his first election that the rumor was he risked losing votes from the more moderate wing if he went any further. And after today I don't think the moderates in the party are going to want to give the hard right more power. There seems to be no room for movement. Appease the hard right, and you'll lose moderates. Appease the moderates to try to get a few democrats on board and you lose Republicans on the right. One vote gained is one vote lost.

The possibility here is they go through many rounds of being unable to choose someone and McCarthy throws his hat back in the ring hoping people will realize he's the only chance they have.

It is still a longshot but there is some thought that, should moderate Republicans get desperate enough, they might actually make a deal with Democrats and make Hakeem Jeffries (Minority Leader) the Speaker, as it would only take 5 (from what I recall) Republican votes to elect Jeffries -- assuming he gets all the Democrats votes. As you point out, it will be difficult for any Republican to successfully make a deal with all the Republican factions in the House.

His only plan was to dethrone McCarthy....with no thought of the long term consequences for his conference or the House at large.

I suspect Gaetz sees the lack of Speaker as a bonus -- particularly since (from what I recall) the Ethics Committee can't meet until there is a Speaker. I suspect it would make Gaetz happy if it takes months, with the government shut down, to get a Speaker -- and would only make him more popular with the Far Right.

 

[Always in His Presence]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t Matt Gaetz a paedophile? I’m sure I recall he was caught with a 17-year-old.

You are wrong. He has not been found guilty of any such crime, so you cannot call him a pedophile.

Not without slandering him