Public Comment

On the fifteenth vote, Rep. Kevin McCarthy finally got enough votes to become House Speaker, a hollow victory at best. The anti-government Republicans used their new power to bring the House to a halt until they obtained major concessions from McCarthy.  

The concessions include allowing a rule change in which a single lawmaker can force a snap vote (motion to vacate) at any time to oust him from the speakership, leaving McCarthy at the mercy of hardcore conservative lawmakers if he crossed them, essentially agreeing to be in permanent jeopardy of losing his job. 

McCarthy also committed to allowing these hardcore faction to handpick a third of the party’s members on the powerful Rules Committee and in key committee leadership posts. The Rules Committee controls what legislation reaches the floor and in what form as well as opening spending bills to a freewheeling debate in which any lawmaker could force a vote on proposed changes, including those designed to scuttle or sink the measure. He also agreed to unlimited amendments to spending bills, inviting chaos. 

What we witnessed on the two-year anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection was another insurrection by the hardcore conservative wing of the Republican Party. To save his own political ambitions, McCarthy agreed to institutionalize the chaos — not just for the next two years — but for future congresses. These hardcore Republicans are now inside our government — sort of fifth columnists — working to obstruct the functioning of our government; government shutdowns and a default on the national debt are now more likely.  

McCarthy has himself to blame for agreeing to a diminished speakership by excusing Former President Donald Trump’s key role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. To assure everyone knew where his allegiance lies, McCarthy thanked Trump for standing with him and for making late calls “helping get those final votes.”  

Welcome to 2023, a likely year of political chaos.