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canyonwalkerApparently "Three strikes and you're out!" is the rule in Congress this week. After Representative Jim Jordan failed three rounds of votes to become Speaker of the House, the Republican conference voted in a secret ballot to end his nomination. In the public rounds of voting, 20 Republicans voted against Jordan Tuesday, 22 on Wednesday, and 25 in a vote earlier today. Obviously his candidacy wasn't gaining any traction... despite— or more likely because of— the Trump-style intimidation and threats he and some of supporters attempted.
The ending of Jordan's nomination keeps Congress in a state of chaos... and paralysis. As I've noted before, the House of Representatives is literally not able to do anything without an elected Speaker... except vote to elect a Speaker. Meanwhile various national and international crises are growing. The clock is still ticking down on budget reauthorization for the federal government, there's currently no more financial support approved for Ukraine's defense against Russia's invasion, and there's now a war in Israel that Congress hasn't even been able to take a symbolic vote of support on.
"We're in a very bad place right now," former speaker Kevin McCarthy said to journalists. McCarthy, the first speaker ever to lose the gavel on what was essentially a no-confidence vote two weeks ago, showed breathtaking un-self-awareness— a hallmark of modern Republican politics— as just earlier this year he and his supporters held the house hostage for a record 15 rounds of voting before winning the speakership. McCarthy also made numerous substantive concessions to win after 15 ballots, including the one on the "Motion to Vacate" that led to 5 Republican hardliners being able to oust him from his leadership role a little over two weeks ago.
Congress now enters its third week in chaos and paralyzed.
The ending of Jordan's nomination keeps Congress in a state of chaos... and paralysis. As I've noted before, the House of Representatives is literally not able to do anything without an elected Speaker... except vote to elect a Speaker. Meanwhile various national and international crises are growing. The clock is still ticking down on budget reauthorization for the federal government, there's currently no more financial support approved for Ukraine's defense against Russia's invasion, and there's now a war in Israel that Congress hasn't even been able to take a symbolic vote of support on.
"We're in a very bad place right now," former speaker Kevin McCarthy said to journalists. McCarthy, the first speaker ever to lose the gavel on what was essentially a no-confidence vote two weeks ago, showed breathtaking un-self-awareness— a hallmark of modern Republican politics— as just earlier this year he and his supporters held the house hostage for a record 15 rounds of voting before winning the speakership. McCarthy also made numerous substantive concessions to win after 15 ballots, including the one on the "Motion to Vacate" that led to 5 Republican hardliners being able to oust him from his leadership role a little over two weeks ago.
Congress now enters its third week in chaos and paralyzed.
