The House votes continue to steam forward as Kevin McCarthy piles up more defeats and his opposition tells him to step down or surrender all of his power.
Rep. Matt Gaetz told reporters:
Gaetz tells reporters just now that this all ends either with McCarthy deciding to “withdraw from the race” or agrees to a “straitjacket” agreement that fully constrains him as speaker.
— Robert Costa (@costareports) January 5, 2023
In basic terms, McCarthy’s options are to either withdraw from the speaker election or agree to terms of surrender that give up all of his power and render him an empty suit.
Some of the Never Kevins appear to have an agenda of destroying the authority of anyone to lead or have any control over them. If McCarthy agreed to these demands from Gaetz, it would lead to a House that would be incapable of accomplishing even the most mundane tasks.
McCarthy would also be subject to a no-confidence vote at any time. The American people are witnessing a faction of the most extreme Republicans attempting to break the House.
The goal seems to be not a dysfunctional government but paralyzed government. There are no white hats in this fight among the House Republicans. The battle seems to be between those who want an obstructionist House and those who are seeking a broken House.
No matter the outcome, Kevin McCarthy now joins Trump as one of American political history’s biggest losers.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
