this post was submitted on 21 Oct 2023
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Former Pennsylvania Republican congressman Charlie Dent is letting it be known that for the House to get in order they need to reach over the aisle with an olive branch. "The House Republican Conference is deeply fractured," he said during an appearance on MSNBC's "Alex Wagner Tonight."

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[–] TheJims@lemmy.world 34 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Honestly I can’t think of a single Republican worthy of the position.

[–] deft@ttrpg.network 31 points 1 year ago

Apparently neither can Republicans

[–] dhork@lemmy.world 25 points 1 year ago (2 children)

What many of you are missing is that the Speaker election is not a one-and-done deal. The Speaker sets the House agenda , but that is subject to a procedural vote every day and whoever votes for a Speaker is expected to support their agenda in those votes. After the Debt Ceiling deal, the Freedom Caucus withheld this support for a few days, and the House was almost as paralyzed as it is now.

So the Democrats would have leverage in whatever deal they put together. They can make the deal extremely simple, such as "We will schedule bills for a vote that have support in a majority of both parties". That will likely cover the military aid and overall budget bills that are coming. And Democrats would have leverage to throw a tantrum if they don't get their way, same as the Freedom Caucus used to. The only difference is that Democrats have legislative goals that go beyond "burn the place down", so will be easier for Republicans to work with than the Freedom Caucus nutters.

[–] Cethin@lemmy.zip 12 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Logically, this makes the most sense for a decisions. Politically, I don't think it does. If Democrats come out of this with the speakership, stupid Americans (and republican "news" media) will blame the Democrats for not getting anything done, despite the Republicans still controlling the majority.

Leaving them floundering makes them look weak and incompetent. It is painful in the short term for Americans, but it may be better in the long term as the Republicans fall apart. Let them show their true colors to the American people and then let them decide what happens next.

[–] dhork@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

This won't end up with Jeffries being Speaker, unless five or six Republicans decide to leave the party. As much as Jeffries wants to be Speaker, he wants to do it after getting a Democratic majority, and doesn't want to set the precedent that a minority party member could snag the position.

However, they could set the precedent that when the majority party doesn't have a functional majority, the minority party can help pick a member of the Majority that is more amenable to listening to them now and then.

[–] elrik@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Unfortunately, this ineptitude will never affect a large portion of their support. House Democrats and Biden are already positioned for blame by far-right media. Ignorant arguments like Democrats helped remove McCarthy or Biden can't get anything done abound.

Simultaneously, some on the far-right are actually happy that the house is dysfunctional because they see it as a way to stop spending increases or block other legislation. It's a very similar position that got Trump elected, where the goal for many was simply disruption, because they've been convinced that the government is constantly working against their interests.

[–] samson@aussie.zone 4 points 1 year ago

It doesn't need to. The small amount that are somewhat able to be convinced are the ones to look for

[–] elrik@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

We will schedule bills for a vote that have support in a majority of both parties

This is so obvious and simple that I don't understand why it isn't a sufficient condition to schedule a vote on a bill even when there is no speaker.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 21 points 1 year ago

they need to reach over the aisle with an olive branch.

The only olive branch they will reach over will be a burning one emitting poisonous fumes.

[–] aphlamingphoenix@lemm.ee 8 points 1 year ago

"Guess we need to call in the adults to sort this out..."

[–] swope@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I guess for each rep it comes down to whether they think the folks in their district will be upset more because they let the government grind to a halt or they colluded with Democrats.

I'm worried that in many districts, voters are so polarized that they would see working across the aisle as heresy. It's the same reason Jordan got 190ish votes publicly, but only 86 in a secret ballot.

[–] nicetriangle@kbin.social 4 points 1 year ago

Bunch of fucking unprincipled cowards that less than half of the people who voted for him publicly would do so in private. That really paints a picture of a party that has created a monster in their constituents that has clearly gotten out of control. Idiots.

[–] dhork@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I think it's because many rank-and-file voters form their political opinions by watching TV. TV pundits can spout all sorts of bullshit, and by the time those lies are exposed nobody cares, because they are now on a different set of lies. TV pundits don't have to actually try to get things passed, and it's always easier to tear things down than build them up.

So, Republicans in very red districts have to decide whether to be effective, or be electable. It's hard for them to be both.

[–] DarkGamer@kbin.social 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Compromise is unacceptable to the modern GOP, they want everything or they will destroy the government and damage their own credibility. Like a child flipping over the monopoly board because they're losing.

[–] Pratai@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 year ago

Their credibility cannot be damaged because it doesn’t exist.

[–] Pratai@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 year ago

Hopefully dems tell them to fuck themselves.

[–] WoahWoah@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Look at what happened to members that simply didn't support Jordan. If any of them work with democrats, it has been made clear to them that there will be a tremendous increase in threats of violence, levels of harassment, etc, much of which will target their families. Would you break the government to spare your family that? That's what they are facing. I'm not hopeful for a democratic-republican coalition.

[–] Empricorn@feddit.nl 3 points 1 year ago

So... They get to share in the blame for Republicans' self-caused dysfunction, legitimizing Republicans lies that this is at least partially caused by Democrats... All while nominating the others party's Speaker to stymy any legislation to actually help people...

Who wouldn't jump at the chance!?

[–] FoundTheVegan@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago

Fuck 'em.

This is entirely a (foreseeable) mess of their own making. D' sshould let them twist, most of these R' s got elected by saying "All democrats are pedos!"