Speaker Mike Johnson has once again lost a battle against hardline conservatives for control of his own House floor — and he has no clear way out.
A small group of GOP hardliners, led by firebrand Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, effectively seized the floor from Johnson this week, refusing to allow him to move on their own party’s priorities until Republican leaders come up with a plan to pass President Donald Trump’s federal elections overhaul bill.
By Tuesday afternoon, Johnson was forced into one of the most humiliating possible positions for a House speaker: He conceded he could not regain control of the chamber and instructed members to leave Washington early. It’s the second straight week that GOP leaders have had to scrap their plans, this time losing out on nearly an entire week’s agenda.
The problem is that would be extremely short lived, even if it succeeds. And it won’t succeed because from the perspective of most of the minority republicans, democrats are far, far, worse.
The Democrats could help put someone like Cassidy into the speakership. (But, you know, from the house.)
Someone who doesn’t say they’re running the protection program. Someone who will exercise the power of Congress as a co-equal branch of government. Someone who will stop ceding congressional power to Trump. Hell, maybe even someone who would help restore the independence of independent executive agencies.
Likely would be someone on the way out, but good enough for now. I feel like all that isn’t asking for much, just the basic duty of the job.
yes, it’s really hard to find common ground with a faction that believes as few people should have the right to vote as possible.