The House Speaker's Race Is Worth Celebrating

RealClearPolitics ^ | 1/6/23 | Neil Patel

[EnderWiggin1970]

There's a lot of alarmism going on right now about the race for speaker of the House. Many are calling it a crisis or a "three-ring circus." What it is really is the first sign that the reckoning and subsequent healing needed among Republicans may finally be upon us.

There is a huge split within the Republican Party. The party establishment sees an America that's fundamentally the same as it was in 1985 and has a policy agenda fit for just that moment. These Republicans still see big business as their allies. They equate policies that help big business with policies that help America.

The other wing of the Republican party -- some call themselves populists, some reformists, some national conservatives or "natcons" -- sees a country slipping away. They want real reforms. They see the establishment as too tied to corporate America. They see corporate America as too tied to international interests, especially China, and not focused enough on the lives and well-being of everyday Americans.

This is a debate worth having. It's a debate that's been kicked under the rug for too long. It's not chaos; it's democracy.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy is a well-liked guy among Republicans. He's not known as a policy leader. He's particularly well-connected to the corporate influence world that dominates Washington today. The congressional Republicans opposing McCarthy are opposed to this camp. They are also unhappy that Republican leaders allowed a bloated, wasteful and chock-full of bad policy $1.7 trillion spending bill to pass. They want to get back to fiscal discipline, a former bedrock Republican principle that has been lost in recent years.

[EnderWiggin1970]

This is one of the better articles I've seen on the vote for speaker and the issues motivating the resistance. It's sad only a few Republican leaders care enough to fight the "business as usual" corruption in Washington despite the widespread disgust registered in every poll on the subject.

[silent majority rising]

I think this fight will make the Republicans stronger. The Democratic Snake has had its head cut off. Hakeem will never manage as effectively as Pelosi did. The problem though is that when you cut the head off of a snake, the snake dies. The Republicans need to be a hydra in order to defeat the DNC Snakes.

[Dr. Franklin]

Republican leaders allowed a bloated, wasteful and chock-full of bad policy $1.7 trillion spending bill to pass.

Big Government, borrow and spend RINOs.

[DaxtonBrown]

After what we’ve seen from McConnell, they are all lucky they aren’t tarred and feathered.

[ought-six]

“I think this fight will make the Republicans stronger.”

I think so, as well. If McCarthy is sincere in compromise, this could work out well for the GOP and the country. But they must be reminded regularly that they are being watched by the people, and many of the watched will be held to account.

[BobL]

For much of the past 20 years, here in Texas we had either 2 to 1 or greater majorities in the Texas House - yet it was ALWAYS run by a person who HATED the voters that gave them that majority.

So, as a Texan, it’s REALLY NICE to see a much smaller majority of Republicans in DC saying ‘enough with this crap’, for once.

[chopperk]

They are proficient in spending our money and accomplish nothing.

[Openurmind]

Excellent article... Thank you.