[PIF]

what do they exactly mean by “govern” the house? In concrete terms, what would that mean for this current dispute?
—

Govern means govern. If you are going to parse the word, it will become meaningless.

If the Speaker would govern, then problems like this would never happen.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

Govern means govern. If you are going to parse the word, it will become meaningless.

I think you defining the word with itself renders it meaningless.

So they want him to "govern", but won't say what that means? Gee, no wonder they're failing.

Saying they want the Speaker to "govern" (undefined), while having taken most of the authority away from the position, makes no sense. At least not without some kind of explanation.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

I'm not trying to be a pendant here. The reality is the GOP caucus has a tiny margin, and is very divided internally. People on both ends of the caucus refuse to support legislation with which they don't agree. The only sense in which members actually want to be governed is when they envision the Speaker acting in accordance with what each of them believes as individuals. And if the Speaker doesn't "govern" the way they think he should govern, then they refuse to follow.

So what is the Speaker supposed to do about that?