To win the vote, McCarthy had to agree to every demand of 20 holdouts including an agreement to let any single member of the majority party move to “vacate the chair”. That amounts to a vote of no-confidence on his speakership.
If 212 Democrats would go along with such a vote, the group of 20 could easily get rid of McCarthy.
Effectively, McCarthy is an acting Speaker not the Speaker.
House Republicans Turn Focus to Spending
The Wall Street Journal reports House Republicans Turn Focus to Spending, China After Dramatic Speaker Vote
At least one Republican said Sunday she was worried that obstruction by conservatives last week presaged greater partisanship ahead. “I am concerned that common-sense legislation will not get through to get a vote on the floor,” said Rep. Nancy Mace (R., S.C.) on CBS.
Ms. Mace pointed to three antiabortion bills that Republicans could vote on over the coming days. “They’re not pieces of legislation that can pass the Senate and get onto the desk of the president,” she said.
Many of Mr. McCarthy’s initial foes are adamantly opposed to raising the debt ceiling, which doesn’t authorize new spending but instead agrees to fund borrowing for debts the government has already agreed to incur.
Democrats, who control the Senate and the White House, are unlikely to agree to the spending curbs that Mr. McCarthy’s Republican detractors may demand in exchange for agreeing to a debt-limit increase, raising the risk of brinkmanship, said several analysts.
Without more discipline, “the Republicans will be in no position to negotiate anything,” wrote James Lucier, a policy analyst at Capital Alpha Partners, in a note to clients on Friday. “House Republicans don’t hold the cards, and they don’t know how to play.”
Rep. Scott Perry (R., Pa.), chairman of the Freedom Caucus, said on ABC that Americans “are tired of these Christmas tree [spending] bills with all the ornaments on them coming in the middle of the night.”
He said that “if we’re going to pass a debt-limit increase,” Congress would need to also do “something to drive the trajectory of the ever-increasing debt down.”
What Happened to State’s Rights?
It would be a huge mistake for Republicans to parade down the antiabortion road again. It cost them dearly in the midterms.
Besides, what happened to state’s rights?
A number of states are taking actions, some both ways. Republican hypocrites want state’s rights except when they don’t.
Besides, this issue is more than dead on arrival in the Senate. There would not even be a symbolic victory because it would just offend more moderates and independents.
Is It All Bad?
No. I like some of what the Freedom Caucus wants to do. Getting rid of omnibus Christmas tree spending bills would be a major step in the right direction.
Historically, however, Republicans have been every bit as bad as Democrats in loading bills with sweeteners. If that change holds, then all this bickering will have achieved something.
Color me skeptical.
Ironically, Republican moans are already coming in “McCarthy’s concessions to get the job may cost vital U.S. defense spending,” says the Journal’s editorial board.
They also won a pledge that the top-line budget figure for domestic discretionary spending in fiscal 2024 won’t exceed what it was in fiscal 2022. That includes defense spending, which would have to fall by $75 billion if the cuts are split with nondefense accounts.
In practice, to get Defense spending increases, Republicans always agree to Democrats demands for more social spending.
July Showdown
Expect a showdown in a July timeframe. That’s when spending will come up against debt ceiling once again.
Let’s see if anything good at all comes from the McCarthy showdown.
I am doubtful but I have an open mind on this and want to see it. We will not have to wait long.
Get ready for a July rumble, possibly exaggerated by calls in every corner to do something about a deepening recession.
Weakening Economy
The jobs report was anemic and the ISM services PMI was an outright disaster.
- December Jobs: Employment Rises by 717,000 All of Them Part Time
- ISM Services Plunges 6.9 Points Into Contraction, Another Recession Warning
- Stock Market Cheers Weak Job Report, But Big Picture Still Looks Grim
Housing is in the gutter and the rest of the economy is sinking fast. Look forward to a summer of discontent.
This post originated on MishTalk.Com.
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Mish
1. The Freedom Caucus (FC) asks for the $75B military spending cut.
2. Most (9 out of 10) Republican members and literally ALL the bloodthirsty Donorcrats oppose the spending cut.
3. The FC then threatens to launch the motion to vacate McCarthy if he goes ahead without the cut. McCarthy knows that he will lose that vote.
4. Donorcrats then offer to offset the $75B extra spending by trimming SS and Medicare and other welfare programs.
5. The FC and the rest of the Republican Party agree to that.
6. The final bill, when passed, has all these social safety net cuts, but somehow a tax cut for the rich would have “magically” appeared from nowhere.
7. After the bill is passed, the Donorcrats and the MSM laud the passage of the bill and claim that it is a victory for “bipartisanship”.
Haha investigations from the party that wanted to move on from the insurrection. Haha even if the fbi / nancy and whoever else flubbed things. Still doesnt change the fact members of the republican party started it backed it and went along with it or let it happen. Except Cheney/ Maybe they should investigate themselves. Hunter: trump had two senators on it for couple years. If there was something there i figure would have heard about it by now. On covid i trust the scientist on twiv podcast opinion. They say pretty much all signs point to the market and the way the virus replicates and mixes with other strains and parts. Will be impossible to figure anything out after three years. If biden makes it so asylum seekers have to apply from home country. Thats the first actual change in immigration policy which i can recall. As a side note wonder how less illegal immigration will affect the economies of those border states. You know less agents / judges/ support systems. Might just be another win for republicans where they end up losing. Like abortion.
Rino is just a name the far rt call a moderate republican.