Today is day number 10 of a rudderless Republican House. There is no path forward and no majority support for any compromise candidate. 
Scalise Drops Out
“He’s burned a lot of bridges,” said Rep. Ralph Norman (R., S.C.) of Steve Scalise.
So has everyone else who wants the job. Scalise has since dropped out.
“All I have to say is: heartbroken,” said Rep. Ann Wagner (R., Mo.), who had tried to line up votes for Scalise. Asked what she thought of Jordan, she said: “nonstarter.”
The Wall Street Journal reports Republicans Fight to Standstill in House Speaker Race.
House Republicans met Thursday in the basement of the Capitol to hash out their differences, but the closed-door meeting turned into a session for airing grievances and left nothing resolved. Scalise, who is undergoing treatment for a blood cancer, used the gathering to try to assuage concerns about his health, lawmakers said, while also rejecting speculation that he would cut side deals to win the speakership.
“We don’t see the light at the end of that tunnel,” said Rep. Steve Womack (R., Ark.). “That’s a mirage right now. There are very strong divisions and people willing to acknowledge they are not in Scalise’s camp, standing just a few feet from him.”
Many of the current holdouts said they viewed electing Scalise as simply extending the status quo, while others have specific objections tied to strategy around spending bills or the process used to conduct the speaker election.
One option would be to elect a temporary, caretaker speaker to make it possible to move some legislation, potentially upgrading appointed Speaker Patrick McHenry (R., N.C.) to an elected role for now. While that has long been seen as an improbable scenario, some Republicans began to crack the door open to such a move.
It’s a Math Problem
Here’s a morning update from the WSJ.
“The fact is if you reward bad behavior, you’re going to get more of it,” said Rep. Don Bacon (R., Neb.), who said he hadn’t yet decided whether he would support Jordan. One GOP lawmaker spoke up in Thursday night’s meeting to draw a parallel with parenting young children. “If you allow a 5-year-old to be a tyrant and give them more ice cream, they’re going to do more of it, right?”
Rep. Mike Garcia (R., Calif.) said he anticipated the party was “going to have the same problem with Jordan that we had with Scalise. So I think it’s a math problem frankly.”
Limited Time Punt In Play
Rep. Dave Joyce (R., Ohio) said he was discussing with the House parliamentarian and others the possibility of giving McHenry “full duties for a limited period of time,” potentially somewhere between one and two months. House rules experts have said that could take various forms, but would most likely require a vote on the House floor.
“The world’s on fire and we need to address these problems,” Joyce told reporters Thursday. “It’s important that we get back to the business of running this country.”
Some lawmakers are exploring an effort to give McHenry the ability to bring legislation to the floor temporarily, motivated by a goal to be able to approve aid for Israel, according to a GOP aide.
Not Me!
Who wants a “temporary job” only to be blasted by everyone who demands something else?
I have the answer, at least for the present. Not Tom Cole.
Nobody.
“We may get to that point, because we can’t sit here without the ability to act,” said Rep. Tom Cole (R., Okla.). He said that he didn’t want to be elected to such a position. McHenry didn’t respond when asked if he would take such an assignment.
Assume the Limited Time Punt is Taken
What then?
Legislation needs to be passed. Matt Gaetz and the gang of eight demand no money for Ukraine.
That is a no go in the Senate. Republicans will take the blame for stalling. So assume the temporary speaker buckles and works with Democrats and gets legislation passed. In turn, like it or not, it means at least some money for Ukraine.
Hello. We are again back to what then.
The gang of 8 threaten to boot anyone who buck them. But they will not have to do so with a vote under the time punt option because time will expire anyway.
So, what then?
I think you can see my point. 8 people cannot make demands on 217.
The House is Dysfunctional
You may think that a shutdown would be a good thing. But it isn’t, unless of course you are a Democrat who loves to see Republicans implode.
The only reasonable path forward is for the gang of 8 to have more modest demands. No matter what you think of McCarthy, that is what he tried to accomplish.
This does not mean you have to like McCarthy. However, someone like him is the only way forward. 8 people cannot and will not set policy.
Republicans Nominate Steve Scalise for House Speaker in Secret Ballot
For more on the background to this mess, please see Republicans Nominate Steve Scalise for House Speaker in Secret Ballot
My prediction still remains.
No One Will Fix This
“Compromise is always more spending for this in return for more spending on that.”
“Neither party will fix the deficits. Neither party will do anything about mounting debt. No one will do anything about anything because the political system is totally broken.” Mish
For discussion, please see Debt to GDP Alarm Bells Ring, Neither Party Will Solve This
Meanwhile, US May Send a Second Aircraft Carrier to the Mideast, Can That Possibly Help?
This is not exactly a great time to be unable to pass any legislation. But here we are.
Ukraine money is not the cardinal point.
There’s enough bipartisan support to get it passed.
The real point whether proposals are voted on their own merits or whether there is exclusively bundling of completely unrelated proposals in political compromises — the latter is tantamount to the abrogation of democracy.
Ukraine Money is the primary point for Republicans. The Republicans hold the House, and if Jordan is to become Speaker, which he will IMO, then no more money for Ukraine period!
We can’t be the Worlds Police any longer, and never should have tried or attempted to do such. Israel is at real War with real consequences for them and their people, and the U.S. by default as one of our biggest allies, was actually invaded.
Ukraine is in a stand-off war of their own (help from Biden Inc. and the Neocons too of course) making, by dissing the Russians and what they had come to terms with together. Once Zelensky and his U.S. war monger friends got involved it changed everything. Now Ukraine refuses to enter a Peace Plan, and the war mongering U.S. (because of there own agendas in bio and grain etc.) of course is not pushing for one either.
We need to Pull Back Militarily in this manner, we need to Protect Our Country first and foremost and we need to stop Printing Money for these endeavors. We are literally Self Destructing as a Nation!
– No Money for Ukraine, offer an immediate Peace Plan
– Support for Israel, who was invaded, and is now at war
– Close the Borders
– Stop Printing Money
– Cut All Government Agencies by 10% immediately across the board, and all agencies Must Present A Plan showing an additional 10% cut within 90 Days after the first cut, and another 10% cut within 180 days after that second cut. Mandatory Cuts and No Excuses.
That will get this Country back on track financially, out of the silly stupid excursion in Ukraine, show support for one of our biggest allies, and most importantly Show America that the U.S. is back, with Adults in Charge, and not blowing our Taxpayers Money on unnecessary things, issues, and printing it to do so, which makes things exponentially worse!!!
Well it appears that Jordan will be the next Speaker of the House. A good choice if your for an “America First Agenda” which I am.
We shall see if he can get it done, but better odds than Kevin ever had imo. False pretenses from the start, won’t get it done.
I like Him and wish him, and Our Country well.
The 8 are holding the government hostage because they don’t want to send money to Ukraine?
Do I understand that right?
Various reasons – that is one of them
“8 people cannot make demands on 217. ”
I believe Pelosi made demands on the Democrats. Tulsi Gabbard said she thought ahe was supposed to be representing her Hawaiian constituents when she got elected. She was told in orientation, that it was about winning.
Noticed one of my bots is buying your oil shares.
You will be regretful later.
No worries. There’s plenty of shares for all interested parties.
I trade up to 25% of my portfolio. IOW, try to keep cash levels to 25% or less. Keep some cash because there are always opportunities that present themselves.
Buy the dips. Sell the rips. Never hurts to lock in some profits. Been doing that for years. No point in changing what works so well.
Yes. The sh*t show continues. I look at it as a horrible distraction and a big waste of everyone’s time. Many folks can’t wait to get online to voice their opinions and political pet peeves on who is to blame. As if it would make any difference to the situation.
Just taking a break from making a lot of money in the markets today. Selling some recently purchased oil stocks. Thought I would check in to see whats happening here.
Back to the markets now.
Have a good day.
I am sooo tempted to sell calls today on DVN and rake in some cool profits but I’m going to wait just a little bit longer. If there are some big booms on oil production somewhere in the world, the profits will double.
I’m going to let this money train pass for the next one down the track. Choo! Choo!
Pretty brave given Israel is likely to take things up to 11 next week. You don’t drop 6000 bombs and then tell people to get out now unless it’s about to get even realer.
Define “a lot” using as a measure the number of hamsters it will buy.
I’m not gonna speak for PapaDave but here is DVN scenario*.
Buy Devon 48.31 x 2000 = 96620
Sell 20 Devon November 17 $55 strikes @ $0.58 = $1160 profit
Expiry
$1160/96620 = 1% in profit 35 days not assigned
$14530/96620 = 15% profit in 35 days if assigned ( assumes assignment at $55 on November 17, 2023).
Rinse & Repeat. *For fun and entertainment only.
If it didn’t make any difference the Hasbara kids would be all out of work
Perhaps this is a good thing. Instead of having ideological knee jerks like Pelosi etc. perhaps the entire House could vote someone in who has the best interests of the country at heart, as opposed to a party shill.
Yeah, I know. But I can dream.
Some republicans want more military spending, but no for Ukraine or Israel (and I suppose, no for Egipt, Mexico, etc.)
Maybe Lockheed Martin could make lollypops. During Vietnam War, the Pentagon built and ice cream factory in Asia for our soldiers.
Voting over and over to try to elect a speaker is less unproductive than almost anything else they would be doing. You want the votes of the 8 holdouts than earn them. If not, shucks I guess Israel and Ukraine will have to pay for their own tanks rather than a hair stylist in Omaha footing the bill.
I can’t think of a reason to take that job, you get to herd cats and answer to eight yahoos…
Zelensky is going to Israel:
https://www.axios.com/2023/10/11/zelensky-israel-hamas-war-gaza-visit-netanyahu
House approves money to Israel, Israel loans it to Ukraine. Speculating here but that’s the only way I see this going down.
So ACT I of the circus ended already with Scalise dropping out? Wow. It’s on to ACT II.
In case you need music in the background for the Republican circus show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pct1uEhAqBQ
Play it any time you see a repub on TV. I don’t want to give away ACT III but it’s gonna be a freak show 😉
Nope, this is only Act I Scene II.
It gets worse.
Long way to go.
I have strongly believed for many years now:
If the human race goes insane a little bit at a time, no one will notice. However extreme something is, it is “normal” by definition.
Related to that, lying is OK to a degree I’ve never seen before. Biden, Trump, Santos, the Pentagon, the CIA, drug companies, economists and so on. No, not even during Watergate or the war in Vietnam.
Congress is just another symptom.
It’s not 8 people. It’s 8 people and all the democrats. The democrats are just as complicit in this as everyone else. They’re the ones who ousted McCarthy. They’re the ones who will vote against every candidate. They complain about this but they have the ability to end this at any time. They care far more about gaining political points than what they claim is best for the country.
And it’s not uncommon for changes to hinge on a few people. Remember when Manchin was the deciding vote?
By exploiting the divisions in the Republicans, the Democrats get to control the House too leaving the Republicans with nothing. Everyone sees that and knows that. The eight Republican dissenters know it gives Congress to the Democrats but they don’t care so when the revenge comes, and it will be massive. There will be well-financed challengers in their districts when the next election comes up.
The Democrats in Congress show remarkable party unity for things that count. That unity forced Senator Fetterman to wear a suit to work and that impressed me immensely.
I had been hoping for regular Casual Fridays but Fetterman threw that into the dumpster. So Sad.
Some of the senior Senators showed Fetterman how to wear a diaper under a suit without it showing. Now the major drawback of him being appointed Kamala Harries’ successor has been removed.
Excellent post.
“Legislation needs to be passed. Matt Gaetz and the gang of eight demand no money for Ukraine.”
What legislation needs to be passed other than throwing money at Ukraine & Israel?
Oh, I forgot. Everyone considers a CR “real” legislation which it’s not. It’s a freaking rubber stamp.
Well, there will be a shutdown then a default if nothing is passed.
Does that answer your question?
Cool, I guess S.S. won’t get paid and us old folks will have to decide if we want to continue trusting Republicans to fix this mess as we eat our catfood and freeze this winter…
Cat food will be way too expensive Jimmy
Trump might fill the gap. Trump wants Bibi out. Trump follows the regime change
King Obama’s footsteps. Hakeem is his clone, change for the sake of change.
Trump might raid people’s bank accounts to support the Dow.
Trump has no chance. No democrat will vote for him and too many republicans hate him.
Yet there are polls that show he leads Biden in some key swing states. It’s funny how Democrat voters in NYC and Chicago are no longer enthralled with illegal immigration.
Reality is a female dog Ron
Michael put that bottle down this minute son
I am trying to remember a Congressional Rudder. It has slipped my mind.
The GOP is getting very adept at pretending to care about what is good for the country. What are they trying to accomplish here? Can they even articulate their goals?
“8 people cannot make demands on 217.”
And yet, here we are with those 8 locking up all the gears of Congress.
“You may think that a shutdown would be a good thing. But it isn’t, unless of course you are a Democrat who loves to see Republicans implode.”
Hard to take exception with your claim, seems it’s true with many voters. I vote blue for president most of the time, and am happy to allow the GOP to burn itself to the ground as a knock-on effect for their ill-advised selection of Trump as their savior. I, for one, do NOT want to see the government shut down because of how bad it could harm the US and its economy. We have to be bigger than our blue and red tribes.
Oh, my gawd! Biden is a total dumpster fire. He could not be a worse president. America is literally going backwards under his total inability to lead. He’s a senile old man, and if you voted for him, you should be utterly embarrassed for doing so and then coming to this forum touting how much better dems are the GOP.
Granted, the GOP are paralyzed, but that’s only because they’ve got a small group of mavericks who are trying to do right by conservatives. On the dem side, you’ve got a bunch of sheep leading America off the cliff to oblivion.
Amazing Ben finally wrote something that makes sense
The democrats can end this any time they want.
So can republicans, just nominate Jeffries so an adult and not a clown can govern the house. At this rate, repubs are gonna lose the house next year anyway.
The republicans won’t nominate a democrat. That’s absurd to think they would. The democrats could end this by agreeing to vote for one of the republicans. A republican will eventually be the speaker, so not voting for any of them is just delaying things. It’s not that difficult to understand.
What is difficult to understand is why you blame democrats when it was….
1. Republicans that setup this “kill switch” where anyone can vote to boot the speaker out
2. Republicans VOTED to put Mccarthy in…
2. Republicans then initiated the vote to kick said speaker out
3. Republicans that now can’t decide who they want to vote for as speaker, the irony here is they voted to kick him out.
If republicans don’t know how to wield power then they shouldn’t have it.
But somehow, according to your political thinking, it’s all democrats fault. I am surprised you didn’t blame BIden and throw in “open borders” on your comment to be consistent.
Matt was the trigger. Hakeem’s gang of 218 ousted McC. US congress is rudderless.
Traces back to McCarthy agreeing to the dumb vacate rule in order to win speakership. Ask him if that deal was worth it. None of this would be happening if Qev didn’t bend the knee to the Freedom Caucus.
well on POSITIVE note
no congressional business(ie spending) can get done
at least this delay’s the coming massive weapons bill
to fund perpetual wars these Terrorists of DC keep going
we have no business in ukraine or Israel or Taiwan
IMHO it’s time to cut military budget in 1/2
Military budget line-item veto, including “black ops.”
At least it might slow them down.
Matt Gaetz for Speaker. Better than some clueless, castrated Boomer that fiddles as America burns.
Any congressman who voted with Democrats for the continuing resolution is a taxer spender lacking the integrity to be elected speaker. Just how many votes do those droolers need to figure it out?