Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

I am pretty sure Katy Tur wasn’t always such a bootlicking sycophant.

I’m starting to think Jesus may have made a mistake saving people with no questions asked.

Republicans cannot even be trusted with their own money.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

Hey hey, RFK, how many kids did you kill today?

In after Baud. Damn.

Compromise? There is no middle ground between a firefighter and an arsonist.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

Jack Smith: “Why did you start campaigning in the middle of my investigation?!”

Polls are now a reliable indicator of what corporate Republicans want us to think.

“Joe Biden deserved better than he got from some folks in his own party.”

The media handbook says “controversial” is the most negative description that can be used for a Republican.

People really shouldn’t expect the government to help after they watched the GOP drown it in a bathtub.

Ron DeSantis, the grand wizard, oops, governor of FL.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

T R E 4 5 O N

“But what about the lurkers?”

It’s pointless to bring up problems that can only be solved with a time machine.

Consistently wrong since 2002

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

Republicans are radicals, not conservatives.

How any woman could possibly vote for this smug smarmy piece of misogynistic crap is beyond understanding.

Yeah, with this crowd one never knows.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Compare and Contrast (Open Thread)

Compare and Contrast (Open Thread)

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TaMara posted about Rep. Jeffries’ unanimous election as the Dems’ House leader downstairs. How’s it going for Kevin McCarthy, the guy who’s been measuring the drapes for the Speaker’s office for the past several years? Not so good! [Axios]

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) met on Tuesday with key members of his conference — including several right-wing detractors — as part of an intensifying effort to cobble together the votes he needs to become speaker.

Why it matters: McCarthy is at risk of a humiliating and potentially career-ending defeat with just five weeks until the Jan. 3 speaker election, as several members of the right-wing House Freedom Caucus are still publicly vowing to deny him crucial votes.

Driving the news: Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) told Axios on Tuesday he’s a firm “no” on McCarthy after previously leaving wiggle room: “I will be voting for an alternative candidate. I will not be voting for Kevin McCarthy.”

Good, who supports seditionist loon Andy Biggs, says there may be as many as 20 “no” votes on McCarthy, who can only afford to lose four or five. McCarthy ally (because he shamefully sucked up to the lunatic) Marjorie Taylor Greene says maybe 10 oppose McCarthy’s bid at present. Both Good and Greene are deranged liars, so your guess is as good as their inside info.

McCarthy vows to engage in a floor fight if necessary, and he’ll probably eventual get his mitts on the poisoned chalice he seeks. And poisoned it shall be; the Axios article notes that Freedom Caucus members, who have McCarthy’s wedding tackle in their fists, “are demanding changes that would give rank-and-file members greater influence.”

Good luck with that, asshole!

Open thread.

Reader Interactions

104Comments

  1. 1.

    Captain C

     McCarthy is at risk of a humiliating and potentially career-ending defeat

    Does this mean if he loses out he’ll resign his post?  I’m still waiting for the Turtle of Corruption to do so in the Senate.

  2. 2.

    trollhattan

    20 quatloos for “wedding tackle”–which TBH I know only from watching “Top Gear.”

    Bakersfield aren’t sending their best.

  3. 3.

    David 🦃The Establishment🥧 Koch

    This is going to be Boehner 2.0 where he can’t even pass a milk subsidies bill and has to get the Dems to do it (at a price).

  5. 5.

    Dagaetch

    “When the Gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers.” – Oscar Wilde

    Maybe I’ve missed it, but has anyone asked McCarthy why he wants to be Speaker? I mean, power needs a purpose, or it’s just ego…oh, I get it now.

  6. 6.

    West of the Rockies

    Yes, may Kevin get his grubby paws on the holy chalice, slake himself, and drop senseless…

    “He chose… poorly.”

  8. 8.

    randy khan

    And even if he’s elected, he likely will be at risk nearly every day because the crazies demanded a return to the rule that makes it easy to oust the Speaker at any time.

  16. 16.

    Dangerman

    I wonder what the Democrats could get for enough of them crossing over and giving that POS the keys to the Castle? Sure, he’s a POS, but if he’s willing to cough up a pile of chits, I could forgive the POS thing.

  18. 18.

    MattF

    My guess is that Rs are going to have to negotiate with Ds to organize the House. It’s possible that the prospect of electoral consequences for going full-MAGA and of cutting Medicare and Medicaid and of defaulting on the Federal debt will deter a few Rs… but… who knows?

  19. 19.

    cain

    @Hoodie: yeah, right now – the GOP voters are all extremist. They’ve pretty much not even following the platform of the party anyways (whatever that is these days)

  21. 21.

    arrieve

    @Old School: So sorry to hear that — I always thought she had the most entrancing voice. I always thought it was appropriate that her maiden name was Christine Perfect. I loved the Legendary Christine Perfect album (made before she joined Fleetwood Mac.)

  22. 22.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    I was watching stuff about the Chines protesters and the level of snark on display from the protestors is awesome; they hold up blank pieces of paper,  forcing CCP officials to define what the protestors are protesting during the Offical’s counter messaging.  The police ordered the protestors in one city to stop chanting “we don’t want  lock downs!”, so the chant instantly switched to “we want MORE lock downs!”

    I gather this is all from a video of an apartment fire were the residents burned to death because the doors to the complex were bared as part of COVID measure and the entrance was blocked so the Fire Department couldn’t get in to fight the fire.  It does seem like the Chines have concluded the CCP has gone batshit insane.

  23. 23.

    CaseyL

    @MattF: I’m not too sure about that.  I think all the new GOP Reps are MAGAts; I think you need to be to get through the primary.  They won’t negotiate with Dems on anything, because the entire House GOP Caucus is a bunch of grifting preeners like Cawthorne (who infamously said he was only about “coms,” not legislation).

  25. 25.

    scav

    Possibility of one or more rival bands of tourists showing up at GOP headquarters in the house?  Or will it merely be settled by lawsuits at 10 paces.

  26. 26.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @Sean: Sounds like Bacon is trying to indirectly warn the other Republicans if they don’t get their shit together it’s going to be Speaker of the House Jeffries next year.

  31. 31.

    Betty Cracker

    So sorry to hear about Christine McVie. I got to see Fleetwood Mac in concert in the 1980s. My sister had purchased tickets with one of her friends whom I didn’t really like, but sis got grounded for some terrible offense, and I got to go in her stead. I ditched her friend immediately and enjoyed the concert!

  32. 32.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Matt McIrvin:

    Always thought she was Fleetwood Mac’s most underrated lead.

    No doubt. I’m not that knowledgeable about music, but judging from their various solo efforts, she was key to making that whole larger than the sum of its parts

  34. 34.

    Redshift

    Ever since Boehner, House GOP leadership has consisted of people dumb enough not to avoid it. It’s one thing to want power, but with this crowd all you get is a title, not power to do anything. It’s going to be a shitshow no matter who’s in charge, and it’s going to have your name on it.

  36. 36.

    Sean

    @Enhanced Voting Techniques: Well, that plainly would never happen, I don’t even think the scenario Bacon proposes would happen given the political dynamics/demands facing all these crazies. BUT, I am interested to see what plays out if they can’t get anyone with 218 votes. Either there is some compromising or it’s a prolonged giant embarrassment and nothing gets done but a lot of crazy shouting. I imagine they’d go with option 2 rather than give dems any sort of win or shared power, but that’s why I am interested in how the whole dynamic plays out.

  38. 38.

    Kent

    @Dangerman:I wonder what the Democrats could get for enough of them crossing over and giving that POS the keys to the Castle? Sure, he’s a POS, but if he’s willing to cough up a pile of chits, I could forgive the POS thing.

    I think the more likely scenario is that McCarthy gets a few conservative Dems to sign on and let him do an end run around MTG, Gosar, et. al.

  39. 39.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Redshift: I don’t remember all the details, but my recollection is that if Boehner had had the guts and integrity to cut an immigration deal with Pelosi before he zippity-doo-da’d his way to being a pot lobbyist, we might be living in a very different country today. Or we might not.

    I think McCarthy squeaks through on the grounds that no-one wants the job, and the money will want this resolved. But he won’t last a full year

    ETA: I think the more likely scenario is that McCarthy gets a few conservative Dems to sign on and let him do an end run around MTG, Gosar, et. al.

    I hadn’t thought of that. How many would he need? Half a dozen? Fewer? Cuellar would probably do it. Peltola and Marie Guesenkamp-Perez might be looking to polish some bipartisan bona fides. OTOH, any concessions from McCarthy would blow up on him

  40. 40.

    Boris Rasputin (the evil twin)

    @Sean: ” prolonged giant embarrassment”

    On a double bill with “Seditionist Loon” in a tie for worst band name ever? Nice.

  43. 43.

    Anoniminous

    “The Speaker is elected at the beginning of a new Congress by a majority of the Representatives-elect from candidates separately chosen by the majority- and minority-party caucuses. ” [Cite: history.house.gov]
    Does that mean the two parties put up their candidates and the one with the most votes win?
    Does that mean Jefferies could be elected Speaker if the GOP vote splits?​

  46. 46.

    Darrin Ziliak (formerly glocksman)

    Off topic.

    For several months now my family and I have rarely spoken, and we haven’t spent any of the holidays together after I posted on Facebook that I wanted nothing to do with any of my friends & family who still support Trump.

    Apparently, I’m the only one in my family who doesn’t support the seditionist-in-chief.

    To be honest, I’m a loner by nature so I’m not that upset.

    What I’m thinking of doing is taking the $300 or so that I’d normally spend on gifts for my adult niece and her adult kids and donate it to United24.

    Or does anyone here have a better idea who to donate to in order to help Ukraine?

  49. 49.

    Captain C

    @trollhattan:

    “Don Bacon? Never heard of the guy, did you say he’s missing?”

    Along with the other 6 or 7 who were going for his plan.

    “Wait, are we now outnumbered in here by Democrats?!?  Someone check if they’re still alive.  Wait, did I say that out loud?”

  50. 50.

    Geminid

    @Sean: House Republicans should take Don Bacon’s threat seriously. He retired out the Air Force as a general before he won his Omaha-based seat, and he’s entering his 4th, maybe 5th term. Biden won Bacon’s district, and there is a good chance he’ll either retire or lose in 2024.

    Enough other Republicans might join Bacon’s rebellion. It would be risky; even if a retired Republican was the choice, siding with the Democrats to elect the next Speaker would anger the base Republican base.

    Still, Dan Newhouse (WA) and David Valadeo (CA) voted to impeach Trump and survived, and this would be a less risky vote for them I think. With those two, Bacon would just need two more renegades. Purple district Reps might huddle and draw straws for the duty.

    And they might be appalled at the prospect of letting the likes of Bob Good pick their next leader. Good is not as well known as some of the other radicals, but he’s the kind of guy who makes people’s skin crawl.

  51. 51.

    Kent

    @The Moar You Know: @Sean: there are no moderate Republicans.  WTF lunacy is this?

    The Dem offer should be this:  they get Jeffries or nothing.  I think it would be a great lesson to this country to go for a year without a functional House of Representatives because the GOP members, who “won”, are too busy knifing each other on the floor.

    Jeffries wouldn’t want it.  Why would he?  He couldn’t pass a single vote or measure with a minority in the House.   It would set him up for total failure.  He isn’t going to take the speakership unless he can actually do something with it, and that would mean he would need at least 4 or 5 GOPers to actually switch parties.

  52. 52.

    Captain C

    @The Moar You Know:

    the GOP members, who “won”, are too busy knifing each other on the floor.

    If they start doing this literally we may get Speaker Jeffries before too long.  Especially if some of the casualties include upset winners from Biden-winning districts.

  53. 53.

    Peale

    @The Moar You Know: Yeah. Sadly, we know how this plays out with Democratic voters. While fewer than numbers, we still have a lot of “why don’t they reach across the aisle and make peace with them” voters who get huffy at Dems when the GOP blows up the place.

  56. 56.

    Darrin Ziliak (formerly glocksman)

    @MattF:

    World Central Kitchen

    Yeah, that’s a good one to donate to.

    I’m also thinking about just splitting the donation between the two.

  57. 57.

    piratedan

    @Princess: who knows what sort of bread and circuses may ensue with a GOP led House…. they’ve promised us non-stop culture wars and investigations and impeachments galore to keep the media enthralled.

    maybe they’ll introduce trial by combat to introduce bills, as opposed to the old fashioned DeVille scale of cruelty.

    with this crew, we may see women reclassified as chattel, Southern Baptists as being the de facto national faith and acclimation that all national collegiate championships can only be won by institutional members of the SEC.

  58. 58.

    Geminid

     

     

    @Kent: I think if McCarthy tries to pet any of those Blue Dogs they’ll  just cock their legs and pee on him!

    More seriously, I think you underestimate their loyalty to their caucus.

  59. 59.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Kent: ​

    I think the more likely scenario is that McCarthy gets a few conservative Dems to sign on

    I don’t know. McCarthy is an extremist, is the thing. He’s not MTG, but he’s damned close. McCarthy is one of the people who was actually sucking up to Trump himself rather than just yelling “election fraud!” in 2021, and those are very different things. Helping McCarthy get the job is not helping get the sanest possible Republican leadership.

  60. 60.

    SFBayAreaGal

    @Old School: I saw it come across my Facebook feed directly from the Fleetwood Mac Facebook page. She had a beautiful voice. Loved listening to her singing Songbird. Damn

  61. 61.

    ArchTeryx

    Maybe it’s just wanking but the House seems to have a real possibility of devolving into a parliamentary minority government coalition.  Watch the heads of the Freedom fruitcakes explode like a remake of Scanners!

    I’ll bring the popcorn.  Power, how does it work?

  62. 62.

    Sean

    @The Moar You Know: I didn’t mean it as my characterization, but his. I’m not under any delusions, just curious if he might actually follow through on a non McCarthy-Non MTG, et al candidate and who that would be (maybe he’s looking for his own path, these folks are all back-knifers). Seems unlikely, but I love anything that tangles them up in their own bullshit.

  64. 64.

    WaterGirl

    @MattF: If they need help from DEMS in the House, we should negotiate a power-sharing agreement like we had to do in the Senate.

    Saying “had” because I am so hoping that on Jan 6 we will learn that we no longer have to do that.

  65. 65.

    Sean

    @Geminid:

    Thanks for this insight. I know little about Bacon, and although I put very little stock in republican profiles in courage, I’d love to see something like this happen.

    Enough other Republicans might join Bacon’s rebellion. It would be risky; even if a retired Republican was the choice, siding with the Democrats to elect the next Speaker would anger the base Republican base.

    Still, Dan Newhouse (WA) and David Valadeo (CA) voted to impeach Trump and survived, and this would be a less risky vote for them I think. With those two, Bacon would just need two more renegades. Purple district Reps might huddle and draw straws for the duty.

  66. 66.

    Ken

    @Kent: McCarthy gets a few conservative Dems to sign on

    Possibly. But if he engineers that, I think Ocasio-Cortez, Pelosi, Schiff, and a few others of that ilk — the Democrats who live for free in every MAGA loon’s head — should also vote for McCarthy. That should guarantee he doesn’t last out the year, and possibly not the month.

  67. 67.

    WaterGirl

    @MattF:  This should not be newsworthy:

    The Treasury Department has complied with last week’s court order to hand over the documents, a spokesperson from the Treasury Department confirmed to CNN on Wednesday.

    But of course, after the previous administration, it really is.

  68. 68.

    Kent

    @Frankensteinbeck: I don’t think it is LIKELY that McCarthy gets any Dem votes, I just think it is MORE likely than any GOPers deciding to caucus with the Dems and in effect flip the House back to Dem control.

    And I think it would only be likely to happen if the Dems extract a lot of concessions from McCarthy regarding investigations, committee assignment, impeachment, etc.

    I think the most likely scenario is that the Dems get out the popcorn and spend 2 years laughing at GOP dysfunction.

  69. 69.

    WaterGirl

    @Darrin Ziliak (formerly glocksman):

    …donate it to United24.

    Or does anyone here have a better idea who to donate to in order to help Ukraine?

    I do not.  United24 doesn’t have a presence on ActBlue, or they would definitely be our top Ukraine charity.  I believe that Razom for Ukraine is also excellent, and they do have an ActBlue, so they are our Ukraine charity in the sidebar.

    World Central Kitchen is the other charity we have for Ukraine.

    I don’t think you can go wrong with United24.

  71. 71.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Kent:

    I just think it is MORE likely than any GOPers deciding to caucus with the Dems

    Fair.  I don’t put anything down as impossible in this weird situation, but I agree with your judgment here.  Screaming “Fuck you, libs!” is the only thing Republicans are truly united on.

  72. 72.

    PDXBob

    @Anoniminous:“The Speaker is elected at the beginning of a new Congress by a majority of the Representatives-elect from candidates separately chosen by the majority- and minority-party caucuses. ” [Cite: history.house.gov]
    Does that mean the two parties put up their candidates and the one with the most votes win?
    Does that mean Jefferies could be elected Speaker if the GOP vote splits?​

     

    Yes, that’s how it works.  Only those present have a vote, no proxy voting.  Simple majority of vote by those present at the time of the vote.

  74. 74.

    Geminid

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Henry Cuellar would not cross over to vote for McCarthy. Neither would Peltola, Glusenkamp, or any of the other Democrats. I guess it’s possible that leadership could greenlight a few dozen Democrats helping put someone like Tom Cole (OK) in the Speaker’s chair.

    But the smarter play for the Democrats would be to let Republicans flounder. They’ll come up with someone eventually, and in the meantime they’ll make Democratic control in the next Congress that much more certain.

  76. 76.

    Kent

    @Geminid: I agree.  There is no gain from helping the GOP run the House in a functional manner.  Unless they extract massive concessions such as actual votes on Dem priorities.  Which isn’t going to happen.

  79. 79.

    Bruce K in ATH-GR

    @The Moar You Know: Honestly, if I were in the Dem caucus, and the GOP asked me what they could offer me in exchange for my support? I’d demand resignations. Jordan, Gaetz, Gosar, Greene, Boebert, probably several more. Then I’d listen to what they had to say.

  81. 81.

    Burnspbesq

    @Captain C:

    The only people who can end McCarthy’s career are the fine upstanding citizens of Bakersfield and thereabouts, and they suffer from a lack of alternatives that aren’t even worse.

  82. 82.

    Sean

    @Kent:

    There is no gain from helping the GOP run the House in a functional manner.

    I think avoiding debt ceiling default alone would be a significant gain for all of us. But I guess we’re along for whatever ride we get with these people “in charge.”

  83. 83.

    Geminid

    @Kent: And Democrats can pass bills despite a Republican Speaker. A petition to discharge requires 218 signatures to put a bill on the floor. This is usually only a theoretical possibility, but that’s only because of party discipline and party loyalty. In the upcoming Congress, those principles may not hold. A few Republicans who represent purple districts or who are planning to retire might decide that while they may be Republicans, they are not lemmings.

  84. 84.

    Sean

    @Geminid: Isn’t one of the MAGAT demands changing the rules to make discharge petitions more difficult to achieve? I thought I read that recently, but maybe confusing it with general commentary.

  85. 85.

    stacib

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: I don’t get why any Democrat would sign on to help McCarthy, and if they did, it would seem they would lose their next primary as so many of their constituents would be pissed they supported the dude that was okay with the insurrection.  Who would put their political future in McCarthy’s hands???

  86. 86.

    Geminid

    @Sean: They might be able to change the rules but they’ll have to get 218 votes to do that. I don’t think they can. The Freedom Caucus are not the only ones in the larger Republican caucus who can play hardball, and I think they are going to find this out.

  87. 87.

    Geminid

    @Sean: I think there is a good chance the “lame duck” Congress will pass a substantial increase in the debt ceiling next month. It would likely be attached to the National Defense Authorization Act.

  88. 88.

    cain

    @Geminid: You have an entire party of charlatan whose only goal is performative bullshit. There is going to be a lot of drama and not a lot of work.

    ETA #88 again!!

  89. 89.

    Ruckus

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    You did say “sanest possible Republican,” but let’s look at that in context. Sanest means there is some realistic concept there at all, and I just do not see any sanity in elected rethuglicans. Sanest possible is still a lunatic at this point. Yes that may still allow them to be sanest, but that is an extremely low bar.

  91. 91.

    Central Planning

    @Geminid:

    Enough other Republicans might join Bacon’s rebellion.

    “The Bacon Rebellion of 2022”. I feel like that’s the title of a movie starring Kevin Sorbo.

  95. 95.

    kalakal

    @Boris Rasputin (the evil twin): My favourite was Dennis Healey’s verdict after a debate with the notably wimpy* Geoffrey Howe

    “Like being savaged by a dead sheep”

    *To be fair to old Geoff, the worm turned a couple of years later and he terminally knifed Thatcher in a speech

  96. 96.

    Another Scott

    @Kent: +1

    Lots of GQPers would love to be Speaker because it means they could raise boatloads of money.

    As far as getting anything done, the GQPers don’t care about that.  They want to break the federal government.  Having the House grind to a halt because the mean Democrats won’t give them what they want would be great for them.  “Give me money and vote for me to prevent the mean Democrats from teaching CRT in your church!!11ONE”

    As you say, McCarthy is going to have to figure this out on his own.  It makes no sense for Democrats to help him because he has no interest in helping himself make the House work without the support of the insane people in his party.  If McCarthy isn’t elected on the first ballot, “moderate” GQPers should say that they’ll reluctantly – and with sadness – be forced to caucus with the Democrats until the GQPers come to their senses  – and that includes voting for Jeffries for Speaker.

    I don’t expect it to come to that.  I expect this “drama” to continue to play out in the press until the vote in January but the outcome is a foregone conclusion.  The only question is the price McCarthy is going to pay to get the votes, and honestly I don’t care what that price is.  We know that the House will be dysfunctional under his leadership.

    We’ll see!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  97. 97.

    kindness

    Come on now.  If McCarthy made deals (promises) with any Democrats for their votes, we know those promises would be broken almost immediately.  Republicans think lying is a feature, not a bug.

  98. 98.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Another Scott:

    I don’t expect it to come to that.  I expect this “drama” to continue to play out in the press until the vote in January but the outcome is a foregone conclusion.  The only question is the price McCarthy is going to pay to get the votes, and honestly I don’t care what that price is.  We know that the House will be dysfunctional under his leadership.

    I think they’re gonna make the Gingrich shitshow of 1998 look like the placid days of Tip O’Neill and Bob Michel

  99. 99.

    lowtechcyclist

    @Kent: ​
     

    Jeffries wouldn’t want it. Why would he? He couldn’t pass a single vote or measure with a minority in the House. It would set him up for total failure. He isn’t going to take the speakership unless he can actually do something with it, and that would mean he would need at least 4 or 5 GOPers to actually switch parties.

    Who gets to decide which bills come to the House floor? If it’s the Speaker, that’s a very significant power all by itself. (Can’t see who else it would be.) It would mean that, if Jeffries were Speaker, the GOPers couldn’t put any of their performative-bullshit bills up for a vote (unless they got 218 votes together for a discharge petition) and the Dems could put bills on the floor that would put the GOPers on the spot.

    Also, once the Speakership is voted on, who’s in charge of organizing the House – things like how many seats each party gets on each committee, and stuff like that? Again, unless there’s some formula written into the rules, it’s hard to see who else would have that authority.

  100. 100.

    Geminid

    @Another Scott: Two Republican Reps- Newhouse (WA) and Valadeo (CA)- are in “jungle primary” states and they both won out even after voting to impeach Trump. They could probably still win reelection if they turned Independent and caucused with the Democrats. I think Bacon plans on retiring anyway, with a general’s pension and maybe a Congressional pension as well. Are there two more Republican apostates?

    Democratic leadership may not care. They will do just fine letting the Republicans stew in their own juices. January, 2025 is not that far off, and I think this Republican majority is a dead duck walking.

  101. 101.

    Another Scott

    @lowtechcyclist: Basically, as I understand it, the majority gets their ducks in a row and then votes.  You made me look though… EveryCRSReport.com:

    The Constitution mandates that Congress convene at noon on January 3, unless the preceding Congress by law designated a different day. For example, P.L. 113-201 set January 6, 2015, as the convening date of the 114th Congress. Congressional leaders planned that the 115th Congress would convene January 3, 2017, and that the 116th Congress would convene January 3, 2019, obviating the need for a law to set the date. Although no officers will have been elected when the House first convenes, officers from the previous Congress perform certain functions, such as conducting the election of the Speaker.

    The House follows a well-established first-day routine. The proceedings include—

    - a call to order by the Clerk of the House;
    - a prayer led by the Chaplain and the Pledge of Allegiance led by the Clerk;
    - a quorum call ordered by the Clerk;
    - the election of the Speaker, ordered by the Clerk and conducted with the assistance of tellers;
    - remarks by the Speaker-elect, followed by his or her swearing-in by the dean of the House;
    - the oath of office for the newly elected and re-elected Members, administered by the Speaker;
    - adoption of the rules of the House for the new Congress;
    - adoption of various administrative resolutions and unanimous consent agreements; and
    - announcement of the Speaker’s policies on certain floor practices.

    HTH!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  102. 102.

    Geminid

    @Central Planning: There actually was a Bacon’s Rebellion, in late 17th Century Virginia. It had class elements as well as an east/west dynamic (although back then “west” was like where Richmond is now. Bacon’s side lost.

  103. 103.

    Hamlet of Melnibone

    My West Wing style fantasy is that Democrats all get behind either Newhouse or Valadeo and they manage to find the 5 or so other Republican votes needed.

    Having a Republican Speaker that managed to vote to impeach Trump and survive would be pretty good for the country,  IMO.

    There are a lot of reasons this won’t happen,  but that is my fantasy.

  104. 104.

    Geminid

    @Hamlet of Melnibone: My fantasy is the Republicans play Rubik’s Cube with the various factions of their caucus until they they become exhausted. Then, five days into the new Congress, they make Tom Cole of Oklahoma the first Native Speaker ever (he’s Chickasaw), and Cole ends up being the last Republican Speaker for the rest of this decade and all of the next..

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