The U.S. House has gone to the dogs. It’s downright embarrassing.
That, from one of the dogs, Thomas Massie, Kentucky Republican and Beta cur among the cannibalistic pack led by Marjorie Taylor Greene, the top dog in every respect.
The two are flexible, though. Tuesday morning they were monkeys, as in, monkey see, monkey do. By which I mean, at 6:53: a.m., Massie posted on Twitter, "[We] won’t tolerate complete & total surrender," and 35 minutes later, Marge posted, "Complete surrender is not acceptable and will not be tolerated."
Aside from aping Mr. Massie, Ms. Greene did manage to make a valid point. She wrote: "It’s baffling hearing the establishment complain that it’s too much drama, too hard, and too risky to go through another Speaker race."
She's right. And lucky for us there's an easy and certainly risk-free alternative to another Kevin McCarthy debacle or the uncertain elevation of another obscure backbencher to the speakership. Should Marge blunder ahead and move to remove, by my count only three Republicans would be needed to vote with the Democrats. Thus Minority Leader Jeffries becomes Speaker Jeffries.
I can almost hear your snickering, and I'm tempted to join you. On the other hand, the American political landscape has rarely looked so bizarre. Who knows, there might be a threesome who see what Marge saw earlier this week: "Voters are so angry ... they're not going to give us the majority back in 2025." In the House it's never fun being in the minority, and just about now would be an excellent time for three moderates from 50-50 districts to get the hell out of Republican Dodge.
Barring partisan defections, the trio could go really wild and actually put America first, to coin a term, by casting a vote for Hakeem Jeffries. As noted, he's anything but risky; his strategic handling of the foreign aid bills was equal in deftness to Nancy Pelosi's. And for members weary of drama, he seems delightfully Obamian, cool and reserved.
On the Hill Jeffries is already known as the "shadow speaker." In that vein Texas Democrat Greg Casar told Axios that Mike Johnson "should just pack up and resign and hand the gavel over to Leader Jeffries." Not snark; sound advice. A Republican speakership that must rely on the opposition's support is a profoundly untenable speakership.
And there, again, lies Marjorie Taylor Greene's valid point, Thomas Massie's, too. The House has gone to the dogs, it is embarrassing, it can't be tolerated. They should get on with "another Speaker race," as Marge urged.
And as long as there's even the slimmest, most gossamer chance that her cannibalistic pack of hotheads and firebrands could finish the race with Hakeem Jeffries as speaker, I'm behind her all the way.