Tuesday provided history in Washington D.C. Never before had the Speaker of the House essentially been fired by their colleagues, but Kevin McCarthy lost his bid to keep the gavel as the House voted 216-210 to vacate the chair of Speaker of the House.
There was and is a lot of discussion surrounding the decision to vacate the chair. It was an effort spearheaded by Congressman Matt Gaetz, who claimed that McCarthy cannot be trusted by conservatives, Democrats or the American people.
Nobody, to my knowledge, disputes Gaetz’s assertion that McCarthy failed to uphold key promises made when he became Speaker of the House. And Congressman Steve King literally wrote a book that detailed reasons why McCarthy may not be trustworthy.
Much of the opposition to vacating the chair from conservatives seemed to be based on strategy and timing rather than principle. I understand that argument. But I think it is a weak one.
If not now, the question would be when. It isn’t like these conservatives didn’t express their concerns earlier this year when it took McCarthy 15 votes to become Speaker. Then, McCarthy had months to get the appropriations bills done. He didn’t.
For most of the Republicans in the House, I do not believe the time would ever be right to vacate the chair.
Why?
Because for most of the Republicans in the House, they have attached themselves to McCarthy. Their career trajectory is attached to McCarthy’s. He may have visited their district for a fundraiser, as he did for Rep. Zach Nunn. He may have removed their primary opponent from their committees, as he did for Rep. Randy Feenstra. He may have poured big bucks into their campaigns when they were in tough campaigns, as he did for Rep. Ashley Hinson and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks. He may have done everything he could to ensure Miller-Meeks didn’t have her election overturned after winning by six votes.
He may have given them the committee assignments they wanted. They may believe they’ll need help with money for their next election, and if that’s the case, they need to have a good relationship with leadership.
All of those things may be true. And they may be valid reasons for professional politicians to try and protect who they believe is their protector.
Keep in mind Hinson and Miller-Meeks admitted to voting for Liz Cheney to keep her leadership position a few years ago. And Feenstra wouldn’t say how he voted — which pretty much tells us how he voted.
Those who voted to protect McCarthy really weren’t putting anything at stake. It didn’t take any sort of courage at all. And I suspect there were many conservatives who wanted to vote to vacate the chair but didn’t for various political reasons. After all, Gaetz needed just five Republicans to vote to vacate and he had that by the time Rep. Eli Crane voted. Remember, the vote was taken in alphabetical order by last name.
So with the writing on the wall, why put that target on your back if not necessary?
Many people criticized Gaetz, saying this was a political stunt, it was personal and unnecessary. But the obvious question is why would he risk what he risked by doing this? Why would the other seven Republicans risk the same?
I mean, if it was just Gaetz being selfish, OK. That’s one person. But why are there seven other Republicans willing to put it all one the line to get McCarthy out of the chair? Even moderate Rep. Nancy Mace voted to vacate the chair.
She isn’t exactly the “fringe, MAGA” part of the party, folks.
And spare me the whole “eight Republicans sided with Democrats” to do this thing. McCarthy needed Democrat votes to pass that budget deal last week. So if needing Democrats to get something done bothers you, that better have bothered you just as much.
Here is the thing. I understand the concerns conservatives have regarding the timing and strategy of the decision. I get it. But I don’t agree with it because I don’t believe the Washington elite will ever believe the time is right to do this.
Washington needs this to happen. It needs to be shaken. It needs to know the status quo is no longer good enough.
We are $33 trillion in debt. Not $33 million. Not $33 billion. Thirty-three trillion dollars.
Representative Rim Burchett, who voted to vacate, said it was a “tough decision.” He voted for McCarthy in January for Speaker and said he considers him a friend.
“However, I had to vote for what I think is best for the American people. We need leadership that will take real action to address our country’s serious financial crisis and steer us in a better direction, and we shouldn’t settle for anything less than that,” Burchett said.
By the way, if these eight Republicans did have some plan for replacing the Speaker, wouldn’t people be calling them opportunists? Such a “plan” would overshadow the courage it took to get this done. I mean, if they had someone in mind for Speaker, then yeah, it would seem to be potentially personal. But doing this without a plan in place lends itself to the fact that maybe, just maybe, McCarthy is that bad and shouldn’t be Speaker.
If they had a plan, it would hint that they had security in what they did. They have zero security in what they did. They risk pretty much everything. Honestly, I can’t even say it was out of selfish ambition that they took such action.
Finally, I don’t know anyone who is a grassroots conservative clamoring for McCarthy to keep his position due to accomplishments or policy. Perhaps out of convenience.
But it is clear the base of the Republican Party did not like McCarthy as Speaker. The base wanted him out.
I mean, I know social media isn’t necessarily the real world, but I struggle to think of anyone I know who thinks McCarthy deserved to continue as Speaker.
This incident, to me, exposes the divide between the grassroots conservatives and the DC elites more than anything else in recent history.
By the way, remember what McCarthy said about the Ashli Babbitt shooting from Jan. 6.
As an Iowan I find it incredibly disturbing to say the least that all 4 of our Congresspersons voted to retain Kevin McCarthy as Speaker. I find it even more disturbing that Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks signed a bitter letter admonishing these brave 8 men and women that DID vote to remove the Speaker. Its disturbing for one simple fact, they voted to protect a serial LIAR. One who tells his own caucus members one thing, then runs over to the Senate side to tell Biden and Schumer a completely different thing. Its incredibly disturbing that these women don’t go ballistic over the massive Human Trafficking that the Biden Admin is engaging in! Its incredibly disturbing that these women aren’t ballistic over the massive INVASION of over 10 million illegals invading our Nation, pouring into our state using massive resources in our schools and hospitals and welfare systems. They say nothing about our Nation being 33 trillion (and counting) in debt with an ever increasing interest rate that means we will never ever even begin to start paying down the principal of the trillions we are borrowing from China to fund even more never ending wars protecting other nations EXCEPT our own United States of America. Its also incredibly disturbing seeing all six of our delegates that remain completely silent on the weaponization of our DOJ and FBI that are deliberately targeting President Trump with bogus charges and continues to go after the average everyday American who supports President Trump. What is clear to me is that if We The People really want to change the Uniparty in Washington DC that every incumbent must face an America First primary challenger in 2024 and be removed or our Country is done, over, gone, never to return to Her Glory again! Wake up Iowa! Our future depends on it.