1/6/2023

Sure – put the fox in the hen house – how convenient for the Elite Repub’s (RINO’S).

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Washington Examiner
Mike Pence can offer House GOP a way out of its speakership morass
Opinion by Quin Hillyer • Yesterday 9:03 PM

With House Republicans at a near-hopeless stalemate, the best choice for speaker is somebody who surely doesn’t want the job. But for the good of the party and country, the warring sides should agree to support former Vice President Mike Pence for the speakership, and Pence ought to accept.

After 11 miserably failed attempts, front-runner Kevin McCarthy should admit that, for whatever reason, he just can’t get the votes. Sometimes when one sacrifices self for politics, life stinks. He wouldn’t be the first person for whom it stinks.

MIKE PENCE WOULD BE A CANDIDATE WITHOUT A CONSTITUENCY

Nonetheless, McCarthy’s pride may not allow him to step aside in favor of one of his leadership underlings, such as the eminently qualified and talented Steve Scalise (R-LA), who is in line to be majority leader. Nor is Scalise, or someone similar, likely to do what it takes to secure the votes for the job as long as McCarthy is in the way. On a purely political level, the maneuvering would hurt them with other McCarthy loyalists, and on a personal level, the best potential contenders, such as Scalise, are not prone to disloyalty. They are too principled for that.

But the 21 rebels have offered no alternative with a reasonable chance both to secure the necessary votes and to run the fractious House effectively. As long as McCarthy stays in the race, nobody the rebels would nominate could possibly overcome the stench of looking like the pawn of what even the rebels’ colleagues think is a group of nihilists. Even if the nihilism label weren’t a fair appellation for them, the reality is that they are stuck with it in the minds of most of the public.

Hence the need, for the first time ever, to go outside the House for a speaker. For credibility’s sake, though, the person from outside the House must carry immediate weight, not to mention a demonstrated familiarity with how the House operates.

Hence, Pence.

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If the present elected folks can’t work the problem among themselves – then we do have a bigger problem in the people we did elect.

It is called compromise – give and take.

kommonsentsjane