Trump is now effectively in control of the US House of Representatives

[bullwinkle428]

From his gilded tropical palace, Trump will phone dictates to acolytes who will transform the House into his 2024 campaign committee

SIDNEY BLUMENTHAL

Kevin McCarthy will be a mere stooge – that is, until he’s replaced by someone even more Trumpist.

Even before the midterm elections – when the vaunted “red wave” dried up – influential Republicans, over drinks in Washington, casually discussed the fate of Kevin McCarthy as a short-timer.

The man who would be the speaker of the House had already been taking a victory lap before a single vote was counted. “I’m better prepared now,” he recently told New York magazine. “If I’m not going to be acceptable to the body having that scenario this time, no one’s acceptable,” he boasted to Punchbowl News. The failed frozen yogurt shop owner from Bakersfield, California, envisions himself at last standing as the hero of his Horatio Alger success story atop the greasy pole. McCarthy now trumpets that he has won the confidence of the far-right Freedom Caucus that previously opposed his elevation. He clutches its leader, his twitchy former foe Jim Jordan, as a great friend. “Probably my biggest advocate is Jim Jordan,” he has said.

McCarthy’s bravado discloses a hint of insecurity. The talk of the steakhouses is that he will not last long.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/nov/17/donald-trump-kevin-mccarthy-republicans-house-of-representatives

This is what I've been saying for weeks - Trump will take the role of "Shadow Speaker", dictating every single thing the House does.

[randr]

1. It will only take a few Repugs to side with Dems on important issues

The momentum against tfg is building. The few remaining magas will be against the few "woke" reps who know what just happened in the mid-term. The few magas can only scream and throw their shit around. The few reps who want to keep their seat can side with the dems. In doing so they rule.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. There are at least 31 magat Repubs in House. And 20-30% in populace. More than a "few"

... but nowhere near a majority.

31 Reps voted against McCarthy and for magat Biggs.

magats call McCarthy a RINO.

[randr]

13. 31 is not near the majority they need amounst themselves to agree on anything

4 members voting with Dems topples the whole house of cards.

[gab13by13]

4. I totally agree,

Kevin McCarthy is in for a reign of hell. John Boehner and Paul Ryan had much larger majorities when they were Speaker and neither one could get anything done. Boehner had to walk away and he had at least a 44 seat majority or thereabouts if I remember right.

It is easy to bitch about the majority but not as easy to actually govern. IF we don't get a debt ceiling deal in this lame duck session, Kevin McCarthy is going to have to decide if he wants to be responsible for bringing about a world wide economic disaster. Good Luck Kevin. I know Trump wants one, will the Magats in the House obey him?

[onenote]

5. Most house votes last Congress had bipartisan support

However on those bills where only a handful of Republicans joined with the Democratic majority, those Republicans were punished by the Republican voters. Case in point: nine republicans supported the Election Reform bill in the House. Every one of them either was defeated in a primary or retired to avoid that outcome. All nine. So don’t expect to find a few Republicans willing to go against the party’s position in order to pass legislation with broad Democratic support.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. Gym "silent witness" Jordan, Empty Greene & McCarthy are rump lickers but the rest

... the rest have not hitched their star so firmly to tRump as those three.

tRump will have limited influence but that too will fade as his fortunes (financial and legal) decline.

[gab13by13]

7. I agree.

As I said in another post, John Boehner and Paul Ryan had much larger majorities and neither one could get anything substantial done.

Kevin McCarthy is going to go through hell.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. Dog, car, tire, screams, mess. . . . .nt

[JohnSJ]

6. The Guardian's editorial elevating trump as the "shadow speaker" is based on what? McCarthy isn't

going to be controlled by trump. He will be decimated by the House republicans, and the three factions that make it up:

The extremely crazy, the moderately crazy, and the less crazy

Ironically, if McCarthy actually wanted to get something done, he would need to work with the Democrats, but that is unlikely. He is NOT the most intelligent person, and is pushed which ever way the wind blows

[gab13by13]

9. I look at history,

when Boehner and Ryan were Speaker, not the Guardian.

[JohnSJ]

17. McCarthy has no principles. Liz Cheney described him correctly

McCarthy ‘Always Chooses To Serve His Own Political Purpose,’

[AngryOldDem]

8. McCarthy will definitely go the way of Boehner.

Boehner openly admitted he could not control that zoo, and it’s 1,000 times worse now.

I’m just here to watch the chaos that is sure to ensue. 🍿

[Zambero]

12. That zoo controlled him

and he left the premises for that very reason. Since then, the zoo critters have become increasingly rabid, and there is no antidote. Good luck, Kevin!

[Zambero]

11. Not a foregone conclusion

Loser Trump is an even bigger loser following the mid-terms. His 2024 speech was sub-pathetic, and a lot of Republicans in and out of Congress have had it with him. In swing Districts where the GOP candidate won narrowly, and there are quite a few of them, jumping onto what remains of the MAGA bandwagon may not bode well for 2024. Of course the performance artists such as Greene, Jordan et al will stay the course. Those who intend to cast themselves as effective legislators who remain competitive with independent-minded voters in their district are likely to be more calculating with their allegiance.

[honest.abe]

14. With all due respect to Blumenthal, I think he's got this all wrong.

Trump is in rapid decline and his influence is becoming less and less significant. The House will focus on investigations "Benghazi style" to take down Biden and other leaders in the Dem partly. Supporting what Trump wants will be low on their agenda. If anything they will take their cues from their new golden boy Desantis.

[Lovie777]

15. I don't think McCarthy will have the power to control the GQP.....

and a few will side with the Dems.

[Chainfire]

16. I am not sure what Trump will be "controlling going forward."

It brings to mind an old Temptations song: (Trump singing to the party)


Your love is fading, I can feel your love fading
Girl, it's fading away from me
'Cause your touch, your touch has grown cold
As if someone else controls your very soul
I've fooled myself long as I can
Can feel the presence of another man

It's there when you speak my name
It's just not the same
Ooh baby, I'm losing you
It's in the air
It's everywhere
Ooh baby, I'm losing you

[kentuck]

18. Trump may be the only person left that can get 218 votes for Speaker?

Is that where they end up?

[bullwinkle428]

19. Is there anyone doubting that McCarthy's life will become a living hell? This,

to me, was the main point of Blumenthal's piece, and why I chose to post it. Reports have been circulating for a little while that Trump has been pushing for McCarthy to have the Speaker's role, for one reason alone - look at how quickly he ran down to Mar-A-Lago to kiss the ring after January 6.