On Wednesday, October 11, 2023 at 10:06:59 PM UTC-7, Technobarbarian wrote:
On Wednesday, October 11, 2023 at 9:35:41 PM UTC-7, Technobarbarian wrote:
On Wednesday, October 11, 2023 at 4:59:52 PM UTC-7, George.Anthony wrote:
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-republicans-choose-scalise-as-their-candidate-for-speaker-after-mccarthys-ouster
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LOL, I want some of what you're smoking.
"After Steve Scalise clinched House Republicans’ nod for speaker on Wednesday, he did not deliver a victory speech. He didn’t hold a news conference for cable TV, and champagne was not delivered to his leadership suite.
Instead, within hours, some House Republicans openly doubted that Scalise could ever get elected on the floor. At least a dozen Republicans have publicly lined up against Scalise, who can only afford to lose four of them — meaning that he is all
but certain to lose on a first ballot.
The House GOP’s hoped-for moment of unity never materialized. Scalise secured just 50.7 percent of the conference’s support, an illustration — as if one were ever needed — of how divided House Republicans remain after Kevin McCarthy’s
ouster last week."
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/11/scalise-moment-of-unity-on-pause-house-gop-00121049
TB
I am absolutely one of the worst at political predictions, if not *the* worst. I think the most likely person to be the next speaker is Kevin McCarthy. Who knows? He might be able to get some Democrat votes next time. For the good of the nation, if
nothing else. Someone has to be the adult in the room. Stranger things have happened. If not this time I think there's a good chance Kevin will get the job back the next time around.
TB
I am pleasantly surprised to find out that I am at least 75% correct *already*. Good fun.
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to why Scalise's speaker math may never work and the push to resurrect McCarthy
It was believed that Scalise could command as many as 150 ballots, but he only received 113 ballots in the GOP conference on Wednesday"
"It is hard to understate the problems House Speaker-designate Steve Scalise, R-La., may face to eventually win the speakership.
"I don’t think he’s going to get it," said one senior House Republican member to Fox News. "He came in so low."
Senior House leadership sources were utterly shocked and dismayed Wednesday night at the resistance by rank-and-file Republicans to potentially electing Scalise as speaker after he won the GOP conference nod behind closed doors on a secret ballot.
Scalise continues to work individually with Republicans to gain their support. But there is a long way to go. In fact, the fight could take days. However, things do have a way of coming together quickly on Capitol Hill, and there could still be a floor
vote Thursday.
Fox News was told it was believed that Scalise could command as many as 150 ballots. And the endorsement after the vote by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, apparently did very little. In fact, Jordan’s effect in boosting Scalise
was so paltry that it underscored two things: Jordan has very little juice and overall, there is very little excitement among House Republicans for either Scalise or Jordan.
"We don’t have a Paul Ryan," said one senior House Republican, referring to former House Speaker Paul Ryan, who salvaged Republicans after former House Speaker John Boehner resigned unexpectedly in 2015.
Let’s consider the Scalise math. He commanded only 113 ballots in the GOP conference Wednesday. Had he come in at 112, the GOP conference would have needed to go to a second ballot.
But look at where Scalise’s support came from. He scored the votes of the three non-voting delegates to Congress who are part of the Republican conference but can not vote for speaker on the floor: Dels. Amata Radewagen of American Samoa, James Moylan
of Guam and Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon of Puerto Rico.
Fox News was told that the fact that Scalise "won" because of the support of the three delegates infuriated some House Republicans. Those members are eligible to vote in the conference, but they lack a floor vote because they are not full members.
As it stands now, there's more opposition to Scalise's speakership than there was opposition to McCarthy. In essence, the House appears in a worse position than it was.
Fox News was told that the House may be in a stasis for days unless Scalise begins to capture support quickly.
Moreover, Fox News was told that there is no way to "undo" the speaker vote in conference for Scalise. There are major parliamentary hurdles within the conference that just aren’t mathematically realistic.
"He’s the speaker-designee," said one knowledgeable source. "He’s there until he decides he’s not."
So what can Republicans do now?
Fox News has also learned there are a few Republicans exploring ways to potentially empower House Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., with temporary powers through mid-November. Such a scenario would get the House operational for the time being,
prospectively avert a government shutdown and buy the GOP time to elect a new speaker.
The other option?
"Resurrect McCarthy," said one GOP source.
Although how to do that is unclear."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hitchhikers-guide-why-scalises-speaker-math-may-never-work-push-resurrect-mccarthy
One of the reasons McCarthy got the job in the first place is that he's very good at finding the life's blood that every politician needs--*money*. The math has not changed. It looks like the only smoke here is coming out of our jive ass troll'
s ass. I would not want to contemplate what color it is.
TB
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