John and I found the protracted humiliation of Kevin McCarthy in connection with his election to be Speaker of the House a clown show. By contrast, Steve Hayward looked mostly on the bright side in βIn re: Speaker McCarthy β dissents and concurrences.β
It is at least worth noting that the GOP majority is dissipating. The clown show set the stage for the shrinking of the small GOP House majority to a number asymptotically approaching zero.
It empowered Matt Gaetz to trigger the chain of events leading to McCarthyβs ouster from the Speakerβs chair. I decried that development in βGaetz of Eden.β Has anyone asked Gaetz what good he did in sacking McCarthy?
McCarthy was deposed this past October. It seems like ancient history. McCarthy subsequently resigned his House seat effective December 31.
I have here in my hand a list of names. According to the list, among the Republicans getting out of Dodge with McCarthy are Reps. Bill Johnson (effective January 21), Ken Buck (effective yesterday), Mike Gallagher (effective April 19), and George Santos, whose departure was involuntary.
βNormally theyβre trying to talk people out of [retiring],β one House Republican told Axios. βNow weβre at a point where weβre trying to talk them out of leaving early.β It may or may not be a portent of trouble for Speaker Johnson and it may or may not be a portent of the coming Democratic majority, but itβs not good.