House Democrats weigh Mike Johnson's fate as discord roils GOP

politics @lemmy.world – 115 points – 10 months ago

As House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) stares down growing threats of removal from his rebellious right flank, Democrats are debating whether they would save him or or vote to oust him like they did former Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Even some Democrats who see a clear contrast between Johnson and McCarthy say the former still needs to prove himself a trustworthy governing partner.

They said the same thing about McCarthy. Granted, there was more animosity there, but Jeffries was ready to help if asked. McCarthy refused to ask.

If Johnson continues to reach across the aisle, I would assume that Democrats would be just as willing to save him as they were with McCarthy. But Johnson has to want it.

Here's what NC Dem Representative Jeff Jackson said about McCarthy's removal at the time. (emphasis added). I'm sure the same stands true for Johnson today.

Some folks in the minority were expecting him to reach out and say, “Hey, let’s make a deal. I’ll offer you this, and I want your vote.”

But instead, he went on TV the day before and basically said, “Here is my offer to the other party: Nothing.”

The minority party heard that from him and said, “Well, ok then, best of luck.”

That said, I’m not sure the Speaker could offer anything to the minority party. If he did, and his party found out, they’d be furious, and then he wouldn’t need six votes anymore - he would need 20 or 30 or 50.

I think that there are more moderate Republicans who don't want another protracted Speaker vote, and there would be more political cover for Johnson to reach across the aisle to prevent his ouster.

I also think that the courts could give the GOP an out with Trump, and that would shake loose the MAGA monkey on their backs and dramatically decrease the power of the far right. MTG and Matt Gaetz don't have the sway among voters as the Orange Mussolini, so the party leadership will be less likely to duck and cover.

Also, it's election season. They're already fractured due to Trump and his sideshow, so doing another multi-round speaker vote while they try to eke out a handful of votes by prostrating themselves, would result in another zombie House doing nothing and would be political suicide for the party as a whole.

If he did, he'd probably have those votes from the other side of the aisle he reached across.

If Republican voters had any braincells at all, it should make them wonder why their party ousted McCarthy for working with Dems on the budget, but not Johnson.

He’s an election-denying, danger to the Constitution. Because Jesus.

Wssht! OUT. Try again, clownshow.

The guy is a superfreak, but he’s actually doing his job. Weird.

Well, weird for the gop as of late.

This guy is a Christofascist religious nutter, please remove him. Cause a little chaos on the right before the elections when their attention should be elsewhere.

Devil we know

It's worth noting that the whole reason MTG wants to oust him (IN HER OWN WORDS) is because he's reaching across the aisle to pass a bill that includes things that support Ukraine.

Johnson is one of them in all aspects and they still want to oust him.

Read this one correctly folks -- Going against Russian interests is the real problem here.

Some of these GOP folks are bought and paid for by Russia.

It does not matter how hard you toe the party line, if you go against Russian interests, the far reachers of the party will try to get you removed from power and replaced with someone who can be bought.

This is what takes them so long to find someone to fill the seat.

Maybe he can reach out to The Squad. Horseshoe theory ass centrists like to say the far left and far right are basically the same.

Except there is no far left in Congress. There's barely a left at all.

No. Dems are the majority in this 3party system. Let some republicans cross the line if they want to get work done.