What do Republicans think about Secretary of State Rep. Patrick T. McHenry’s job as U.S. Senate Minority Whistler?
It is not clear whether support for Israel on Capitol Hill can break the logjam and lead to more military supplies for Ukraine, or if it can complicate the negotiations over doing so. A growing percentage of Republicans are opposing continued aid for Ukraine and want more restrictive immigration laws to be part of any additional assistance.
In the interim, the House is under the control of Representative Patrick T. McHenry, the North Carolina Republican who was named temporary speaker after Mr. McCarthy’s removal. Many House aides believe Mr. McHenry has only limited governing powers that do not include the right to take major legislative action. According to some congressional experts, an acting speaker could do what a majority of the House agreed to do in the current situation.
“The House as a legislative body is not powerless. Sarah Binder is a professor of political science at George Washington University. It’s a matter of interpretation at the end of the day
Both express opposition to the Biden administration’s request for additional military aid to Ukraine. Both cast doubt on the outcome of the presidential race and voted against certifying the election results, a permanent stain on their reputations. But for anyone who cares about basic governmental function, the most worrisome part is that they also seem to be repudiating the two moments when Mr. McCarthy defused a fiscal crisis in recent months — over the debt ceiling and the threatened government shutdown. They want the House to use more “leverage” in its battles against President Biden.
The speakership is open and only two people are officially running for it. Neither seems to have a majority of Republicans locked up, and both are making it clear that they would perpetuate the chaos that was unleashed during the reign of Kevin McCarthy, who was overthrown by group of far-right rebels on October 3. In several ways, Mr. Scalise and Mr. Jordan would probably be worse.
Longage: A Washington Euphemism for Blackmail by D.C. McCarthy and the Anti-McCarthyites
“Leverage,” in case you missed the constant reference in the battle over Mr. McCarthy, is a Washington euphemism for blackmail. By holding the country’s credit hostage, or shutting down government functions, a small band of wrecking-ball ideologues can try to get a win on some unrelated matter. The anti-McCarthyites said he failed to use his speakership to rewrite the rules of government in Washington.