# House Speaker Contest **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 12, 2022, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770 "2022-11-12T00:48:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 27
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/521 "2023-01-04T02:55:59Z")
“On two occasions, the House voted to change the rules and elect the speaker by a plurality instead of a majority — in 1849 and 1856 — both times because members feared they would never be able to elect a speaker by a majority vote.” **[cite](https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrFeXC.4rRjoZgF3GtXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1672827711/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fnews.yahoo.com%2fhouse-elects-speaker-why-tuesdays-155952917.html%3ffr%3dsycsrp_catchall/RK=2/RS=RJQtDiPhAM.nX0JZrg1zVC2H.JA-)** ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/522 "2023-01-04T02:57:04Z")
thanks for the cite ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/523 "2023-01-04T02:58:36Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > This is starting to remind me of my methamathematics class. Is that where they teach speed-solving? ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/524 "2023-01-04T03:02:05Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > Is that where they teach speed-solving? Yes. The class is taught by Professor W. White. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/525 "2023-01-04T04:37:38Z")
Gaetz has sent a letter asking about the squatter in the speaker suite. > **[Gaetz sends letter to Architect of the Capitol asking why McCarthy is...](https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3797668-gaetz-sends-letter-to-architect-of-the-capitol-asking-why-mccarthy-is-occupying-speakers-office/)** > > Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) We regret the error. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) sent a letter to the Architect of the Capitol on Tuesday questi… I may run out of snacks. In other news santos was the cheese who sat alone in the chamber today. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/526 "2023-01-04T05:02:51Z")
Thanks for that. It didn’t toggle any neurons so I went to look those cases up. Both came about because of the lack of dominant parties in the pre-war days. The Democrats had northern and southern wings that didn’t get along, but opposed big finance, the Whigs opposed them, the Republicans were created to replace Whigs and oppose slavery, and the Native American Party, better known as the Know-Nothings, opposed the increasingly numerous immigrant Catholics. What you hated was far more important than what you supported for that decade. So in the Speaker elections of 1849 and 1856, sufficient third parties existed that no party had a majority. 1849 was weird because the Whigs had 116 seats and only needed 117 voted, but the Democrats, who started with 110 seats, won after 63 ballots. Because terms then ended in March, and Congress didn’t meet in summer, Howell Cobb didn’t take office until December 1849, more than a year after the election. That was the norm, though. 1856 was just plain bizarre. There were 69 Democrats, 68 Whigs, 51 Native Americans, 22 Anti-Nebraskas, 13 Republicans, and 9 People’s. Nathaniel P. Banks, who used to be a Democrat, flirted with the Republicans, and ran as a Know-Nothing, won. He was the one with 133 ballots, and wasn’t elected until February 1856. Now you have a good case when anybody suggests having a parliamentary form of government in America. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/527 "2023-01-04T05:05:20Z")
I don’t get it. Why doesn’t McCarthy just declare himself to be the winner and be done with it. That _is_ SOP for Republicans, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/528 "2023-01-04T05:15:27Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > Didn’t Jordan pretty explicitly say he doesn’t want the job? Jim Jordan saying something doesn’t exactly make it true. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/529 "2023-01-04T05:29:47Z")
Well, he’s set up his desk in the Speakers’ office without actually holding the title of Speaker of the House, so it appears in a way, he has. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/530 "2023-01-04T05:30:54Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > 22 Anti-Nebraskas All in favor of bringing back the Anti-Nebraska Party say aye. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/531 "2023-01-04T05:33:23Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Now you have a good case when anybody suggests having a parliamentary form of government in America. Ditto the suggestion of the desirability of having multiple parties. Inevitably a time will come when none have a working majority. Certainly fosters compromise and anarchy in equal measure. Further, in a parliamentary system, if no stable or even workable majority can be formed then you always have the option of going to another election. You guys have four, sorry two more years of this malarkey. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/532 "2023-01-04T05:43:04Z")
In fact, we can do ok even with a minority government. Eg Canada since 2019. ---
**Author:** ![Bootb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@Bootb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootb)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/533 "2023-01-04T05:55:58Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > DC statehood > > Puerto Rican statehood. > > Is those the most heinous accusations that can be flung at Jefferies? > Thought the Freedom Caucus et al was all about self governance. Regarding Puerto Rico– For some reason the national Republican party have collectively convinced themselves that Puerto Rico would vote Democratic in perpetuity – even though the Puerto Rican Republicans don’t share that view. It’s genuinely bizarre how the thoughts and opinions of the people “on the ground” regarding voting patterns are so thoroughly ignored. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/534 "2023-01-04T05:58:34Z")
I’m really hoping Saturday Night Live is a new episode this week. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/535 "2023-01-04T12:37:31Z")
This is all fun to watch, but it bodes ill for the coming year and getting anything done with the political bomb-flinging whackos running the circus. I hope the Dems are planning now for the stormy seas ahead. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/536 "2023-01-04T12:44:47Z")
I think it has been anticipated… The point made by several in this thread has been that stuck here ad nauseum or with any GOP Speaker with the current group is not much different. Nothing getting done except theatrical posturing is the House for the next two years … barring some highly improbable outcomes. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/537 "2023-01-04T12:45:45Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > I may run out of snacks. Robin Kelly (D-Illinois), Jan Schakowsky (D-Illinois) and Ted Lieu (D-California), were well prepared 😁. > **[House Democrats Spent the Day Trolling Republicans With Popcorn](https://jezebel.com/democrats-popcorn-speaker-of-the-house-mccarthy-1849946471)** > > There was not really much for Democratic members to do but hang tight and watch the GOP bicker and fail to elect a leader. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/538 "2023-01-04T12:48:45Z")
That was already posted and discussed in post #503. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/539 "2023-01-04T13:00:53Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > > [@Lindsey Graham](#): > > > > DC statehood > > Puerto Rican statehood. > > Is those the most heinous accusations that can be flung at Jefferies? > Thought the Freedom Caucus et al was all about self governance. I think the biggest issue for Republicans re: DC or PR statehood is that each one pretty much guarantees two more Democratic senators. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/540 "2023-01-04T13:04:24Z")
So McCarthy makes all of these concessions to the crazy wing and still couldn’t get their votes. As I heard a talking head on tv say yesterday- if you’re going to sell your soul, the first thing to do is make sure you have a buyer. Will the crazy wing come to their senses? That assumes that they have senses to come to. Maybe McCarthy says the vote was rigged and declares himself the rightful winner. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770.md?page=26) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770.md?page=28)