# 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:** 79
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1561 "2023-01-06T17:25:28Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Well, that remark about “staying at home and proxy voting” won’t endear McCarthy to the Democrats. What would endear McCarthy to Democrats? Democrats aren’t his audience nor are they who he is trying to convince. ---
**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 6, 2023, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1562 "2023-01-06T17:26:10Z")
James clyburn. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1563 "2023-01-06T17:26:25Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > Let’s start a drinking game for nominating speeches. I’ll start. Drink if you hear any of the following: > > Fentanyl > Washington is broken > Protect our borders Are you under the table yet? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1564 "2023-01-06T17:28:29Z")
BTW, have we mentioned Matt Gaetz’s [“threat” to resign](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/kevin-mccarthy-house-speaker-vote-again-tally-latest-b2257069.html) if moderate Republicans work with Democrats? > [@](#): > > “If Democrats join up to elect a moderate Republican, I will resign from the House of Representatives. That is how certain I am. I can assure your viewers that won’t happen,” he told Fox News on Thursday night. > > The threat was welcomed by several social media users who urged Democrats to help him make good on his word. If Gaetz were clever, this would be a ploy to tempt Democrats to support a Republican candidate. Gaetz would then refuse to resign and claim he’d suckered them. But he’s not that clever. ---
**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 6, 2023, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1565 "2023-01-06T17:29:22Z")
Ooooh, Gaetz is going after McCarthy. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1566 "2023-01-06T17:29:31Z")
Let’s add two to **flurb** ’s list: “Patriot” and ''patriotism." Those, together with the other words, and the drinking game players would definitely be under the table by now. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1567 "2023-01-06T17:29:42Z")
who was that throwing a fit and interrupting Gaetz and what was his issue? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1568 "2023-01-06T17:29:45Z")
You guys, Matt Gaetz looks so much like Butthead (as pointed out earlier in this thread) I can’t stop seeing it. Even his ears look weird, like a poorly-drawn cartoon. ---
**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 6, 2023, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1569 "2023-01-06T17:30:52Z")
Oh dear, Jim Jordan back in nomination. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1570 "2023-01-06T17:30:58Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > BTW, have we mentioned Matt Gaetz’s [“threat” to resign](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/kevin-mccarthy-house-speaker-vote-again-tally-latest-b2257069.html) if moderate Republicans work with Democrats? I don’t think that that’s what really happened. He was just saying that it will never happen so it’s more like “I’ll eat my hat if that comes to pass” ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1571 "2023-01-06T17:31:23Z")
Is Hern one of those who are absent for family/medical reasons? ---
**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 6, 2023, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1572 "2023-01-06T17:32:13Z")
Gaetz was casting McCarthy as entitled and not worthy of being speaker. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1573 "2023-01-06T17:32:20Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > > [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > > > The Freedom Caucus is showing that they have no interest in being part of the GOP anymore. And, absurdly, I think they could actually make a go at creating a legitimate voting bloc as a legitimate third party because I don’t think it’s out of the question for them to get re-elected as members of a “Freedom Party.” Especially if they could convince Trump to come with. > > Why bother going to the trouble of creating a 3rd party? They just keep running as Republicans in the GOP primaries, win that, and win in the general. That way, they don’t have to run as « Freedom Party » against a GOP candidate. They just describe themselves as « True Republicans » or something. > [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Perhaps it’s been answered upthread already, but… _why_ do these holdout Republicans hate McCarthy with such a seething passion? In addition to the personal dislike for McCarthy, there seems to be a more principled approach: they want to change the operation of the House from two-party to more of a European parliamentary system, where they get elected as Republicans, but then in the House act as a third-party, forcing the Republicans to give them concessions. Here’s an article on it: > **[‘The Democrats, the Republicans and the Freedom Caucus’: Inside the right’s...](https://themessenger.com/grid/the-democrats-the-republicans-and-the-freedom-caucus-inside-the-rights-plans-to-seize-power-in-the-new-congress)** > > A week after the midterm elections in November, a small group of far-right GOP lawmakers and activists gathered on K Street in Washington, D.C., to discuss strategies to use their narrow majority to extract power in the House. The next Congress,... > [@](#): > > The strategy outlined by Corrigan went beyond just extracting concessions from House leaders — it amounted to a game plan for the House Freedom Caucus to operate as a third party in a de facto parliamentary system, essentially co-governing the chamber with mainstream Republicans. As lawmakers prepared for a seventh round of voting on Thursday, House Republicans appeared to be on the precipice of allowing that to happen. > > “What would coalition government look like in practice?” Corrigan asked the group, which was filmed and livestreamed but has attracted little notice beyond conservative media. “I would recommend the Freedom Caucus would be granted a specific number of committee assignments, and committee and subcommittee chairmanships,” as well as a variety of other new powers, including putting a Freedom Caucus member as chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee. ---
**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 6, 2023, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1574 "2023-01-06T17:33:02Z")
Yes, he had I believe a medical thing planned. ---
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1575 "2023-01-06T17:34:19Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > “But what if a majority of Republican representatives suddenly decide to act like decent, reasonable human beings?” As I keep saying, if they were going to do that, they would already have done that. NOT decent or reasonable. Just self-interested. They’ve already been notified “We’re going to be pains in your ass for the next two years, not allies, or colleagues, or associates. PAINS IN YOUR ASS!!!” You don’t need to be decent or reasonable to interpret that correctly. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1576 "2023-01-06T17:35:21Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > Yes, he had I believe a medical thing planned. Buck has a medical thing today. Hern’s mother died and the funeral is tomorrow. ---
**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 6, 2023, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1577 "2023-01-06T17:35:24Z")
And the vote begins, 3 republicans, one democrat up in nomination. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1578 "2023-01-06T17:35:44Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > Oh dear, Jim Jordan back in nomination. Maybe the House should adopt a rule like the Baseball Hall of Fame. If you don’t get 5 percent of the votes on your first ballot, you’re out. ---
**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 6, 2023, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1579 "2023-01-06T17:35:55Z")
Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1580 "2023-01-06T17:36:20Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > It popped into my head and I have sinus issues, I blame that. Your snot is smarter than most of the Republicans caught in this fiasco. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770.md?page=78) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770.md?page=80)