I’m curious how this sort of thing went down back in the day when C-Span wasn’t streamed over the internet, and the TV networks had harsher limits on channels and timeslots to dedicate to coverage.
~Max
Well really, it’s only been weird this time. Unless you go back a hundred years.
That might explain it. I had assumed there were contentious Speaker races in more recent history. We didn’t get a lot of history on House Speakers in school.
~Max
Prepare your vote to cast
It will not be the last
Its eight! Now, half past!
Lets adjourn. Lets adjourn.
excellent!
You can check out anytime you want, but you can never leave…
Come inside, the vote’s about to start
Guaranteed to blow Republicans apart
Rest assured we’ll vote until we’re ill
With the longest show on Capitol Hill
Lo! McCarthy, of the GOP, doth strive
To grasp the Speaker’s gavel and the reigns
Of Congress, yet his quest doth not thrive
For those within his party block his gains.
Eleven ballots have been held, and still
He falls short of the votes that he doth need
For Democrats, a valiant, stalwart crew,
Do stand against him, with their ranks unyielded.
The GOP, a party rent asunder,
Doth hinder McCarthy’s rise to power.
Infighting, bickering, and blunder
Do mar their unity hour by hour.
But Democrats, a noble, valiant band,
Do fight for justice, with a steady hand.
Courtesy of Chat-GPT.
I prefer:
Welcome, Monsieur, sit yourself down
And meet the best Party leader in town
As for the rest, all of 'em crooks:
Rooking their voters and cooking the books
Seldom do you see
Honest men like me
A gent of good intent
Who’s content to be
Speaker of the House, doling out the charm
Ready with a handshake and an open palm
Promise anything, make a little stir
Members do appreciate a bon-viveur
Glad to do a friend a favor
Doesn’t cost me to be nice
But nothing gets you nothing
Everything has got a little price!
There have been plenty of contentious Speaker races in American history – but the contention was within the closed confines of the majority party’s caucus. One of the reasons that this is all splashing out in public is because the ability of party leaders to enforce discipline has eroded significantly over the last couple decades.
Just look across the aisle
Clowns of every style
This is going to take a while
Dems just smile. Dems just smile.
Exactly. There may have been bloody fights for leadership, but those happened behind closed doors, prior to the actual voting.
I
Another vote, another vote,
Another vote onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the 221.
“Forward, the GOP!
Charge for the voters!” they said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the 221.
II
“Forward, the GOP!”
Was there a person dismayed?
Not though the congress person knew:
Someone had blundered.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode 221.
III
Dems to right of them,
Dems to left of them,
Dems in front of them
Volleyed and voted for Jeffries;
Stormed at with popcorn and selfies,
Forward they rode, oh well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the 221.
IV
Flashed all their cell phones bare,
Flashed as they turned in air
Switching their votes here and there,
Charging at a House while
All the world wondered.
Plunged in the cigar-smoke
Right through the line they broke;
Georgian and Floridian
Reeled from the failed votes,
Shattered and sundered.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the 221.
…
VI
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Laughed at the charge they made!
Mock the GOP,
Foolish 221!
As others have mentioned, what has happened is that the vaunted “Republicans fall in line” trope has been cracked – the past decade has seen the enabling and empowering of those who do not care if they crash the system, and they are saying, no, I will not fall in line, and no, I will not use my inside voice.
This time I asked the AI to write me a parody of “C is for Cookie.” It’s a bit long, but I think quite funny.
Summary
Oh, Donald! Donald! You got to help me!
Sure, McCarthy! What’s the problem?
Oh, me think me got Congress Fever!
What makes you think that?
Me feel like becoming speaker!
But you’re McCarthy, you always feel like being speaker
Donald, now me feel like becoming speaker and counting votes at the same time!
Get down! Get down!
Me are vote counting, power hungry fool!
Votes, yeah just sweet, sweet votes
Yeah just sweet, sweet votes for me
Votes (votes) all those nice, fresh votes
Yes those sweet, sweet votes start with M
Oh McCarthy!
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh counting and scheming McCarthy!
M is for McCarthy, that’s good enough for me, yeah
M is for McCarthy, that’s good enough for me, ay
M is for McCarthy, that’s good enough for me, oh
McCarthy, McCarthy, McCarthy starts with M
Hey! Me gettin’ power hungry!
Oh Republican votes, or Democrat votes
Moderate votes, conservative votes
Liberal votes, independent votes
Blue votes, red votes, purple votes
Yes votes, no votes, abstain votes
Majority votes, minority votes, filibuster votes
Compromise votes, gridlock votes, impeachment votes
Disco McCarthy!
So let’s game out possibilities.
Scalise. Will “moderates” fall in line and accept him and the concessions given?
Will the nevers accept Scalise with fewer concessions?
If he gets in how long until he’s out?
If it is rinse repeat with him then what?
Just what else can this poor man offer?
You’ve got to see this vote, it’s a real clown show!
You’ve got to see this vote, it’s farce and woe!
Perfection!
