# Speaker of the House 2019 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 9, 2018, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246 "2018-11-09T16:11:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/61 "2018-11-11T22:54:39Z")
I think House Speaker (Pelosi) and President (Hillary Clinton) are fundamentally different from an electoral perspective – I think most House elections still run on local factors (while being influenced by the national environment and any “waves” in voter enthusiasm), unlike the Presidential race. So I don’t think we should be nearly as worried about the relatively successful Republican campaign to paint Pelosi as the bugaboo as we are about (say) another Hillary run (not that I think she will). I tend to think that Pelosi’s positives (maybe the best whip and vote counter in Democratic history, as well as an extremely experienced and effective legislator in general) outweigh her negatives (any hypothetical drag on broader tickets). ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/62 "2018-11-14T19:19:29Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Or maybe because there are tons of progressives like me who think the bar to be a Senator should be high enough that groping (or even faux-groping) and any violation of consent is enough to render one morally unqualified. UNLESS you are drunk at a house party and really like beer. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/63 "2018-11-14T19:28:10Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > UNLESS you are drunk at a house party and really like beer. ??? ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/64 "2018-11-14T19:32:42Z")
[Matt Fuller](https://twitter.com/MEPFuller/status/1062787335245520902) (Huffington Post) ‏ > [@](#): > > Multiple Democratic members who publicly support Pelosi are speculating to me on background that she doesn’t have the numbers and can’t get there. ---
**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:** [November 14, 2018, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/65 "2018-11-14T23:05:02Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > for those that don’t know the speaker legally can be anyone, they don’t have to be a member of the house. That’s why it could be Obama. There’s a fair portion of the Dope who go into the trenches about the only true legitimacy for POTUS is winning a majority of the popular vote and yet your Constititution allows the House to vote for Oprah, or Rush Limbaugh or Fred Nurk from Spokane to be House Speaker at any time a vacancy occurs and they become second in the line of succession? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/66 "2018-11-14T23:17:21Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > There’s a fair portion of the Dope who go into the trenches about the only true legitimacy for POTUS is winning a majority of the popular vote and yet your Constititution allows the House to vote for Oprah, or Rush Limbaugh or Fred Nurk from Spokane to be House Speaker at any time a vacancy occurs and they become second in the line of succession? > > 😃 The Constitution doesn’t actually speak to that. It does give qualifications for a member of the House, and then goes on to say “The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.” It is doubtful that anyone other than a Representative can be Speaker, but it has never been tested, since every Speaker has been a Representative- and certainly this time will be. Obama could certainly run for Congress and might then be speaker. However, generally it is picked by Seniority. So, altho people talk about it, and some scholars say it is possibly legal, it has not been done and will not be done. ---
**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:** [November 15, 2018, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/67 "2018-11-15T00:15:32Z")
Based on the past decade or so in US politics, the rebuttal is “Conventional politics says it ain’t going to happen”? Anybody got a spare fallout shelter? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2018, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/68 "2018-11-15T00:44:00Z")
The discussion selection of a Speaker who isn’t a member of the House is one that’s been going on forever. I’m sure it came up back when I studied political science during late night BS sessions. I highly doubt it will ever be tested because that person will not have a vote in the House. The Speaker has always had a partisan role, unlike the Speaker of the UK House of Commons who renounces party affiliation and is supposed to be neutral. While some of the Blue Dogs and progressives can hem and haw all day long about Pelosi, until there’s a solid ‘not-Pelosi’ alternative, it’ll just be hot air. It’s true that the entire Democratic leadership team is long in the tooth and many up and comers have left the House, but a committee chairmanship is going to be quite appealing to anyone who might think of running for Speaker, so I don’t see any strong challenge happening. And, I really can’t see too many voters really caring in 2020 about a Rep’s Speaker vote, even if they broke a promise. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2018, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/69 "2018-11-15T02:19:20Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > While some of the Blue Dogs and progressives can hem and haw all day long about Pelosi, until there’s a solid ‘not-Pelosi’ alternative, it’ll just be hot air. Apparently [Marcia Fudge](https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/14/pelosi-speaker-votes-989968) from Ohio is considering giving it a go. We’ll see if she gets any traction. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2018, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/70 "2018-11-15T06:49:09Z")
Democrats (or professed democrats) are spreading “NO Pelosi” all over Facebook. Geez. That is saying _“You know this woman, the most effective speaker in decades? Well, the GOP hates and fears her so much they have been spreading shit about her for decades. So, obviously, we need to do what the GOp wants and get rid of her.”_:rolleyes: Sometimes I despair. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2018, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/71 "2018-11-15T06:51:07Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > ??? There was a SCOTUS justice confirmation not to long ago. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2018, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/72 "2018-11-15T07:50:41Z")
Just in case some deity or other decides to smite 45 and Pence in a one-shot, say, next February, they should make Hillary Clinton the Speaker. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2018, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/73 "2018-11-15T07:59:49Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Pretty much agree. Pelosi has been a very effective Speaker, and she’ll no doubt do a good job again. But at some point she has to pass the baton to the next generation. I wish she would step aside and make room for the next wave. But I think she’ll do just fine if it’s her as Speaker. Me too. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2018, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/74 "2018-11-15T10:25:13Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > Apparently [Marcia Fudge](https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/14/pelosi-speaker-votes-989968) from Ohio is considering giving it a go. We’ll see if she gets any traction. [Seth Moulton](https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2018/11/14/seth-moulton-nancy-pelosi-trade-zingers-she-makes-another-bid-for-speaker/GzEs1hfU4i3XCj5dJVt9EN/story.html) from Massachusetts, too. I believe I’ve mentioned him on this board before. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2018, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/75 "2018-11-15T10:43:41Z")
One problem the anti-Pelosi folks have is that some are progressives, and some are centrists. You’re not going to get them to agree on a replacement for Pelosi. I agree that the House Dems need a younger leadership team. The top three - Pelosi, Hoyer, Clyburn - will all be 80 or older by the time the parties have their conventions in 2020. Barring challenges, Hoyer and Clyburn will be Majority Leader and Majority Whip, respectively, in January. Why not leave Pelosi in place for one more Congress, but replace Hoyer and Clyburn with a younger Congresscritter from each faction, and when they next vote on the Speakership, everyone will have a better idea of who’s up to the job? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2018, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/76 "2018-11-15T10:49:44Z")
And it’s time for Schumer to go. He really has not been a good Senate Minority Leader, and holy shit, [this NYT story about Schumer and Facebook](https://twitter.com/kenvogel/status/1062830750616170497) should be enough by itself to kick him out of the leadership. Kenneth Vogel of the NYT, on Twitter: > [@](#): > > SEN. SCHUMER (D-@FACEBOOK): When Senate Intel was probing Facebook’s relationship with CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA, @ChuckSchumer told @MarkWarner to back off. \* Schumer was the biggest recipient of Facebook employee $ in 2016, & his daughter works for the company ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2018, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/77 "2018-11-15T11:50:23Z")
I don’t know who should be Senate Democratic leader, but [Chris Murphy should be part of the leadership team](https://ctmirror.org/2018/11/13/behind-democrats-win-senator-one-million-phone-calls/). ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2018, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/78 "2018-11-15T12:35:50Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > And it’s time for Schumer to go. He really has not been a good Senate Minority Leader, and holy shit, [this NYT story about Schumer and Facebook](https://twitter.com/kenvogel/status/1062830750616170497) should be enough by itself to kick him out of the leadership. Kenneth Vogel of the NYT, on Twitter: Amen, just a hack politician. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2018, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/79 "2018-11-15T18:30:50Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > And it’s time for Schumer to go. He really has not been a good Senate Minority Leader, and holy shit, [this NYT story about Schumer and Facebook](https://twitter.com/kenvogel/status/1062830750616170497) should be enough by itself to kick him out of the leadership. Kenneth Vogel of the NYT, on Twitter: To a large extent that would bother me less than just the fact that Schumer would probably fall under the heading of politicians who don’t really understand what Facebook is. Given how central the Internet is to the modern day world, a leadership who does understand it would make sense. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2018, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246/80 "2018-11-15T20:42:03Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > One problem the anti-Pelosi folks have is that some are progressives, and some are centrists. You’re not going to get them to agree on a replacement for Pelosi. > > I agree that the House Dems need a younger leadership team. The top three - Pelosi, Hoyer, Clyburn - will all be 80 or older by the time the parties have their conventions in 2020. Barring challenges, Hoyer and Clyburn will be Majority Leader and Majority Whip, respectively, in January. > > Why not leave Pelosi in place for one more Congress, but replace Hoyer and Clyburn with a younger Congresscritter from each faction, and when they next vote on the Speakership, everyone will have a better idea of who’s up to the job? No doubt, Pelosi will have to step down some day, right. And maybe you’re right in that some movement might be a good idea. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaker-of-the-house-2019/824246.md?page=5)