# The Great Ongoing Revolving Speakership of the 118th Congress {Mike Johnson is new speaker as of 2023-10-25} **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 12, 2023, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432 "2023-10-12T02:05:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**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:** [October 14, 2023, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/201 "2023-10-14T21:12:34Z")
“Jordan is a tremendous country and Jim is one of the strongest minds in its large history, possibly even more than the great Michael. He has my FULL ENDORSEMENT!” ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2023, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/202 "2023-10-14T21:17:12Z")
> [@MulderMuffin](#): > > > [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > > > It angers me because it’s nothing more than a setup to blame Democrats for Republican dysfunction. > > I saw an interview on CNN last night. They caught McCarthy in the hall and asked about the speaker race, Jordan’s chances, Republican dysfunction… Kevin actually had the nerve to blame all of it on the Democrats for “working with 8 Republicans to remove him” (not a direct quote). As if the Democrats called to vacate the chair and a few Republicans joined in. As if the Democrats had any incentive or responsibility to help him remain speaker. As if this never would have happened if the Democrats didn’t join in to oust Gotta give it to him, he stays on-message. One of the reasons the D’s felt no duty to throw him a lifeline was that after the House finally got a “clean” CR passed with hours to go to prevent a shutdown _with Democrat votes,_ he kept on and on harping at how this had been a case _of him and the Republicans_ overcoming _the Dems_ voting for a shutdown and against funding – because the D’s held firm on _not_ voting for the stupidity-and-hate-based Republican proposals. We cooperate and keep things running… and you are going to say _we_ were the ones who were going to shut it down and it was all solely YOUR achievement? Fine. YOU solely achieve staying in office. ---
**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:** [October 14, 2023, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/203 "2023-10-14T21:20:08Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > We cooperate and keep things running… and you are going to say _we_ were the ones who were going to shut it down and it was all YOUR achievement? And you just know, don’t you, that if the Dems had somehow gotten bamboozled into supporting McCarthy, he’d be out in front of the cameras saying how he’d outmaneuvered the dumb Dems into voting against their own interests. ---
**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:** [October 14, 2023, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/204 "2023-10-14T21:24:45Z")
Nobody ever went broke underestimating the confidence of an entitled white man. ---
**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:** [October 14, 2023, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/205 "2023-10-14T21:34:31Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Can we afford a government shutdown? I don’t think we really can. Which is why we cannot afford to empower a Republican majority controlled by any compromise is evil masters to deliver that. A Jordan led majority, even with rules changed, delivers that as surely as the House Speakerless does. The only path to avoiding a long shutdown is that the GOP continues down this path to the point that enough of the less crazy of them approach the Democrats hat in hand to come to a bipartisan solution to the Speakership crisis. A solid number of Republicans won’t go along. A few Democrats of the progressive ilk may balk too. But enough agree to compromises that enough on each side can live with. A long shot maybe. But every other path is a long shut down that I don’t think we can really afford. ---
**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:** [October 14, 2023, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/206 "2023-10-14T21:42:06Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Nobody ever went broke underestimating the confidence of an entitled white man. You sure you don’t mean _overestimating_? ---
**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:** [October 14, 2023, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/207 "2023-10-14T22:15:38Z")
Yeah, that thing. I blame the Democrats for not correcting my word choice before the edit window closed. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2023, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/208 "2023-10-14T22:23:59Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > A Jordan led majority, even with rules changed, delivers that as surely as the House Speakerless does. Yeah, we cant let Jordan in there. ---
**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:** [October 15, 2023, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/209 "2023-10-15T00:08:00Z")
Or any other Republican without changes to the facts on the ground that allow the most crazy to have veto power over any attempts to come to agreements. Functionally no Speaker is less bad than a Speaker under that circumstance, and both are assured government shut down. ---
**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:** [October 15, 2023, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/210 "2023-10-15T00:11:13Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Can we afford a government shutdown? Since 1995 there have been three shutdowns more than five days long, the longest (2018-19) was 35 days. We’ve managed to survive so far. As far as I’m concerned, shutdown as a scare tactic is losing its effectiveness. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/211 "2023-10-15T00:19:52Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > Since 1995 there have been three shutdowns more than five days long, the longest (2018-19) was 35 days. We’ve managed to survive so far. > > As far as I’m concerned, shutdown as a scare tactic is losing its effectiveness. Because at the end of the day it’s just a game of chicken, and once repercussions start being felt the side being blamed is going to blink. This is more like playing chicken against a car without a driver, there is no one at the wheel to blink when the crash is imminent. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/212 "2023-10-15T13:55:47Z")
Well said! (From the Daily Kos) [![](https://images.dailykos.com/images/1236780/story_image/CjonesRGB10142023.jpg?1697215404) ](https://images.dailykos.com/images/1236780/story_image/CjonesRGB10142023.jpg?1697215404) ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/213 "2023-10-15T14:12:27Z")
More comic fun… [![](https://images.dailykos.com/images/1235344/story_image/TMW2023-10-09color.png?1696773425) ](https://images.dailykos.com/images/1235344/story_image/TMW2023-10-09color.png?1696773425) ---
**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:** [October 15, 2023, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/214 "2023-10-15T15:02:37Z")
The annoying thing is, the Dope is the first place I’d think to share this, and you beat me to it! Curses! ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/215 "2023-10-15T17:23:49Z")
> **[Rep. Mike Johnson plans to launch House speaker bid if Jim Jordan falters](https://news.yahoo.com/rep-mike-johnson-plans-launch-020021457.html)** > > Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., is laying the groundwork to seek the speaker's gavel if Rep. Jim Jordan, the party's current nominee, is unable to get the votes needed on the House floor. Interesting tidbit here is to confirm unspoken but widespread opposition to Jordan in the GOP. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/216 "2023-10-15T19:42:12Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > > [@DrDeth](#): > > > > > [@snowthx](#): > > > > > > As mentioned above, why should the Democrats lift a finger to help the Republicans? > > > > This has been answered. There will be a govt shutdown if we dont. > > Also, it’s hard to compare them to toddlers when the Dems can’t act like the grownups. And who knows, maybe a few swing voters will see that and come over. I suspect that the Democrats will vote to help elect a Speaker. When the Republicans nominate somebody who hasn’t made it clear that they won’t ever help the Democrats. Whether that latter will ever happen I have no idea. > [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > > > I think the Democrats taking the completely stupid and totally historically unprecedented act of voting for a Speaker who agenda is to destroy their party, platform and President actually increases the chance of a government shutdown. > > Can we afford a government shutdown? Why do you think that giving the Republican disruptors what they want would prevent one? They’ll do their best to cause one anyway. They don’t want the government to work. They don’t want the country to work – at least, not unless it works in absolutely every fashion exactly how they want it to, no matter what damage that does to anyone or everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/217 "2023-10-15T20:06:48Z")
LOL at “1-877-KARS FOR KIDS…” ---
**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:** [October 15, 2023, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/218 "2023-10-15T20:30:09Z")
In the future, everyone will be Speaker of the House for 15 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/219 "2023-10-15T20:40:38Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Why do you think that giving the Republican disruptors what they want would prevent one? I fully expect that you make a deal on what will happen, and with hours to go a portion of the Freedom Caucus will **again** demand “one more thing” (each of them a different “one more thing”) to give their vote or else we vacate again. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/220 "2023-10-15T20:52:44Z")
If Republicans gave a shit about this country, they would elect Jeffries. There would then be no shutdown, Ukraine would get its funding, Israel would get its funding, and the process of governing would continue uninterrupted. But Republicans don’t give a shit. And Democrats should not bail them out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432.md?page=12)