# 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:** 76
**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:** [February 14, 2024, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1501 "2024-02-14T15:55:52Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > > [@Atamasama](#): > > > > I have no idea what they think they’re going to accomplish. > > Fundraising. That’s the only thing they’re interested in anymore. They’re certainly not interested in governing. Some of them are interested specifically in breaking the government. > [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > > [@TeroSunbear](#): > > > > Johnson argued that the border chief “has brought more damage on the country than any cabinet secretary that has ever been.” > > I see that he’s become proficient in the GOP tactics of exaggerated baloney. For example, two Cabinet Secretaries abandoned the US to join the Confederacy, and one ([John Floyd](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._Floyd)) may have armed the South before the War. I’d rank that pretty high as “damaging the country.” Johnson may be in favor of the Confederacy. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2024, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1502 "2024-02-14T23:17:06Z")
And another one gone, and another one gone… > ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2024, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1503 "2024-02-15T00:33:44Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > [x.com](https://twitter.com/JakeSherman/status/1757892186513838415) Sounds GOOD on the surface. The replacements are likely to be even worse. I despair. ---
**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:** [February 15, 2024, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1504 "2024-02-15T00:56:30Z")
Usually you see these kinds of en masse retirements from a party that’s just lost the majority. ---
**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:** [February 15, 2024, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1505 "2024-02-15T01:39:22Z")
You’d think that with such a crisis on the border the Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee would feel the need to stay in his post. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2024, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1506 "2024-02-15T03:59:02Z")
If it’s a new Congress with a GOP majority, likely his replacement will indeed be worse. Let’s hope there’s a blue wave come November. ---
**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:** [February 15, 2024, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1507 "2024-02-15T04:06:57Z")
Remember the good old days when people were impeached and there was actually a chance they could be convicted? ---
**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:** [February 15, 2024, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1508 "2024-02-15T04:29:06Z")
I remember the good old days of Nixon, when congressional Republicans had the spine to do what was right and tell him to resign. Now we have toadies enabling a criminal. ---
**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:** [February 15, 2024, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1509 "2024-02-15T04:45:30Z")
And when the President, even though a crook, recognized reality when it smacked him upside the head. ---
**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:** [February 15, 2024, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1510 "2024-02-15T13:42:11Z")
I thought he wasn’t a crook! He even told us so! /s and kidding. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2024, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1511 "2024-03-14T21:48:12Z")
Johnson telling Politico that he expects to pass a Ukraine aid bill, once again depending on Democratic votes in order to pass the bill under suspension (which requires a 2/3 vote of the House). He’s now passed multiple government funding bills and other bills relying on Democratic votes. What exactly was it that the hardcore FC got out of forcing McCarthy out of office? [https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/14/mike-johnson-israel-ukraine-aid-bill-00147108](https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/14/mike-johnson-israel-ukraine-aid-bill-00147108) ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2024, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1512 "2024-03-14T21:56:29Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > What exactly was it that the hardcore FC got out of forcing McCarthy out of office? TV air time? ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1513 "2024-03-15T03:11:45Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > What exactly was it that the hardcore FC got out of forcing McCarthy out of office? Attention, attention, attention. The FC, IMHO and that of others, _thrives_ on being seen to “keep fighting and pwning the libs and RINOs”. Muuuuch easier than to advance and pass bills, keep the government running, or answer questions about their spending or actual efforts to improve the lives of their constituents. Eventually something will happen that enrages their base, or Trump will say something, and THEN they’ll throw another hissy fit. But they ALSO need the Democrats to play along, and they may not be sure that they will, considering what a cluster happened the last time. ---
**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:** [March 15, 2024, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1514 "2024-03-15T03:56:29Z")
Yeah, was mentioning it in another thread – all the drama has gotten the House to exactly where they would have been anyway had they let ol’ Kevin make the deals that needed making, just five months later than they otherwise would have. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1515 "2024-03-15T13:51:25Z")
And the FC is mighty proud of that 5 month delay. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1516 "2024-03-15T18:14:45Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > Johnson telling Politico that he expects to pass a Ukraine aid bill, once again depending on Democratic votes in order to pass the bill under suspension (which requires a 2/3 vote of the House). He’s now passed multiple government funding bills and other bills relying on Democratic votes. I’m not going to say that I am grateful for him or that I think he’s good for the country, but at the very least he’s doing the job he’s supposed to be doing, which sadly makes him look like a paragon of statesmanship by comparison to many in his party. Including the last Speaker. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1517 "2024-03-15T18:29:16Z")
I’m not sure he’s better than his predecessor (a very low bar, granted), but is certainly better than some of the other replacement options (eyeballing you with disdain “Gym” Jordan!) Don’t get me wrong, I loate and hate McCarthy, but when push came to shove, he did put some bills forward to keep the government funded, and equally worked with the Democrats to get them passed, which, IMHO is all that Johnson has done. The difference is that McCarthy _wanted_ the job so bad that he proverbially sold his soul and freedom to get it, leaving him on a tightrope from Day Zero. And, like sharks, everyone knew it - so his political ass was always hanging in the breeze. By the time (R) settled on Johnson, there was palpable exhaustion with the endless wrangling and drama, with the (D) team just smiiiiiiling away and holding our their hands. So Johnson is in a _slightly_ stronger position, Both are horrible, anti-American (unless you meet _their_ very narrow definitions of American), hypocritical BLEEEEEEPs that I would (and did) happily see to have the faces of eaten by their own, but, still, yes, there are faaaaar worse in their own party. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2024, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1518 "2024-03-17T21:27:13Z")
Coming soon to a Congress near you; HOT MEMBER-ON-MEMBER ACTION! > ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2024, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1519 "2024-03-17T21:28:30Z")
Not with someone else’s member. No way, no how. ---
**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:** [March 18, 2024, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1520 "2024-03-18T05:15:42Z")
Come on, Speaker Johnson, when we said this Congress was a clusterfuck we meant it as a _metaphor._ [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=75) [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=77)