# 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:** 91
**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:** [April 30, 2024, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1801 "2024-04-30T20:36:58Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > Aren’t demographics fighting the long-term MAGA prospects? I’ve read several articles that focus on or at least mention that dwindling rural populations (relatively speaking) and an aging base make this currently a last hurrah, if a decade or three more can be described as such. > > Not that they can’t do a lot of damage in the interim. For the first part, given how in many states the rural areas have been gerrymandered to have a commanding lead in representation _despite_ the population, the long term is so long term as to be a minor issue at most. Again, take Texas (please, I’m begging you, take it _anywhere_ else!). 😉 And while I’m not quite as doom-gloom as some on how Democrats are missing out on some of the multi-generational Latino families and other minorities, they’re absolutely not as monolithic as the best case scenario would make them out to be. Similar issues for other minorities that are often associated with the Democratic ticket. And really, all it takes is the MAGA team being sufficiently obstructionist for _long_ enough to discredit the (D) team, or for the (D) team to have major ruptures that are intrinsic to a big tent (see Israel as a hot current example) and they can take advantage to grab those dissatisfied with gridlock with the (false) promise that they’ll fix things AGAIN. As for the second piece, oh god yes. Just the Republican/MAGA fuckery with the SCOTUS will be literal generations in the fixing. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1802 "2024-04-30T22:33:08Z")
However did I miss this bright shiny batsignal? Yes, MAGA has some serious demographic problems ahead. The next generations are voting leftier than any of the existing ones did at the same age according to Pew’s research over the last five or six decades and there’s a good chance that those voting patterns will remain as consistent as it has for older voters. Having said that, I believe ParallelLines makes some good points above about the difficulties of holding the big coalition together. MAGA will have openings for inroads but so far they have been their own worst enemies. For MAGA, '24 may be that moment in Pickett’s Charge when the heavily damaged Confederate brigades actually reach the line of guns on Cemetery Ridge. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1803 "2024-04-30T22:34:59Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > For MAGA, '24 may be that moment in Pickett’s Charge when the heavily damaged Confederate brigades actually reach the line of guns on Cemetery Ridge. Great analogy, and I hope to God it’s accurate. ---
**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:** [April 30, 2024, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1804 "2024-04-30T23:03:52Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > MAGA will have openings for inroads but so far they have been their own worst enemies. This I agree with 100%. And I’m desperately praying that they’ll continue to gut themselves especially once His Orangeness has gone on to to gibbering senility and/or the Great Beyond. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1805 "2024-04-30T23:49:16Z")
Marjie chickened out of making her motion today, but she’s promised something even more threatening tomorrow morning — a press conference. ---
**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:** [May 1, 2024, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1806 "2024-05-01T01:03:57Z")
Suppose they gave a press conference and nobody came. ---
**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:** [May 1, 2024, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1807 "2024-05-01T03:38:59Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > Marjie chickened out of making her motion today, but she’s promised something even more threatening tomorrow morning — a press conference Oh, please please be calling it in order to resign. (Yeah, I know. Fat chance.) > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Suppose they gave a press conference and nobody came Now that is a very good idea! ---
**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:** [May 1, 2024, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1808 "2024-05-01T03:50:08Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > For MAGA, '24 may be that moment in Pickett’s Charge when the heavily damaged Confederate brigades actually reach the line of guns on Cemetery Ridge. As a great general once said, “Never fight uphill me boys, wow”. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1809 "2024-05-01T13:31:13Z")
It’s ON, baby! > **[Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene detonates her plan to oust Speaker Johnson](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/01/marjorie-taylor-greene-motion-to-vacate-house-speaker-mike-johnson/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzE0NTM2MDAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzE1OTE4Mzk5LCJpYXQiOjE3MTQ1MzYwMDAsImp0aSI6ImVhMDM2NDUzLTk4ZmItNDRiNC05MmM0LWRhY2I0YzVkNjAwZSIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9wb2xpdGljcy8yMDI0LzA1LzAxL21hcmpvcmllLXRheWxvci1ncmVlbmUtbW90aW9uLXRvLXZhY2F0ZS1ob3VzZS1zcGVha2VyLW1pa2Utam9obnNvbi8ifQ.anjhfpPjhHrqsYmUqqGT11K5EscXUwKjvScw720QZIc&itid=gfta)** > > Her chances of success, however, are in doubt because House Democratic leadership pledged yesterday to rescue Johnson from such a “motion to vacate” by attempting to kill it before it can gain any traction. How exactly this will blow up in her face remains to be seen. Hopefully the Republican Party gets caught in the fallout. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1810 "2024-05-01T13:41:07Z")
I love how the _Washington Post_ generously characterizes her chances of success as “in doubt.” That’s like saying the Generals beating the Harlem Globetrotters is “in doubt.” ---
**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:** [May 1, 2024, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1811 "2024-05-01T13:52:27Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > Empty G might just be stupid enough to think she can still win, leading her to an embarrassing face-plant that everyone else saw coming a mile away. Man, despite everything we’ve seen in the last few years, deep down I didn’t really believe she’d be _this_ stupid. I guess none of it was ever an act? ETA: Deleted the other quoted post, that really didn’t turn out the was it was supposed to… ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1812 "2024-05-01T16:18:17Z")
On the other hand, since she doesn’t feel shame and benefits from being able to spin as someone ready to fight, what does she have to lose? People dislike her that much more? ---
**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:** [May 1, 2024, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1813 "2024-05-01T16:23:21Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > People dislike her that much more? If the people in her district start to see her as a loser, she’s in trouble, and she’s setting herself up for a major loss. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1814 "2024-05-01T16:29:58Z")
Then she’ll just jump to another district. Her best frenemy did that and it’s turning out swimmingly. Every grifter knows that the hunt for the next mark is eternal. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1815 "2024-05-01T16:41:54Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > If the people in her district start to see her as a loser, she’s in trouble, and she’s setting herself up for a major loss. Her district is overwhelmingly Republican – much more so than Boebert’s former district – so she’s unlikely to lose a general election. But as Madison Cawthorn learned, if fuck with the party establishment enough, they can fuck you back. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1816 "2024-05-01T17:11:24Z")
It’s amusing to hear Green say she wants to call the votes and force Democrats to have to go their primaries having supported a Republican Christian for the speaker position. She says it like this supporting Johnson is going to hurt any of the Democrats. Oh, MTG also things it’s a great way to show people who in the House supports the Uniparty. ---
**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:** [May 1, 2024, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1817 "2024-05-01T17:40:06Z")
I want a picture in picture on C-SPAN of Greene’s face as the votes are being cast. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1818 "2024-05-01T17:50:06Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I want a picture in picture on C-SPAN of Greene’s face… Be careful with what you ask for… ---
**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:** [May 1, 2024, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1819 "2024-05-01T17:55:43Z")
I will be brave if it happens. But I just gotsta know. ---
**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:** [May 1, 2024, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1820 "2024-05-01T18:02:33Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Then she’ll just jump to another district. Her best frenemy did that and it’s turning out swimmingly. > [@flurb](#): > > Her district is overwhelmingly Republican – much more so than Boebert’s former district – so she’s unlikely to lose a general election. The general election isn’t the problem. It’s the primary election. Whether she stays in or leaves her current district, she’s going to face at least one challenger, who will run on a “Loser Greene lost a major fight that she started, and it hurt us all!” platform, with a side order of “Carpetbagger” thrown in if it’s in a new district. The MAGAs hate losers, so I think this is going to cost her. Every failure from now to the election will be laid at her feet, “She made us look weak! She emboldened the Democrats!” [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=90) [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=92)