#566 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Friday January 13)
Good morning,
THE PEOPLE’S HOUSE
I have been reflecting these past several days over the ridiculous display in the House of Representatives last week. There are several observations I have drawn from that spectacle:
1. Kevin McCarthy is the embodiment of the “I’ll do anything for power” motif. Ideology, ethics, vision, and what’s best for the nation be damned. Unworkable rules in the House? Who cares? It’s all about winning.
2. We are in for a period of little meaningful, constructive legislation, with the far-right holding Mr. McCarthy in check.
3. We once had parties that were able to control the more extreme of their members. With 435 members, there will always be those who range from political extremists to conspiracy theorists and those bent on destruction. In the “old days,” these people could be neutralized through party discipline. Now, the most extreme are capable of grabbing headlines and creating a national base when they otherwise would have been back-benchers from the provinces. The calculus has changed.
4. We are experiencing the weakness of a governing coalition that typically has plagued parliamentary systems in other countries. Our two party system once served as a governor against extremism. Often in parliamentary systems, mainstream parties find themselves forming coalitions that require inclusion of more extreme elements. Just take a look at the mess we read about in Israel and Italy, where mainstream candidates are forced to accede to the demands from the fringes, while governments are unstable and elections (and turnovers) are frequent. In America, we were spared this problem, as the two major parties didn’t have to appeal to those in the fringe in order to muster a governing majority.
5. There is little bipartisanship left. There was a moment when one could think (perchance, to dream!) that moderate Democrats could come to the aid of the more moderate Republicans in establishing a majority for a moderate Republican leader. The Democrats likely would have demanded more proportional committee assignments but would have had standing for little more than that. The result would have been to throw the right-wing crazies (you know, the ones that were making phone calls to the President on January 6th, those who believe in space lasers, those being investigated for sexual crimes) in the wilderness. Of course, this is as unlikely as most Republicans in the House acknowledging Donald Trump’s culpability in his various civil and criminal investigations and trials.
6. In states and districts where one party is virtually assured of victory, the danger of election defeat is not in the general election than it is in the primaries, where the “true believers” have an overweighted say in the designation of the nominee. In the Republican party of today, the one thing you can’t be accused of is being a “Republican in Name Only” (a “RINO”). Showing signs of compromise or of resisting the Trump bandwagon are simply unacceptable. Bipartisanship or being perceived as aiming for “half a loaf” versus “none at all” is a tantamount to a death sentence in the party today. One would be pilloried on TV and in talk radio, and one could expect to be “primaried” in the election.
7. The House will become a chamber of investigations without evidence, obstruction without alternative, and resistance without policy. We will learn a lot about Hunter Biden (who has never held political office) and we will have performative attacks on the FBI, the Justice Department and other agencies of our government, under the aegis of that paragon of virtue, Jim Jordan, all with the intent to “pay back” and deflect.
The House of Representatives has been referred to as “the people’s house,” because it is the most democratic, with elections every two years, and representation of smaller constituencies than the Senate (well, until recently). It historically has been the most representative of the mood of the people. It is hard not to conclude that the people received what they most wanted (or most deserved), in representation by a group where the extremists and conspiracy theorists hold such sway. It is not as if people with such absurd views and such unreasonableness haven’t existed over our long history. They just have been held in check by the wisdom of the people, through the electoral process. And while extremists were defeated this past election in State gubernatorial and senatorial elections, House districts are a different story. Sadly, we may just be getting the government we deserve.
A MISSED MOMENT
I ordinarily look forward to reading Andrew Tobias’s blog. Last week, he provided a link to the new Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’s ceremonial speech before the seating of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker. Andrew argued that it was a brilliant speech, energetic and passionate. He, of course, is right. Jeffries was able to tout all the accomplishments of the past Congress and to articulate many of the reasons why many of us are supportive of much of the Democratic agenda. But I think it was the speech his more ardent supporters wanted to hear but not the speech America needed to hear.
As the speech continued on, it took on the cast of a political stump speech, when I was waiting for something quite different. I had (wrongly) assumed that Jeffries would use this speech as a moment to draw a distinction between not merely the policy differences between the parties but the difference in rhetoric, demeanor, and seriousness. I expected something more than the brief not to the readiness of the Democrats to legislate as partners. Perhaps something more akin to the following outline was in order:
1. Thank you to the past leadership and a recitation of the accomplishments of the last Congress (which he did)
2. Acknowledgement that our best ideas and best legislation happens when people of common values but different chosen means to achieve them can come together to make something happen. Point out the bipartisanship of the COVID appropriations and financial supports under BOTH the Trump and Biden administrations.
3. Congratulate the Republicans and Mr. McCarthy for their victory.
4. Acknowledge that sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. Despite the actions of some, accepting electoral defeat is the norm and a reminder that in the next election, the defeated party needs to evolve their policies and/or message to garner a victory.
5. Do your best, Republican leadership! We want to see ideas over ideology and are prepared to engage. We hope to debate over concrete policies, rather than vilification of political adversaries.
6. Someday, a Republican will be standing where I am standing and will need to concede the victory of the Democrats. Concessions are part of our political life and expectations. We need to get back to the point when we can say, “it’s your turn at bat, so do your best” and “we are rooting for the home team (the USA).”
7. Pledge that the Democrats are partners for positive change. “You will find cooperation from us when the cause is just.”
Magnanimity and humility were in short supply in Mr. Jeffries’s speech. While he is impressive and I expect great things from him in the future, I just think he missed his mark here.
Have a great day,
Glenn
PS: And yes, less politics next week. Including lots of BOOKS on Wednesday.
From the archives: