I usually think that the legislative process is a good cure for insomnia, but I often find it funny, especially when she doesn't mean it to be, until the Hastert rule collapses and bursts into flames. It followed Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's attempt to reinstate the rule.
House Speaker Mike Johnson easily thwarted a reckless attempt by his Republican colleague from Georgia to oust him from his position.
And the star of Donald Trump's MAGA movement, supporting allies like Greene, says Congress has better things to do than profit in what has become widely known as the “attention economy.” If you believe there is a big job to do, that's good.
Although Mr. Johnson's conservatism is solid enough to cause alarm in Democratic circles, Mr. Greene believes that Mr. Johnson is not far-right enough.
Greene called for his removal if he fails to meet a list of policy demands. Private reports of the meeting reveal that she and her less camera-friendly ally, Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, laid out a list of policy demands on several very important issues. Became.
They include cutting off aid to Ukraine, halting funding for President Trump's special counsel investigation, and threatening the Hastert administration, named after disgraced former House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois. This included the return of.
Hastert was sentenced to 15 months in prison in a hush money case in which it was revealed that he had been accused of sexually abusing young boys while he was a teacher in Yorkville, Illinois. You may remember that.
His “rule” was never a formal rule, but Republicans have often followed it like one, meaning no bill can be brought to a vote without the support of a majority of the House. That “majority of majorities” works to your advantage if you hold a majority, but Republicans don't have that right now.
So last week, Democrats joined forces with most Republicans in a second move to stop Republican hardliners like Greene from seizing the speaker's gavel from their own party's leaders. The result of the vote was a landslide of 359 to 43, with seven votes in favor. All but 39 Democrats voted with Republicans to keep Johnson in the chair.
Only 11 Republicans voted to advance Greene's motion.
An enthusiastic Prime Minister Johnson told reporters that he hoped the vote would “bring an end to the personal politics and frivolous personal assassinations that have characterized the 118th Congress.”
“end”? That may be too much to ask in a time of deep divisions, partisan gridlock, and persistent ostentation by those seeking a monopoly on the attention economy.
But those of us who share the pragmatic belief that Congress should find common ground and seek ways to “get things done” can draw hope from President Green's failed march toward dictatorship. .
Since Republicans narrowly regained the House majority in 2022, fueled by Trumpist disdain for the “swamp” in Washington, necessary tasks such as avoiding a government shutdown and preventing a catastrophic default on the national debt have been It was necessary to avoid committed hardcore policies. A righteous opposition party that will pass the necessary legislation.
As a result, Democrats have gained influence at the expense of the hard right, much to the chagrin of the Republican mob caucus of which Greene is the vocal leader.
Angry at her failure to prevent Mr Johnson's victory, she unleashed her anger on the House of Commons floor against the leader and the “Unionist Party” she claims Mr Johnson has empowered. , it's worth noting that he was booed by some of his colleagues.
But I cheered. I don't always agree with Mr Johnson by any means, but he did the right thing in not getting in the way of party politics.
Our Congress has too much serious work for members to do, devoting their time and attention to the few who don't want to do the hard work of building a majority the old-fashioned way: persuading, negotiating, and counting votes. I can't let you waste it. .
Clarence Page (cpage@chicagotribune.com).
