The GOP’s infighting and inability to elect a House speaker means the lower chamber cannot get to work, potentially delaying crucial legislation.

The GOP’s infighting and inability to elect a House speaker means the lower chamber cannot get to work, potentially delaying crucial legislation

The repeated failures by House Republicans to elect a new speaker are making the federal government more likely to shut down next month, as the GOP’s weeks-long internal dysfunction threatens to delay vital legislation.

The House has been mostly closed for business since Oct. 3, when a band of far-right rebels ousted then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). Republicans since have not coalesced around a replacement, running through multiple options without electing anyone. Without a speaker, lawmakers can’t bring bills to the floor.

Policy discussions have ground to a halt, even as war has broken out in Israel and federal funding is weeks away from expiring. Congress has until Nov. 17 to approve a deal to fund the government, or members of the military risk missing paychecks, national parks will close and the Internal Revenue Service will run shoestring operations.

    • spamfajitas@lemmy.world
      4·
      1 year ago

      There are certainly some factions within the Republican party that would look at the current situation with glee, but I think you’re right.

      I remember reading some analysis back when Grover Norquist was having Tea Party members sign pledges/get others to sign pledges, that those pledges would eventually create a lose-lose situation for the opportunistic Republican candidates that signed them. They seemed to be beneficial from a populist standpoint, but were fundamentally incompatible with the reality of politics requiring some amount of give and take.

      Basically predicting a situation somewhat similar to this.