The Perils of a Narrow House GOP Majority

[applegrove]

The Perils of a Narrow House GOP Majority

November 9, 2022 at 9:16 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 226 Comments

https://politicalwire.com/2022/11/09/the-perils-of-a-narrow-house-gop-majority/

"SNIP........

“House Republicans are coming to grips with the harsh reality of what a single-digit majority could look like — starting with a newly empowered far-right flank that could seriously threaten GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy’s House speaker ambitions,” Axios reports.

“The Freedom Caucus and others on the GOP conference’s far-right are already plotting how they can leverage this new dynamic to their advantage, with plans to force McCarthy and other leaders to make massive concessions to secure their positions in power.”

CNN: McCarthy moves quickly to secure potential speakership as hard-right group weighs a long-shot challenge.

.......SNIP"

[WarGamer]

1. Nancy managed a single digit majority...

McCarthy can't do the same.

[msongs]

2. it completely shuts down the democratic agenda nt

[applegrove]

3. Biden-Pelosi-Schumer got a lot done. They can see all the legislation implemented

and protected. And the lives of Americans get better. If they win the Senate they can sit judges all the while highlighting the corruption and moral bankruptcy of the right wing.

[W_HAMILTON]

4. Most of the Democratic agenda that we had not already passed...

...we probably would not be able to pass in the next couple of years given that at least one of Manchin/Sinema is still going to be there and be a thorn in our side even in a best case Senate scenario.

So, now we at least get to point to House Republicans for stopping our agenda rather than just blaming other Democrats; added bonus is that we will get to point out their inevitable shit show and run on a "we're the responsible democratic" Democratic Party that proved effective during these midterms since we saw across the nation that extremist Republicans are an anathema in swing districts/states.

[Recursion]

13. Depends. If McCarthy jettisons the Hastert rule we go back to 1980s-style dealmaking

Where he rounds up a few conservative Dems who take their pound of flesh to support whatever his program is. It's obviously not ideal but it's better than having the bomb-throwers hold literally everything hostage.

[RockRaven]

5. They will cause government shutdowns and even debt defaults (unless the lame duck session

does something to prevent it) both on purpose AND by accident over the course of the next two years. One might ask how they could cause such things accidentally. Oh, they will find a way. Their incompetence will be staggering.

[moonscape]

11. This is the part that's giving me

anticipatory migraines.

[republianmushroom]

6. I like it

[ChoppinBroccoli]

7. This Actually Sets Us Up Well For 2024

Now that they control the House, we get sit back and say, "You ran on all these problems you screamed about. Now you get to fix them." And in 2024, we get to run on a platform of, "You whined about all these problems. You had 2 years. Why didn't you fix everything?"

And you might as well start working on that campaign now because you KNOW they won't do ANYTHING. They'll be too busy filing articles of impeachment every other week and re-opening investigations into Benghazi and investigating the FBI and passing nothing but "culture war" legislation. I guarantee you they do NOTHING about gas prices, inflation, crime, or any of the other hot-button issues they screamed about to win seats this time around.

So when the gas prices don't go down, run ads 24 hours a day asking, "Why haven't you done anything about gas prices?" And when they overturn the Inflation Reduction Act and inflation goes through the roof, be right there with wall-to-wall ads, "Why didn't you bring inflation down?"

Because it's like I've been saying for years now. Republicans don't FIX problems. They COMPLAIN ABOUT problems. Now it's their job to fix them. A Democratic Party with any balls would relentlessly hold their feet to the fire. And since this version doesn't seem to fit that bill, maybe it's time to start talking about new DNC leadership.

[applegrove]

8. Like immigration. They like that as a wedge issue and you can bet they'll

try to leave it unsolved.

[DemocraticPatriot]

12. Republicans can't overturn the Inflation Reduction Act or anything else

in the next 2 years. No matter what the control of congress, President Biden will veto any such bill, if they were to pass such things, as he said today in his press conference. They certainly will not have near any 2/3 vote to overturn any veto.

However, the House can pass any bill they wish... it will be strictly performative, like the dozens of times they voted to repeal Obamacare. Those bills never made it through the Senate, but in any case, they all die at President Biden's desk in the last resort.

All your other points are very well-taken. Republicans have a knack for destroying themselves when they gain power-- now more than ever. I have stated more than once, that if they gain the House under these circumstances, they will certainly lose it in 2 years.

[kansasobama]

15. Not that easy

They will still blame Biden. They will say, "you did not accept our suggestions." Very important we get the Senate. This will sort stymie them more.

[Gore1FL]

9. It's going to be a shit-show of junior high theatrics, stunts, idiocy, and chaos.

If it gets too bad, the less-than-radical GOPers may oppose the party on the crazier votes or perhaps leave the party.

The MAGAs are losing popularity and power as Trump fades. There is a lot of weird dynamics and a lot of interesting possibilities for the future.

Buckle up!

[crickets]

10. Republicans in disarray!

It is not going to be pretty for the next couple of years, but some of it will be a great show. Here's hoping the damage to the country is kept to a minimum while the party eats itself alive.

"Governing is going to be hard and it's going to take serious leaders." Oh? Good luck with that.

[vercetti2021]

14. I can see 98 in 24

They'll launch horseshit investigations into Hunter, impeach Biden 3 times to least get it over Trumps twice impeachment and pass a nationwide abortion ban. Yeah like that helped them this time around...