The insanity of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives continues tonight. Per the NY Times, Representative Steve Scalise of Louisiana withdrew on Thursday from consideration for the speakership he was on the cusp of claiming after hardline Republicans balked at rallying around their party’s chosen candidate, leaving the House leaderless and the G.O.P. in chaos.
After being narrowly nominated for speaker during a Wednesday closed-door secret-ballot contest among House Republicans, Mr. Scalise, their No. 2 leader, found himself far from the 217 votes needed to be elected on the House floor. Many supporters of his challenger, Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, the right-wing Republican endorsed by former President Donald J. Trump, refused to switch their allegiance.
With no clear end in sight to the G.O.P. infighting that has left one chamber of Congress paralyzed at a time of challenges at home and abroad, Mr. Scalise said he would step aside in hopes that someone else could unite the fractious party.
“I just shared with my colleagues that I was withdrawing my name as a candidate for speaker-designee,” Mr. Scalise said. “If you look at where our conference is, there’s still work to be done. Our conference still has to come together, and it’s not there. There are still some people that have their own agendas.”
I may be wrong, but my interpretation of Scalise’s action is that he gave the one finger salute certain House Republicans. You cannot make this stuff up. No one would believe you.
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Mike Bishop is a former Republican member of the U.S. House of Representative from the area previously known as Michigan’s 8th Congressional district. Today he published an opinion piece in the Detroit News that I found very thoughtful. He gets my Orchid of the Day. Here are excerpts. My emphasis in bold.
Having served alongside Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, I can attest to his prowess as an orator and unyielding dedication to his beliefs. These attributes would serve any member of Congress well, but Gaetz has often wielded them to tear down rather than fortify our cherished institution.
His recent actions have struck a devastating blow to our Republic at a time when our nation can least afford such division.
……this should be an opportune moment for the Republican Party to demonstrate its ability to govern effectively. Unfortunately, the party has often seemed to be its own worst enemy, caught in a cycle of internal conflict, squandering chances to lead.
Public airing of disagreements is rarely productive, only diverting attention from critical issues. What we are witnessing in Washington, D.C., is an unprecedented spectacle. It’s akin to a three-ring circus with a raging dumpster fire at its center. This painful sight reflects deeply rooted and personal resentments, power struggles and personality conflicts, all fueling the inferno. An eruption, much like a long-simmering volcano, feels inevitable.
There’s no denying many feel frustrated when the political landscape lacks meaningful distinctions between parties. This frustration has fueled the appeal of figures like Donald Trump and Matt Gaetz — unapologetic warriors who challenge the status quo, runaway government, and stifle political correctness.
Moreover, our political discord is on display for the world to witness. The U.S., once a beacon of democracy, has become an unsettling example of how not to govern. As we grapple with wildfires at home and navigate this constitutional crisis, the global community watches in disbelief, and enemies, both foreign and domestic, plot their next attack.
Our country is at an historic precipice and now is not the time to tolerate personal political agendas. If elected leaders can’t prioritize the nation’s interests above all else, it’s time to weed and reseed elected government. Our leaders should heed Ronald Reagan’s wisdom that our system of democracy relies on goodwill between differing opinions and that agreeing on 80% of issues makes one a friend, not an enemy.
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In late 2022 I completed reading the four books in the Lonesome Dove series. They were my first readings of western novels, and I really enjoyed the books. At the end of 2022 I decided to read more western novels, so I downloaded the Collected Works of Zane Grey. Little did I know that it included 19 novels for a total of 4557 pages. I started reading on January 1, 2023, and I am relieved to say that after 9 months of reading a few pages every night before I went to bed, I finally finished the entire collection last night.
It took me time to get used to the writing style since his first novel was written in 1912. The words, spelling, and style were much different than I was accustomed to, but after one or two novels, I was able to enjoy a good rhythm as I was reading. If you have never read a Zane Grey novel, I highly recommend it. After doing this, I may go back and try my luck at War and Peace.
For the remainder of Lions’ season, I will be sharing Lions radio announcer Dan Miller’s Calls of the Gam as a Video of the Day, usually on Thursday. We are blessed to have him. He is as good and as enthusiastic as it gets. See my Video of the Day.
Feel free to share my blog or to sign up to receive it directly in your email. See the sign-up below the Video of the Day.
Quote of the Day: “….Leadership should inspire unity, not resort to destructive tactics. Leaders should rally others with a shared vision in times of disagreement, avoiding division. That’s the very essence of leadership.” Former Republican Congressman Mike Bishop.
Orchid of the Day: Mike Bishop, see above
Onion of the Day: Matt Goetz and his followers
Question of the Day: Can it get any worse for the House Republicans?
Video/Image of the Day:
Calls of the Game | Lions vs. Panthers 2023 Week 5 – YouTube