Tumult in the House
As is patently clear from all the discourse following Kevin McCarthy’s fifteenth ballot win for the House gavel, the “lower body” has taken a few shots across its institutional knee-cap. However, we think experienced House Members with ambitions for higher office along with affinity for strongly-conservative policies will find a way to move legislation on the GOP side of the aisle. Less clear is what Democrats will do given the Speaker’s pledge to bring every bill to the floor on an open rule – a procedure allowing them considerable scope both for substantive legislative change and political theater. If the Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) thinks his party’s bread is buttered on the side of showing it can govern, some bills will move forward without toxic Democratic change; if not, not. All is, thus, a muddle in which there may well be a middle.