Republicans have a way of killing their own Speakers. Three in a row now. They should change their conference rules before executing — I mean electing — the next victim.
Much will be written in the days ahead about the foolishness of a Republican Conference allowing eight of their members to vote with all the Democrats to remove the choice of the other 213 Republicans. House Republicans must be kicking themselves for letting National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Rep. Richard Hudson (N.C.) restrain Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) from potential fisticuffs with Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) back in January.
Democratic Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) had an opportunity to be a different kind of leader who helped create a more open Congress, but he turned out to be just more of the same. Seeing Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) sitting behind Gaetz like an understudy learning from a master should give Jeffries pause. The Squad is no bigger than the Freedom Caucus, which looks like the Dysfunction Caucus these days.
The Democrats in the Problem Solvers Caucus solved nothing. This is another group that is all talk, and no one should listen to them anymore.
So why would any Republican want the job of Speaker? Republican extremists have destroyed the last three Republican Speakers — John Boehner (R-Ohio), Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) and now Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). What makes the next Republican think they will be any better off?
Any prospective candidate might want to join Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) in pulling the fire alarm before a vote can take place.
Before electing another Speaker, Republicans need to remove the Sword of Damocles hanging over the head of the position. At the very minimum, the Republican Conference should pass a party rule that would require a “majority of the majority” to support a motion to vacate under penalty of expulsion from the Conference and removal from all Committees.
The party’s current rule is too weak. It says: “It is the policy of the Republican Conference that the privilege under House Rule IX Clause 2(a)(3) should only be available with the agreement of the Republican Conference so as to not allow Democrats to choose the Speaker.”
Well, the Democrats may not have chosen a Speaker, but they made sure the choice of the Republican Conference could not remain one. The current rule is, considering Gaetz’s actions, too weak.
A tougher rule, one that requires a majority of the conference’s approval to offer a motion to vacate, would prevent a small group of malcontents like the eight who voted to remove McCarthy from thwarting the will of 96 percent of the rest of the conference.
A change in the rules of the House would be better, but more difficult. It would require a two-thirds vote of the House to change a rule midterm, and given the Democrats’ actions against McCarthy, it is highly doubtful they would support this. Especially since they will undoubtedly change the rule by a simple majority should they regain the majority.
The only solution is for Republicans to police themselves and change their rules to prevent a minority from achieving a ruinous result.
Mark Strand is an adjunct professor of legislative affairs at George Washington University. He served as chief of staff to former U.S. Sen. Jim Talent (R-Mo.) and was formerly president of the Congressional Institute, which advocated for changes to House operations that would make the Chamber more effective. Since retiring, Strand has continued to advocate for common-sense reforms.