House Leadership Megathread: it's House of Cards but without the monologues

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

To be elected, the Speaker needs a majority among all votes that are cast for eligible candidates. It's theoretically possible for Pelosi to be elected Speaker, but it would require at least sixty Republicans to vote "present" or not vote at all (and even if for some bizarre reason that were to happen, the GOP majority could then immediately pass a motion to vacate the Speakership which would kick Pelosi out again)

While a mass "present" vote by republicans is one scenario for Pelosi, she could also do it with just Thirty Republicans if she could get them to actually vote for her. There are 188 Democrats, and if all of them go for Pelosi, you only need 30 republicans to get to 218. Yeah, I know Pelosi only received 164 votes in the 2015 Speaker Vote, but a lot of Democrats were absent because Mario Cuomo's funeral was on the same day, plus a few voted for some other democrat or "present". If there was a real chance of Pelosi getting to 218, I'd imagine all 188 democrats would be whipped into showing up and supporting her. It's an unlikely scenario, but it's not impossible if the republican speaker nominee is a Scalise-type, which is perfectly possible since you only need a simple majority of your party at conference to be the party nominee, but need the much bigger hurdle of 218 votes (assuming no absentions or absences) to be elected speaker on the house floor.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Several Congressmen have mentioned Tom Cole and Paul Ryan as unity candidates who could get 218+

Ryan has already ruled it out.

He could have just been deferring to McCarthy.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

'Good grief:

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Stepping down from leadership, or resigning from congress entirely?

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

McCain says the Democrats deserve to win if the Republicans don't get their act together before Election Day.

They'll have this all figured out by November 2016. Even if a 'caretaker speaker' is agreed on, it doesn't mean the fighting stops until 2017. The party will settle things and it will be clear who will be Speaker on election day 2016.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

McCain says the Democrats deserve to win if the Republicans don't get their act together before Election Day.

They'll have this all figured out by November 2016. Even if a 'caretaker speaker' is agreed on, it doesn't mean the fighting stops until 2017. The party will settle things and it will be clear who will be Speaker on election day 2016.

In reality, you have no idea.

True. But I think it would set a world record if it took over a year to choose a new long-term party leader.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

A "caretaker" is no solution. This isn't preschool. GOP caucus would be better served resigning all their seats than admit they need a caretaker.

Seriously Wufric, regardless of the issues, how could you possibly trust these people with control of the nation? They can't work with themselves much less opposition, much less another nation. A Republican President would not be effective with this current atmosphere of Republican Congress.

In fact, I'd say a President Kasich for example would be far more likely to be impeached by a Republican Congress than a Democratic one.

The alternative is Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid leading everything. And I don't see that as being any better.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

We had no government shutdowns, debt ceiling crises, credit downgrades, and general chaos under Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. And both President Bush a Republican and President Obama a Democrat were able to work with them on passing legislation.

It was objectively better. I'm going to call your "Independent" moniker to the carpet. If you don't believe Pelosi/Reid aren't objectively better for government stability, switch to R-MN right now

I'm not a republican. I support ObamaCare, immigration reform with citizenship, and so on. But I won't support any more of this bouncing between two sets of polarizing leaders either. Let's hold out until commonsense politicians like Kyrsten Sinema and Lisa Murkowski are elected to leadership positions.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

We had no government shutdowns, debt ceiling crises, credit downgrades, and general chaos under Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. And both President Bush a Republican and President Obama a Democrat were able to work with them on passing legislation.

It was objectively better. I'm going to call your "Independent" moniker to the carpet. If you don't believe Pelosi/Reid aren't objectively better for government stability, switch to R-MN right now

I'm not a republican. I support ObamaCare, immigration reform with citizenship, and so on. But I won't support any more of this bouncing between two sets of polarizing leaders either. Let's hold out until commonsense politicians like Kyrsten Sinema and Lisa Murkowski are elected to leadership positions.

lol then what on earth do you have against Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi? They're for all those things plus you can sleep easy knowing judicial seats won't sit vacant for years and our government won't default on its debt for no reason.

I hate partisans. Pelosi, Reid, and Schumer FTR are some of the worst partisans in all of congress.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Why is loyalty to one's party such a bad trait?

A good politician makes some concessions to the other side for the purpose of governing. Otherwise, nothing gets done unless one party has a house majority, a senate supermajority, and the presidency all at once, which almost never happens.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/09/politics/house-speaker-race-paul-ryan/index.html

Ryan reconsidering!

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Or Boehner is forced to stay on, despite wanting to go, because they can't agree on a replacement.

Or the House remains out of session until 2017.

The 2nd one would mean shutting down the govt. when this fiscal year ends on Sept. 30, 2016, and keeping it shut down for at least three months. It would also mean defaulting on our debt unless it is risen so that it won't be reached before 2017 before Boehner leaves.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

My treasured endorsement goes to...

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