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Some House Republicans have decided they will oust Speaker Mike Johnson. Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, among others, argue that the Democrats are already in control of the House by proxy, so make it reality. A sizable segment of the Republican base feels the same way. They lack the imagination to think of reality.
It should be noted, first, this is emotional. We live in post-modern times, and people are no longer rational. People act based on emotion. Part of that emotion is grounded in individuals' truths as opposed to actual truth. When someone insists Mike Johnson is just an agent of the Democrats, they point to the House budget or Ukraine funding and never have to look at the reality of things Johnson has blocked.
It is easy to sell to people obvious things and spin yarns around those obvious things. Johnson, his conservative critics claim, passed a budget that funds abortion. But pay no attention to the House Republicans doing the same thing since before George W. Bush was President. This is nothing new, even if it is bad policy.
Johnson funded Ukraine. Yes, but he had no choice. There would have been enough votes for the Ukraine package anyway. A discharge petition was in the works. With 218 votes, Johnson could not have stopped it. Instead, he was able to modify it and included the TikTok divestment provisions held up in the Senate. If 218 members had signed a discharge petition, the House would have passed the Senate's package and Johnson would have been helpless to stop it.
Instead of the emotional arguments of shiny objects, how about his critics grapple with reality? Democrats, every one of Johnson's critics agree, always hold the line. They are more collectivist than individualist. They are more effective. Johnson has to herd the individual cats of the GOP who, by nature, are each more prone to individual operation. Therefore, with a two-seat majority, individual members of the GOP are more likely to object to legislation than Democrats.
So, now, put Hakeem Jeffries in charge as Marjorie Taylor Greene would do. Those Democrats would pass major legislation that Johnson has blocked. There has been no DEI advancement. There has been no expansion of green subsidies. Johnson has even blocked the Senate immigration legislation. Put Jeffries in charge and the Democrats' immigration plans get passed because they have enough Republican votes in the Senate to make it happen.
Then, on spending, the Senate Democrats only need 50 votes for a reconciliation measure. Last time the Democrats controlled both the House and Senate with a bare majority, Senate Democrats passed the Green New Deal on reconciliation. That Senate procedure bypasses the filibuster. That procedure would allow tax increases and fully legalize the student loan bailouts that have otherwise been held up in courts.