The Motion to Vacate: Vacation from Business as Usual

 

In January 2023, I watched with great joy as the House GOP conference withheld the Speakership from Kevin McCarthy. I never wanted him to be anywhere near leadership, and I wrote as much when the House GOP revolted against John Boehner eight years ago.

McCarthy did not earn the Speakership then, and he deserved to lose it now. McCarthy has a pretty diverse reputation, in California and throughout the country. A red wave turned into a red trickle in Election 2022, in part because Republicans did not put forward a real vision, and McCarthy killed conservative challengers in key districts, and strong conservative candidates basically got the boot during the general election.

What’s the point of raising big money, when you can’t make a big difference once elected? Money talks, but actions walk, and now more than ever this country needs action. McCarthy presided over a nine-seat majority after his election as Speaker. He should have known he was on thin ice from the word “Go.” He made promises, he agreed to a comprehensive rules package which made sure that he played by the rules as much as possible.

And yet, he still did not deliver on what was promised.

He promised to introduce a balanced budget amendment. He didn’t do it.

He promised to bring up term limits. He didn’t do it.

He was supposed to deliver twelve separate appropriations bills, and yet only four were brought to the floor, and with the impending budget deadline of September 30^th, 2023 looming. Business as Usual was booming back into play.

Thankfully, eight Republicans stood up and said “Enough is enough.”

Rep. Gaetz’ motion to vacate was not narcissism, suicide, nor chaos: it was following through on conditions unmet. Aren’t we all tired of bad politicians doing bad things and not being held accountable?! McCarthy didn’t play by the rules, nor play to win. It was time to take him off the field.

What astonishes me, though, in the whole Vacate Fight is the hand-writing from many conservative influencers across the country. They sound like battered women so used to failure from their leaders, convinced that “well, this time he won’t hurt me. He promised he would be different.” Have all the influencers, pundits, and commentators become so desperate, that they would tolerate yet another set of betrayals?

Ann Coulter claimed that the House GOP should focus on winning more seats, taking back the US Senate, and also winning the Presidency. She commented that voters don’t care about spending, and that the House GOP should focus on issues like immigration, keeping men out of women’s spaces, and protecting people’s appliances from broad government bans.

And all of the above issues she mentioned are important. Yes, they poll highly with voters. However, what’s the point of winning elections next year if the incumbents don’t do what they promise to this year?

And inflation is a serious issue, as well. All over social media, you have parents, consumers, and commentators showing, explaining, shouting how prices are doubling from six months ago to a year ago. The high price of fuel, housing, and other goods is beyond calculation.

We have inflation because of too much spending, and Republicans have complained about the spending for decades. Yet for decades, Republican candidates promised to “stop the spending.” And they simply haven’t. The Reagan Administration slowed the growth of government, but they did not reverse it. The Bush 43 administration bragged about reducing deficit spending (but there were still deficits!) The Trump Administration followed the two trillion dollar CARES Act with the massive Corrupt-ibus passed at the end of 2020, exacerbating the inflation that is eating away our savings.

Part of good leadership, good governance is taking care of real issues, even when they are not popular or polling well, and then letting voters enjoy the benefit of good decisions. Cutting spending, stopping the borrowing, ending the waste in Washington will cool off the inflation and stop the necessary rate hikes which have followed for the last six months.

Then there was Mike Levin and Sean Hannity, who were all cheer-leading for McCarthy from the get-go. Why? Because Trump did. But that’s not a good reason to support anyone for anything anymore. Leadership means getting the job done (too much of which Trump failed to do when in office.) And for too long, voters have had to stuff their rage and keep voting GOP because “the alternative will be worse.”

Well, this time that excuse didn’t protect McCarthy, nor did it protect the rest of the political class which had gotten favors from him or expected to cash in on more money into the swamp. Finally, there’s some accountability! You make a promise, you better keep it, or you will lose your job!

“But what’s the gameplan?”

With McCarthy out of the way, a better Speaker can emerge. Jim Jordan could be a compromise candidate, better than Scalise, who is too close to the McCarthy regime at this point. Many of the grassroots wanted Jim Jordan at the outset, but he refused (wisely, I might add, because the time was not right). Now, the big-spending moderates have no choice. They have to go along with a more fiscally prudent leader.

“Now we will lose seats in the House!”

I don’t believe it. Frankly, if Republicans continued with McCarty, and they continued the reckless spending without putting forward any of the promised amendments, bills, and reforms, Republicans would not have turned out. They didn’t get the GOP across the finish line in 2022, in part because Republicans delivered more money to Ukraine than relief to American citizens. What would make anyone believe that things would have been differently if … McCarthy and company continued with business as usual?

The general punditry class is all wrong on this one. The Motion to Vacate was a necessary course correction to stop Business as Usual in Washington DC.