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We’re back in the 20th Century in terms of history, and I am failing to see why this is a bad thing.

The last time the House went to a 2nd vote for Speaker was in 1923. Frederick H. Gillett received a majority of the votes on the 9th ballot. Only after winning concessions from Republican conference leaders did they agree to support him.

Over 100 years ago. pic.twitter.com/S1y26rPbbh

— ForAmerica (@ForAmerica) January 3, 2023

You have the grassroots conservatives and America First crowd cheering this on, and frankly, they should. For the first time in a long time, their representatives are doing the actual work of representing. As Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan said in his floor speech when nominating Kevin McCarthy for House Speaker in the second round of voting:

To my friends here on this side of the aisle, I would just say this. The differences we may have … pale in comparison to the differences between us and the left, which now unfortunately controls the other party,” Mr. Jordan said. “So we had better come together and fight for these key things.”

But inherent in his request is that there needs to be a meeting of the minds, and according to reports, McCarthy is not interested in working on the things that matter to the American people—he’s interested in being coronated for the sake of “unity.”

I am seeing this parroted in conservative circles, from the Fox News anchor and commentator class. They are acting as though the only alternative to not having McCarthy as Speaker of the House is chaos. It seems to be every other word they use. I feel like Indigo Montoya: “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

Then you have establishment Republican barnacles like Karl Rove who is also pissing and moaning about “chaos,” and how it will breed more chaos. As chief of staff to the administration that oversaw the Iraq and Afghanistan debacles, I guess he would know. Rove also said the magic words: that the Republican Party looks “weak” in the eyes of the Democrat Party.

This continues to be a problem with that bunch. Why should Republicans care about how the Democrat Party sees us? What about how Republicans are viewed by the American people?

If November 2022 is any indication, the Republican Party is not viewed very well, which is why we only have one House of Congress in our corner, and that one by a very slim margin. So, watching the true representative body of Congress actually making efforts to represent the people of the United States on who should be the House Speaker is quite compelling, and frankly fun to watch! For over 40 years of my life, I have followed politics and tried to tune into pivotal House and Senate votes and committees on CSPAN. What is happening this first Tuesday of 2023 is not business as usual.

I say, “Good!” Because you know what? Like my fellow Americans, I am pretty much tired of business as usual.

The 19 holdouts who refuse to back McCarthy for House Speaker appear to have the pulse of their constituents, but also the pulse of exactly whom they are representing as a legislative body. We are NOT the Democrat Party, who simply crown their choices and then get on with their agenda of wrecking the country. The Republican Party is supposed to stand for “the republic,” and the people who make it up. We are not supposed to be maintaining the status quo, and for too long that is all they have done.

So, these votes can go on as long as they need be in order to get a House Speaker that will represent and fight for the body politic.

Love you, Bo, but it's time for unity now. All this infighting benefits the Dems. Repubs have a slim majority already, let's not throw this away on silly litmus tests.

— Firdous (@Firdous_096) January 3, 2023

Frankly, we haven’t seen this type of actual back and forth on the floor of the House of Representatives in decades, and it is sorely needed. As I write, Kevin McCarthy has lost the third round of voting. My hope is that whoever emerges as the Speaker of the House, this day will set a precedent for how the House is supposed to conduct themselves as representatives of the people, and not of themselves or co-signing of anti-American agendas. If this very public House floor battle will lead us to a stronger outcome for our country, and the Republican Party, then I say, “Keep it up, and bring it on.”