CT Blue

From what I’ve been reading, I understand that poor Kevin McCarthy is in a quandry. You might say he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place. He knows that holding the economy hostage at the behest of the crazies in his caucus is a losing proposition for the Republican Party. He also knows that bowing to their demands that he impeach Biden and inflict economic pain on millions of people in order to get their votes is also a losing proposition. But, alas, he also knows that he gave them the tools to boot him out as speaker when he was elected in the first place, so what’s the poor idiot to do?

There are probably more vulnerable Republican “moderates” from districts that Biden won in 2020 than there are members of the crazy caucus, but they can’t bring themselves to make common cause with the Democrats, for they too are stuck between a rock and a hard place. If they do the responsible thing they may win some votes from swing voters, but they will lose more of the whackjob vote than they gain of the sane vote. So they must sit back and do what they’re told, in the hopes that no one will notice that they allowed the economy to be held hostage.

If the past is any guide, they could probably get away with that. But if the past is any guide, they can’t get away with what will be expected of them when it comes to impeachment. The pressure will be on them from the MAGAs and the crazy caucus to vote to impeach. If they refuse to do that, they lose the support of the MAGAs in their district, who will either simply not vote or will vote for a third party. If they do vote to impeach, which most if not all of them will do if it does come to a vote, they will alienate a huge plurality of those legendary swing voters. When Clinton was impeached it was the Republicans that paid at the polls, and they at least had a facially somewhat existent case. This time they will have nothing, and that fact will be known to everyone who doesn’t watch Fox, and even to some who do!

So I say, Kevin, proceed with the impeachment. That way you will preserve your speakership until January of 2025, at which time you will be consigned by all concerned to the dustbin of history, a place you surely belong.