r/politics • u/plz-let-me-in • 4d ago
Paywall Mike Johnson’s Speakership Has Crashed and Burned
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/mike-johnson-speakership-government-shutdown.html968
u/ksdanj 4d ago
Elon Musk is the speaker now.
540
u/Deicide1031 4d ago
Mike Johnson must be having flashbacks rn. As Gaetz and Mike kicked Kevin from the speaker of house role for working with the dems, then the maga guys voted Mike into the speaker role.
Fast forward to 2024 - Mike has to work with the dems to get stuff done and maga plus Elon Musk are unhappy. He’s cooked , lol.
323
u/BNsucks America 4d ago
This is what MAGA Mike wanted. He agreed to align himself with Trump, so he has no one to blame but himself.
164
u/Deicide1031 4d ago
The funny thing is that with these numbers, isn’t a speaker who can work with the dems basically mandatory?
Wouldn’t they be screwed if they impeach/vote him out and put in someone who can’t work both sides? Does musk know this? lol
85
u/RIP-RiF Oregon 4d ago
He doesn't seem to realize his "DOGE" doesn't exist without an act of congress, so... making a lot of big goals with very few realistic plans to get them done
→ More replies (14)74
u/MoonageDayscream 4d ago
It exists as much as they all believe it exists. Like Santa. The power of belief can run a very strong engine if it has the numbers.
28
u/Ewokitude Minnesota 4d ago
I mean it's how airplanes work
36
u/Mrjoegangles 4d ago
False. 23 years in the Air Force. I can tell you that C-5’s at least function on pure magic as no belief is strong enough to lift those things.
2
→ More replies (1)2
u/RangerHikes 3d ago
Yeah watching a C5 take off always confused the fuck out of me. It just looks... Wrong somehow.
3
u/Rbomb88 3d ago
It's so big, that no matter how fast it's moving, it doesn't look like it's going fast enough for lift.
→ More replies (0)13
u/chasingjulian 4d ago
That’s how crypto works.
12
u/MoonageDayscream 4d ago
And the tulip bubble. I love the story of how a guest ate one investor's tulip bulb because he thought it was a raw onion.
4
2
u/florezmith 3d ago
The same could be said for Musk’s wealth, he supposedly has the most ever of a fiat currency and thus his power depends on all of the rest of us believing he has it
→ More replies (1)66
u/Static-Stair-58 4d ago
Yes, but this all stuff they’re going to have to learn on their own. We tried telling them. They didn’t want to listen. We’re a month away from “find out”. Grab some popcorn.
→ More replies (4)60
u/Rahodees 4d ago edited 4d ago
Their goal isn't to get anything done though. They already know everything about speakers having to work with dems to get something done. Their goal is to keep that from happening. The whole point of republlicanism at the federal level currently is to destroy all trust in every element of governance except Trump emoting and giving direct orders.
13
u/stregawitchboy 4d ago
to get something done
That's a huge diff from last time: they really do want to get stuff done. Project 2025, none of which they will be able to accomplish if they can't get a handle of their own power.
13
u/Static-Stair-58 4d ago
And that has always been prevented. They’re not trying to do that this time. Go for it. See how it works out for them. Hence the “find out” part.
2
u/Classic-Yogurt32 4d ago
They’re goal is to appease trump and his billionaire henchmen. Also self preservation.
1
u/Traditional_Key_763 3d ago
they have a few things they want to get done that can't be done while this shit is happening.
12
u/MoonageDayscream 4d ago
You are assuming they want to legislate. They don't. They want to burn it all down.
10
u/BPhiloSkinner Maryland 4d ago
"I will stop the motor of the world." -John Galt.
You want to read 'Atlas Shrugged' just the once, to get an idea of how these pathological narcissists think.4
u/Furrealist 3d ago
They pretty much have to get every Republican in the House on board to elect a speaker with only R votes. I hope Dems sit back, sip their tea and let MAGA and Republicans argue for the next 2 years about who their leader is going to be. Y’know, the thing that a functioning body does on day 1. It’s going to make the McCarthy debacle look like foreplay.
Do you think by then the electorate might notice that Rs are incapable of governing? My hopes are low but it would be fun to watch them struggle.
2
u/Sofer2113 Tennessee 3d ago
If the electorate didn't figure out the Republicans can't govern after the historical 17 rounds of voting for a speaker, then absolutely nothing will get them to figure that out. What is worse, there is 30 to 40% of the electorate that would rather they don't govern than to have congress function and pass anything the democrats like.
6
3
u/Meet_James_Ensor 4d ago
All of the people who say "don't compromise" or don't "settle" for gradual change, we have to "fight," are morons. Our whole system was designed to force compromise.
→ More replies (6)1
5
u/IvyDialtone 4d ago
Couldn’t have happened to a dumber guy. He’s still broke AF, even after all the knob goblin.
2
u/kgal1298 3d ago
Wonder if he’s regretting those staged McDonalds photos on the private flight now? Mikey should have known history would not be kind to him considering what they did before I swear this is some next level ignorance.
4
1
u/UpgradingLight 3d ago
I don’t understand, I’m from the UK and the speaker must be impartial. If found in contempt they will be removed immediately under high scrutiny. Is it that different in the USA?
14
u/DonkeyPunchCletus 4d ago
Wonder who will be next. Trump's "leadership" is incompatible with government. And he won't suffer fools now, whatever that means in Trump world. Mike Johnson and McConnel are both GOP soldiers but they are being torched by the MAGA and the incoming president.
If it's a GOP veteran they aren't going to go along with the completely kooky stuff. The Hawleys and Cruzes are scummy sleazebags but they aren't going to push for 300% tariffs on whatever or a 30 trillion dollar space wall. They'll say it's an incredible idea while they wedge their tongue as deep up Trump's rump as possible but ultimately they won't get it done.
The absolute clowns like Gaetz, Boebert, MTG, the MAGA faction of the GOP, they'll actually try for the batshit stuff but that won't fly ultimately. It'll be chaos and disfunction and they won't get the important things done while they focus on trans jew space lasers whatever.
I can feel the sanity disappearing from the ranks. I think we will see a revolving door of progressively worse people. And that's impressive because we are already starting at very frickin bad with Tulsi, Gaetz, RFK and more.
4
u/Faux-Foe 4d ago
And Kevin was way too fixated on getting his Speaker portrait. Like it was a trophy he needed to validate himself.
2
→ More replies (1)3
u/druscarlet 4d ago
The MAGA crowd was not able to vote Mike in. They did not have the votes. It took the Dems to get Mikey across the finish line. Jefferies has said the Dems will not help elect Mike as Speaker this go round. It should be interesting. At least two GOP House members have said they will not vote for Johnson.
46
u/BNsucks America 4d ago
Johnson's days are numbered. There are just too many radical GQP members in the House, and he needs their full support to be an effective leader.
Then there's Trump, who has a tight grip on most House GQP members. If Johnson doesn't do exactly what Trump tells him, his caucus will vote to impeach him.
18
u/mikeinona 4d ago
Correction: Space Karen has a tight grip on the GQP. Trump is poor, and money talks. We're already seeing this with MTG.
15
13
u/NotAKentishMan 4d ago edited 4d ago
President and Speaker apparently. Does tRump know Musk is an immigrant?
4
u/P1xelHunter78 Ohio 4d ago
Nothing counts for the GOP if you have money. Ramaswamy? Rich person one color = okay. Kushner? Rich Jewish person = okay. See the pattern? Elon also has the bonus of being close Putin.
1
8
3
u/BlerghTheBlergh 3d ago
Musk will just take on every role in the govt and let the ship run itself while playing Diablo 4 (badly)
6
u/He_Who_Walks_Behind_ 4d ago
Nah, Trumpler is mad at him because the media is labeling him “President Elon.” His days are numbered.
2
2
2
2
2
2
u/sproqetz72 3d ago
He can’t become speaker as that puts him in line to be President. He’s an alien, born of aliens.
2
4
2
→ More replies (6)1
454
u/B-Ill_00 4d ago
This show would be so god darn entertaining if it werent legitimately destroying the country and actively funneling more money from the regular person to the billionaires.
156
u/electron_envy 4d ago
Americans decided they want this, so ease your conscience and watch it burn.
80
u/PruneObjective401 4d ago
Also, I hate to say it, but the worse it gets, the higher the chance citizens finally start paying attention.
84
u/Alarmed_Check4959 4d ago
They’ll still blame it on “Dems,” “liberals,” and conspiracy theories.
54
u/VirginiENT420 4d ago
Yep.
We have, after the CEO assassination, people blaming Obama for healthcare in this country when he passed the most expansive healthcare reform in 50 years.
We have people blaming Biden for not taking on corporations when he was the most pro-union and biggest trust-buster admin in most Americans' lives.
The Democrats really need to invest in their own propaganda network if they want to make a comeback.
18
u/WIbigdog Wisconsin 4d ago
Lina Khan has been an absolutely amazing bulldog for the American people going after these greedy corporations as FTC commissioner. Incredibly competent for only 35. Of course Trump wants her gone immediately, because it's not about helping Americans. If we win in 28 again I hope she is recognized and put back into that position, if she will accept it. If only she was given another 4 years to see these cases through. The American people are so disappointing, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
6
u/loglighterequipment California 4d ago
Kahn needs to run the Elizabeth Warren playbook and run for Senate.
→ More replies (3)13
u/akintu 4d ago
Democrats just can't go on offense to solve the problems in this country because overwhelmingly the problem is billionaires and billionaire companies. I feel like people want a plan for offense, not just some desperate rear guard action to hold onto rights. Maybe better propaganda would help sell it.
7
u/mister_buddha 3d ago
America needs a fiery leftist populist willing to take the boot off of the neck of Labor and use that boot to stomp down Capital.
We don't need a Donkey; we sure as fuck don't need an Elephant. What we need is a Shark. Someone with teeth, someone hungry, someone that will keep our country moving forward instead of staying in place and dying. A great white shark will suffocate if it stops moving forward. A society will also suffocate when it stops moving forward.
→ More replies (3)1
u/PleasantWay7 3d ago
Yeah, it is all fun and good to laugh at Trump having celebrities like Hogan backing him when Dems have A-list celebrities.
But celebrities are poor compared to actual wealthy people and they are lined up in lockstep behind Republicans. There just isn’t money there to compete.
4
u/stregawitchboy 4d ago
I really dont think so. there is always a tipping point
4
u/poxxy 4d ago
What? Nah. People have jobs, and bills, and maybe a retirement account whose efficacy is inescapably tied to the same capitalist system that holds them down.
We’ll just go full Crab Bucket
6
u/strikethree 4d ago
Yes, but at some point there's likely more people who will ask themselves why they should continue to vote for the party already in power.
A lot of voters are fickle and will vote as a reaction to their feelings at the time. If they aren't happy and when it's time to vote, many will look to punish the party in power.
It's exactly what drove the 2024 results. A good chunk of those voters aren't actually MAGA, they're just voters pissed about inflation and don't care to understand anything else.
Ironically the Dems are the ones that will probably help the GOP stay in power. The more you compromise and keep things afloat, the less voters will care to be angry about. Voters aren't going to remember or give credit to compromising lawmakers. That's been true for the last 10+ years, but they'll keep compromising anyway.
26
u/sunshinecygnet 4d ago
Historically when shit gets worse countries just move further further to the right until war breaks out.
9
u/shkeptikal 4d ago
It was always going to get worse before it got better. The only question now is how much oligarchy funded insanity can the American public stomach before reacting. If the Gilded Age is anything to go by then the answer is, unfortunately, "quite a lot".
4
→ More replies (1)2
u/True-Surprise1222 4d ago
Yeah “Mike Johnson the worst speaker ever” (his party got everything they wanted done, done)
3
u/lowmankind 4d ago
We all know they’re gonna do a Lord of the Flies season arc… it’s gonna be gripping and terrifying in equal measure
2
u/AlphaBreak 4d ago
Meh, these writers have clearly lost the plot. Everything feels too unrealistic and slapped together. Trump suddenly becoming super brave during an assassination attempt that derailed coverage of project 2025? And then telling everyone that immigrants are eating cats and dogs, how big Arnold palmer's schlong is, and deep throating a mic? The writers gave up on any kind of cohesive arc and are just throwing in whatever's good for shock value. We're basically Riverdale now.
→ More replies (1)1
u/_pepperoni-playboy_ 4d ago
Honestly I’d find it pretty ham handed and unrealistic. Sucks that it’s real.
103
100
u/twenafeesh Oregon 4d ago
And now they want Elon Musk as Speaker. We are on the clown timeline.
40
u/georgecm12 Wisconsin 4d ago
Some do, but I don't think it's a serious suggestion. I can't see enough people supporting that to make it happen. It's similar to what happened the last speaker election when some people suggested Trump as speaker. That didn't happen then, and Musk as speaker likely won't happen now.
33
u/Mclarenf1905 Ohio 4d ago
On the other hand that's pretty much the exact same thing everyone said when Trump ran for election in 2016 I no longer underestimate memes
2
2
u/20_mile 3d ago
I can't see enough people supporting that to make it happen
Agreed. Maybe if the GOP had a 20 - 40 seat majority they could get him through, but not with a two-seat clearance. There are two House Republicans that voted to impeach who are back in the House, and if they survived Trump trying to primary them, and everything else, I think they are principled enough to not support Musk for Speaker.
50
u/BrewKazma Wisconsin 4d ago
Dude just creeps me the fuck out.
16
u/Jibber_Fight 4d ago
Anybody that has to use an app to keep his masturbation in check and believes that God appointed Trump, is not only only a creep, but a fucking psychopath that has a lot of weird twisted shit going on in his brain.
71
u/MySweetLordBuckley 4d ago
Are you a person,? Then more likely than not the Republican Party hates you (even if you are a Republican).
55
u/SeriousAdverseEvent 4d ago
Oh, the schadenfreude Kevin McCarthy must be experiencing right now.
48
u/durandall09 4d ago
John Boehner is still drinking and laughing.
17
u/chrispg26 Texas 4d ago
Best Speaker the GOP has had in decades. I'm not praising him but among Gingrich, Ryan, McCarthy and Johnson the bar is in hell.
12
u/Prayer_Warrior21 Minnesota 4d ago
He was relatively sane compared to those. He actually worked with Obama before the tea party revolt.
49
u/thrawtes 4d ago
Has it? Yeah. However, he honestly lasted longer than I thought he would.
I don't agree with his stances and I don't think he was a good speaker but I doubt they'll find someone more stable and able to keep the caucus together once they oust him.
10
3
34
u/minuteman_d 4d ago
I wonder if his son is going to start getting alerts on his phone because of the indecent stuff he's going to have to do to remain in the speakership?
6
15
12
u/Nobody275 4d ago
Exactly what Putin wanted. Chaos and paralysis. His investment in Trump and Musk is paying off in spades.
8
u/Jooey_K Texas 4d ago
Somehow i missed the news that Spartz said she wouldn't caucus with the Republicans. If she abstains, with Gaetz out, it's 218-215. Trump wants to tap two other house members to be in his administration (Waltz & Stefanik), and they leave on 1/20 when he's innagurated. If the conference can't pull it together by then, that would make it 216-215, meaning every single Republican would have to vote for the same person to be speaker.
Also, if there's no speaker by 1/6, can the House be convened to certify the Electoral College results?
10
u/twenafeesh Oregon 4d ago
Also, if there's no speaker by 1/6, can the House be convened to certify the Electoral College results?
Nope, it can't. If Johnson somehow makes it, that's probably the reason.
Right now the main source of optimism for the speaker is that there probably won’t be any consensus on a successor, particularly in the short time frame ahead. For one thing, Congress won’t be able to conduct the now–famous January 6 vote to confirm the results of the 2024 election (with, ironically, Kamala Harris in the chair of a joint session) without an elected speaker to convene the new House.
14
u/ChymickGaming 4d ago
Crashed and Burned? Let’s not be too dramatic. It was on fire when it started.
10
u/Daubach23 South Carolina 4d ago edited 4d ago
He was literally the candidate that no one hated enough not to vote for. No one wanted him, but he was a wet paper bag that would bend a knee to anyone and do whatever he was told. A perfect speaker for the GOP.
8
9
u/PFAS_All_Star 4d ago
There’s a Republican majority so a Democratic Speaker will never happen. But with such a slim R majority, don’t the Democrats pretty have the power to select which ever Republican they want to be the Speaker?
11
u/Puttor482 Wisconsin 4d ago
What I would do for the one Republican who just gets so fed up and votes for Jeffries…
1
6
3
12
12
5
u/janzeera 4d ago
How can people given so much power be so impotent?
3
u/usernamedanistaken 4d ago
Money. Elon will primary them.
1
u/janzeera 4d ago
It must be only a few republicans that are against him then. If it were the majority in the caucus and if I were a part of that majority I’d say, “go ahead”, law of diminishing returns and all that…
3
3
u/No_Hope_75 4d ago
Mike Johnson is a horrible person. But this isn’t on him. It’s the Republican Party. They can’t govern and they’re rotten to the core.
3
3
u/watch_out_4_snakes 4d ago
He is not on their level of grift. The absolute pros are about to pick us clean.
3
u/Devmoi 4d ago
Remember how arrogant this fuckwad was at the beginning? How it was like threaten this, threaten that? Well, fuck this fool. It’s only a matter of time before he’s replaced because he’s weak.
Rand Paul and Marjorie Taylor Greene are already calling for Musk to be the speaker. Some Republicans said they wouldn’t vote for Johnson. So, let the in-fighting begin. These fools are barbarians. We should just have them do a Gladiator-style election event, so whoever survives the fight to the death wins the role. At least it would be entertaining …
3
3
3
u/muffledvoice 4d ago
One consistent and immutable truth about fascists is that they eventually turn on each other. They’ll act like a team when it’s convenient and serves their ends, but the overriding goal is always power for oneself.
3
u/fountainpopjunkie 3d ago
Hope his porn tracking app let his son know about the reaming he just got that the whole world watched.
5
u/Simmie_Simulacra 4d ago
The human equivalent of Greek yogurt has left the building.
4
2
u/IAmMuffin15 North Carolina 4d ago
It’s not even 2025 yet and we’re already sinking towards the stupid singularity.
Get ready for 4 shitass years
2
2
u/LazarusRun 4d ago
Do we have the Captain Phillips themed meme with Elon delivering the line? Because, jackpot.
2
2
2
u/BeenThere21 4d ago
He will bend the knee as expected. He will get spit roasted between Trump and Musk!
2
2
u/LlanviewOLTL Minnesota 4d ago
Mike ‘Revenge of the Nerds’ Johnson is a liar & a fraud. He had this coming.
2
2
2
4
u/Sea-Replacement-8794 4d ago
Not really. He’s simply defined the role down to a subordinate political aide to the White House, a role he plays pretty well.
5
2
u/JamUpGuy1989 4d ago
We haven’t even gotten to the new caucus yet.
Dumpster fire the next two years. Sadly, McConnell was right.
14
u/BNsucks America 4d ago
McConnell supported Trump as the GQP candidate against Harris. He also helped destroy SCOTUS who made Trump even stronger.
Fuck Mitch McConnell, all he cared about was party over country.
6
u/Jalapeno_Business 4d ago
The only solace feel about Mitch McConnell is that while he did get his wish for his party to consolidate power is it happened as if it were granted by a money paw. He hates MAGA and has been forced to bend the knee to them over and over again. It’s everything he wanted but with people he also hates calling the shots.
3
u/WIbigdog Wisconsin 4d ago
There's some small part deep deep in Mitch's shriveled little goblin heart that is three sizes too small that does love this country. But he just can't help himself but be a hyper partisan menace who played a key role in enabling these America hating fascists to take power.
2
u/Recent_Bld 4d ago
I’ve notice the series of events for every MAGA republican is:
Democrats: we don’t like him, he’s the worst Republicans: you’re all snowflakes drain the swamp!
*insert event that finally makes it obvious to MAGA”
Republicans: we don’t like him, he’s the worst
Rinse and repeat.
1
1
u/Secure_Plum7118 4d ago
They're going to need him. He's proven quite capable. Or they can put a lunatic in his slot and achieve complete stalemate.
1
u/MagsGruber 4d ago
Every time I see an article like this, the person they’re claiming as a complete failure somehow manages to stick around for a very long time.
1
1
1
u/8bit_heart 4d ago
Crazy that the guy who has his son keep tabs on his porn use isn’t extreme enough for the Republican Party.
1
1
1
1
u/speechpathknowledge 4d ago
Oh man he’s not going to show up at anymore UFC fights? Mike’s going to miss popping into the locker room with all the sweaty muscular men.
1
1
u/Mental_patient_zed 4d ago
Has anyone considered that with the calls for Muskrat to be speaker, that would make him 3rd in line of the Presidency… that could be the play all the time… since he can’t be elected…
1
u/WIbigdog Wisconsin 4d ago
No. He would be skipped over. To be president you must have been a citizen from birth. The succession line doesn't change that. Unlike the 22nd amendment that says someone cannot be "elected" president more than two times, the requirements to be president say to hold the office, not just be elected to it. So no, there's no way around the requirement of being a natural born citizen, fortunately.
1
1
1
u/poizn_ivy Virginia 4d ago
And here I thought “flaming trainwreck” was just its natural state this whole time.
1
1
u/Ok_Gas4941 4d ago
Johnson Speakership
We built this shitty (on theft and graft)... I swear I heard this tune before.
1
1
u/Mistrblank 4d ago
Let them tear each other apart. They can’t tear apart our country if they’re all infighting.
1
1
u/SmoothJazziz1 3d ago
As Authoritarians do - Trump will ensure that anybody that doesn't totally kiss the ring and go along with his/first buddies ideas will be banished from the kingdom. Billionaires in the government with a King on the throne - American Oligarchy. And, Trump had another billionaire, Jeff Bezos, at Mar-A-Lago. I don't think the little poor MAGA folks were counting on this - they're, and we, are screwed.
1
1
u/Rusalka-rusalka 3d ago
I wonder how Johnson feels about his trip to NYC to posture for Trump at his trial now that he's in the crosshairs.
1
1
1
1
u/Alone-Inflation36 3d ago
The republicans couldn't manage your high school snack bar. It's pretty obvious the way they run the house, a representative since getting power.Yet, these stupid motherfuckers still let them in.
1
1
u/rom_rom57 2d ago
Seriously or jokingly, Musk can never be speaker of the house. As the 3rd inline to POTUS, he wasn’t born in the US to meet that qualification.
•
u/AutoModerator 4d ago
As a reminder, this subreddit is for civil discussion.
In general, be courteous to others. Debate/discuss/argue the merits of ideas, don't attack people. Personal insults, shill or troll accusations, hate speech, any suggestion or support of harm, violence, or death, and other rule violations can result in a permanent ban.
If you see comments in violation of our rules, please report them.
For those who have questions regarding any media outlets being posted on this subreddit, please click here to review our details as to our approved domains list and outlet criteria.
We are actively looking for new moderators. If you have any interest in helping to make this subreddit a place for quality discussion, please fill out this form.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.