I’m conservative but I’m not Republican. I left the Republicans when it became plain that they were just an extension of the uni-party. Since then, as a significant wing began to stand up for conservatism, I’ve been tempted to rejoin, but no, not quite yet. I watched the sausage making slugfest of the House Speaker votes with some concern. Even though I’m not a party member, I realize the party is the only practical answer to mindless leftist leeches amongst the Democrats. There was some real danger that a handful of breakaway ‘moderates’, read traitors, could flick the bird at their colleagues and join some Democrats to give away the speakership to the enemy, those dedicated to destroying America. I don’t know just how likely that was, but it was possible. There are agenda concerns and then there’s pragmatic gamesmanship. I’m not all ideology. I agree with the Freedom Caucus, but I understand that deals have to be made both ways. I didn’t and don’t have faith that the Freedom Caucus and the rest of the Republicans will make it work out for the best, but I do have hope.
And what of the final result? It didn’t bother me that the whole ordeal was a spectacle. It would have been nice to to see the same kind of fight from moderate Democrats when their party was in power, to have enough principle to go to the matt against their own party for their priorities, to not just crumble to the floor slobbering at Pelosi’s feet. At least some Republicans were fighting hard for conservatism. Was it ultimately wise to hold out so long? I simply don’t know, but even if it appeared destructive, there’s a silver lining.
The concessions are real. Of course deals could be broken but not without smoking out establishment traitors. There was some real danger that the present congress would have convened and did yet again what the Boehner and Ryan led congresses did, sell out to the establishment and to Democrats. That’s a lot less likely now. The fight was a welcome departure from roll over and play dead DC. It’s like someone opened a window and a breeze from ages long past wafted in, from a time when law makers really tried to represent their districts for something other than just ‘pork’.
Dems can publicly gloat now but be assured, they’re not laughing their asses off in private. The Republican led house made a clear signal that they won’t be rolling over for them and selling out for sweetheart deals. Don’t expect polite treatment for the Biden administration. As much or more, their own lawmakers within their ranks have taken note. The various wings within the Democrats will have noticed that party leadership can be successfully challenged; that goes for moderates and the far ultra-left. Their next fight won’t be so pretty either.
At the end of the day, this kind of fighting is what healthy democracies do, it’s a step in the right direction. Even if there is a lot of collateral damage in the short term, a ship may be starting to turn ever so slowly.