WaPo’s Dana Milbank caught me by surprise in this column concerning the potential, but perhaps voided, government shutdown of tonight[1], and the future of Speaker Johnson (R-LA):
But this is just the first act of what promises to be a four-year circus. Already, a dozen or so House Republicans, angered by Speaker Mike Johnson’s inept handling of the spending bill, are now making noises about blocking his reelection as speaker Jan. 3 — and the defection of even two or three Republicans could doom him. This, in turn, could delay Congress’s certification of Trump’s election victory and possibly create a constitutional crisis over the transfer of power. Even if Johnson (R-Louisiana) gets out of that mess, a few House Republicans are already lining up in opposition to extending Trump’s tax cuts, a core component of his 2025 agenda.
My bold. Delaying an Inauguration by finding a different manner of imbecility. Bless their hearts, the Republicans do like to shoot themselves right in the nuts in public. As my Arts Editor asked, What happens if there is a delay? Does President Biden remain in office?
Democrats are far more subtle when they shoot themselves in the head and then spend months wandering about wondering what happened to them in the election.
I can’t see such a delay actually happening, but maybe SCOTUS had best stay up late and do some research. And maybe issue a proactive ruling. We don’t need an Army Colonel standing around on January 20th, holding the nuclear football, muttering, “Now who do I give this to?”
Bad grammar, that. SCOTUS, think, think! Republicans, get your Speaker situation straightened out and save us from televised bad grammar! No, no, I insist. And whoever’s muttering Speaker Musk, just stop that right now. Even former Rep and Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL), later a convicted pedophile, would be better than Musk. You have better choices, so stop it. Now.
1 LATER: Avoided, as a Continuing Resolution (CR) was passed by Congress, and signed by President Biden. No shutdown.
