Short Takes – 1-5-23

GOP discusses new concessions in behind-the-scenes talks on making McCarthy Speaker. TheHill.com article. And so it continues. Pull quote: “There was also discussion of increasing representation of hard-line conservative members on the powerful House Rules Committee and bringing a vote on a bill imposing term limits on members of Congress. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), one of the members voting against McCarthy, previously introduced legislation limiting House members to three terms and senators to two terms.”

First on CNN: McCarthy proposes key concessions after House adjourns for second day without electing a speaker. CNN.com article. Pull quote: “Nothing is final, however, since the negotiations are ongoing. And Republican sources say that even if McCarthy’s offer is accepted, it would still not get him the 218 votes he needs to be speaker. While these concessions could attract some new support, other opponents have raised different concerns that have yet to be fully addressed.”

Could the Deal Be Sealed by Present Votes? NationalReview.com article. Pull quote: “To play it out, six “present votes” would mean a total of 428 members voting for a named person. That would reduce the number needed for a majority from 218 to 215. If McCarthy’s last tally (201) were supplemented by 14 of the dissenters based on the deal Rich describes, plus Spartz, he would be at 216, one more than necessary to prevail.”

Kevin McCarthy Made Three Big Mistakes. Can He Overcome Them? StatusKuo.Substack.com article. Pull quote: “Jokes aside, McCarthy is in quite the pickle, so it’s worth asking how a seasoned politico found himself so close to victory but unable to grasp it, and then start gaming out potential post-failure scenarios. McCarthy made three classic mistakes worth discussing first.”

McCarthy makes fresh concessions to try to woo hard-right Republicans in speaker bid. WashingtonPost.com article. Pull quote: “It remained unclear early Thursday whether the concessions could move the holdouts, several of whom have said they will not support McCarthy no matter what. The House is scheduled to reconvene at noon Thursday for more voting. But some moderates have grown irate at the moves, after pledging last month they would never support a rules package that gives one House member the power to vacate the speaker.”

Does the House even exist right now? WashingtonPost.com article. Pull quote: ““I think more people need to be aware of the institutional damage that’s going on here,” said a House procedural expert who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid personally influencing the proceedings. “If one of those branches is so hamstringed, so paralyzed, as it is right now, do you really have the three equal branches of government that our Constitution has set out?””