Why are we still trying to unseat McCarthy?
It's the means to an end: confronting the threat of neo-fascism.
It's now been 3 full months since I sent my first email to a small group of friends and acquaintances suggesting we could help defeat Kevin McCarthy in his quest to become Speaker of the House. As many of you know, that effort led to the launch of this Substack site, where McCarthy is still our target. I've been asked more than once, Why? He won the Speakership, why not move on?
Well first, it's nothing personal. I don't particularly like Kevin McCarthy, but I don't loathe him either. There's really not enough substance to the man to evoke such a deep emotion. In his adult life, he’s never been anything other than an ambitious politician. His apparent lack of any deeply held beliefs or principles has served him well on his path to the Speakership. He's an opportunist, not an authoritarian.
But Tuesday night, at President Biden's State of the Union Address, I was reminded why he needs to be replaced. That very uncomfortable-looking man sitting behind the President is next in line of presidential succession following VP Harris.
McCarthy owes his seat to the rowdy MAGA extremists whom he could not convince to behave that night. In exchange for providing his margin of victory, they were empowered by him, far beyond what their numbers would normally command. Now they essentially control him, and are poised to dominate the House of Representatives as well.
If the worst imaginable scenario were to take place, we’d have a President indebted to an organized group of neo-fascists. Let’s call them what they are.
That woman in the white coat, standing and shouting "liar" at the President during his speech, is an elected member of Congress. She, and more than a few others, proudly represent and defend the mob who assaulted our Capitol on January 6, 2021. Marjorie Greene recently boasted that if she had been in charge that day, the insurrection would have been better organized and better armed.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy says, "I'll never leave her." She in turn will continue to partner with him so long as he remains a faithful servant of theirs. If this weren't so serious, it'd be merely pathetic. And frankly, if Greene were a man she’d be taken far more seriously by everyone. Keep in mind, Marjorie Greene and her allies are armed and dangerous, fully prepared to carry-out what the insurgency started two years ago.
So replacing McCarthy is the means to an end. The real aim is to marginalize and isolate that radical MAGA minority in the House of Representatives before they consolidate their gains and tighten their grip on the levers of power.
The number of MAGA radicals is less than 10% of House membership. Because of the committee seats they already hold, and their willingness to use extreme measures, they’ll continue to be influential beyond their number. But a strong and independent Republican Speaker supported by a bipartisan majority, would owe them nothing. The traditional power dynamic between Speaker and members, one where the Speaker is in charge, would be restored.
Most importantly, replacing Kevin McCarthy as Speaker immediately reduces the threat to our republic posed by this group of demonstrably neo-fascist radicals.
We still need a few more volunteers willing to help with ONE of these specific tasks:
1. Research and help to compile a list of news/opinion outlets and/or personalities, both liberal and (not-crazy) conservative, for us to contact.
2. Research and help to compile a list of Republican moderates who understand the importance of raising the debt limit, and the seriousness of failing to do so. Also, research and help to identify a potential Republican candidate to succeed McCarthy as Speaker.
3. Research and help to compile a list of rank-and-file Democrats confident enough and bold enough to vote for a Republican for Speaker.
Please contact me directly - JerryWeiss@substack.com - to volunteer, or to ask about what doing so would entail. Thank you for being a part of this hopeful enterprise.
Neo-fascism is indeed a loaded word. To me it's just the same old poison in new bottles. The politics of blame and scapegoating, stirring division and hatred, undermining democratic institutions, hyper-nationalism, no positive platform other than gaining power - I do believe America is flirting with fascism. But it's so dangerous, and it spreads and metastasizes so virulently that it's hard to put that genie back in the bottle.
But I don't want to get into these issues here; your site has a purpose and an audience. Your focus on replacing McCarthy is spot-on; for his own selfish reasons he is enabling the far right members of Congress to take control of the narrative. So he must be replaced.
If any of your readers wish to explore the issue of neo-fascism they're welcome to visit my substack newsletter for some articles, book reviews, even some sick humor (because humor can bring people together).
I truly believe American democracy is at risk, and that fascism is on the rise, but Jerry's site isn't the place to get this, because he has a clear and relevant focus on replacing McCarthy. Feel free to visit my (free) site; it's called "A Warning" because it's focused on the growing danger that I see every day.
McCarthy is enabling that danger to grow, so thank you Jerry and friends for trying to remove McCarthy and bring some moderation and sanity to the Congress.