In the aftermath of Speaker Kevin McCarthy getting voted out as Speaker in the House of Representatives last Tuesday in an extraordinary showdown — a first in US history in fact – soul-searching Republicans would be wise to give English rockband the Rolling Stones a listen.
In a song from their 1969 album “Let It Bleed”, the Rolling Stones sang the iconic lyrics: “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you find you get what you need”.
Being a perpetual optimist, I’d like to think that may be exactly what happened with House Republicans this week. Although many didn’t get what they wanted, perhaps they got what they needed. And perhaps it will be just what the country needs too.
It’s embarrassing when family fights are conducted in public, not in private, and many Republicans cringed when Congressman Matt Gaetz made a motion to vacate the Office of the House Speaker.
As eight members of the Republican family voted with the Democrats to remove Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his role, there was great anger, confusion, and disappointment.
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Understandably so, since this was an unprecedented move which had never before happened in the history of our nation. And it occurred at a time when there is an impending budget deadline, an impeachment inquiry underway, a fight over the security of the southern border, and Republicans seemingly were winning the narrative on crime, inflation, energy, immigration, taxes, education, and many of the current culture wars.
Now with the House unable to pass any bills or move forward with any official business until a new Speaker is chosen, it seems that all forward progress and positive momentum has been halted, much to the frustration of Republicans nationwide.
Regardless of how people feel about it, it can’t be changed or undone. That is the current reality. It is not what many wanted, but could it force the change that is needed? Can they take this crisis and turn it into an opportunity for change, for progress, and for greater fiscal responsibility?
If they are smart and disciplined, House Republicans can strategically and swiftly reset, recalibrate, and refocus, to move forward more efficiently and effectively than before. Here’s how.
When Republicans reconvene next week, they must elect a speaker quickly, and do so behind closed doors. Any arguing, fighting, or disagreeing needs to be done privately, not emerging until they can do so as a unified group. They need to stand behind their new Speaker enthusiastically and with one voice. We don’t need to hear a play by play of who disagreed with who, who was mad or had hurt feelings. Keep discussions private, and only comment publicly when they are ready to get back to the business of the American people. And it better be done quickly. Patience has already been stretched thin.
Republicans need in unison to communicate clearly what they stand for, how they are standing for the American people, how they are making life better for Americans nationwide, and how they are combatting the destructive policies of the Biden administration and the Democrat party. Fight the true fights, not each other.
Republicans must lead in passing a budget. It must be done before the Continuing Resolution deadline expires, and it must include substantive spending cuts and limits on future spending. Rather than apologizing for cuts, Republicans should boldly champion cuts – indicating that Republicans in Congress are doing what every individual and business owner has to do, which is make a budget that works and stick to it. Americans are suffering under high inflation and trying to make their own budgets work.
Most are unable to do so under President Joe Biden as they had been able to do previously. Republicans need to be strong, be unafraid, and ensure the American people know that they understand and feel their same pain – and are doing what they can to address it.
House Republicans must stick together in insisting that border funding be addressed – and the border must be closed. Period. As the Biden administration is finally accepting the reality that the border is not closed, as they have been stating, House Republicans need to lead this conversation with solutions and remind the nation that they have been sounding the alarm on this crisis ever since Biden took office.
Ukraine funding must continue, but only if it resources winning, not a stalemate. The Border crisis and the war in Ukraine were both caused by Biden weakness, but the two issues shouldn’t be pitted against each other. Victory in Ukraine is the most important national security issue of the 21st century. The border issue is a threat to America’s sovereignty. It shouldn’t be an either / or choice for Republican leadership. Solve both – decisively and swiftly.
And the rule which allows for one Member to call for the Office of Speaker to be vacated must be changed. Return to one of the previous criteria of requiring five members, or even requiring a majority of either party to call for it, but allowing one person to hold their party – and the country – hostage with a singular person’s action needs to cease.
Can Republicans unify quickly? Message to the American people with one voice? Be bold and make fundamental changes that have been long needed by Congress and long demanded by the American people? They should use this opportunity, as unwelcome as it may have been, to select a new Speaker around which they can rally, and get back to the business of the people. If so, they will not only rebound from this setback, but catapult exponentially forward.
If they can maximize the opportunity to fight for the American people and fight against the damaging policies of President Biden, they will not only be forgiven, but will be thanked. I challenge House Republicans to seize the opportunity to maximize something they didn’t want, but perhaps can look back on and realize it was exactly what they – and the American people – need.
Peggy Grande was executive assistant to Ronald Reagan and is author of “The President Will See You Now.” She was Chair of World for Brexit and served as a political appointee in the Trump Administration. Peggy serves on the Board of Pepperdine School of Public Policy, and the Board of The Center for American Ideas.
