Hakeem Jeffries Tells Republicans They Only Have One Way Out

Democratic Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) told House Republicans that the only way out of their speaker crisis is a coalition government.

Jeffries said, “Democrats stand ready and willing to work with Republican colleagues to find a bipartisan path forward. The only way out is to enter into an enlightened, bipartisan coalition of the willing to get things back on track.”

Among the things that Democrats are looking for in exchange for their votes are an end to the motion to vacate being called by a single member, aid for Ukraine and Israel, and changes in House rules to make it easier for Democrats to pass legislation. There has also been talk among Democrats that they would like a 50/50 power split, limiting the Republican majorities on all committees to one vote, and other rule changes.

If Democrats had the power to pass legislation through the House while in the minority, it would be an unprecedented world for a legislative body that has been strict majority rule essentially since its inception.

In a coalition House, which is a House that is run by a bipartisan majority of Republicans and Democrats, the Democrats will still be in the minority, but the House should be able to govern, and the MAGA reign of dysfunction and obstruction will end.

Republicans are sufficiently worried about this possibility that they are already threatening their members not to work with Democrats to elect a speaker. 

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) is the current Republican trying to get 217 votes, but there are already five no votes against him.

Leader Jeffries is correct. There appears only to be one way out of this mess, and that is a coalition majority in the House.