All Eyes on the House

What are Republicans’ plans if they take the majority?

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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy speaks at a news conference with fellow House Republicans on January 20, 2022. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

If Republicans take the House in next week’s midterm elections, get ready for a contentious remaining two years in President Joe Biden’s term. House Republicans will focus almost entirely on investigations, oversight, and the messaging bills to fulfill campaign promises early on.

But could they find any areas of common cause with the Biden administration? This edition of Uphill and the next will examine how a potential GOP House will operate.

Room for Agreement?

A Republican House would mark the end of the Democratic policy agenda for at least the next two years. Yet there may be room for collaboration on major policy goals. 

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  1. Avatar photo
    Stephanie

    I really, really appreciate your identifying people you're quoting, whenever you have quotes from them farther down in the article from when they're initially introduced. E.g., "Buck, the former House GOP aide."

    One thing that frustrates me when reading an article in the mainstream press where numerous sources are quoted is that who/what they are is usually mentioned when they're first quoted. Then, many paragraphs later, many names and quotes later, comes their last name and another quote--and I go scrolling from the top of the article to recall who/what they are.

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  2. Ksunday

    Where are things with reforming the Electoral Count Act?

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    Man-Eating Cow

    A party considering giving MTG any more influence than she already has, rather than voting to deny her her seat, is a party that deserves to be kept from the levers of power.

    Alas, the other party has shown that it cannot be trusted with the levers of power, either.

    It's a tough time to be a patriot.

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      J. Eric

      Well said

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    Lbrtylvr

    I've known McCarthy since he was a snot-nosed intern for Congressman Bill Thomas, and he has never believed in anything other than his personal power. I used to think he was a squishy moderate back when we were on the same political staffer circuit, and I was a hard core conservative activist, and now he'sj become a Trumpy sycophant. But it has always just been about his personal power, and I know way too many people who've been victims of his lust for control. I really don't believe he has an ideological bone in his body, but he is willing to go to scary unscrupulous measures to be in control.

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    Angie

    Yikes, I have read three pieces today, Nick, Jonah and you...and frankly I am now more worried than I was...lol

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    Paul Britton

    It’s usually the foreign policy articles on The Dispatch that leave me gloomy and depressed and feeling hopeless, but this one was just as effective.

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    Earl King

    I already had my say on this subject but to boil it down, McCarthy is doomed. The House will pass bills that go nowhere. Unless he sends spending bill thru the committees he’ll be hamstrung. It will depend on this question and this question alone.
    When having discussion with the far right, the Freedom Caucus and dolts like MTG.....Do you want to govern. There are must pass Bills and you have to have Bills that the President will sign. Clinton sent spending Bills back to the House all the time and Gingrich got blamed....Do they want to govern. Or do they want to grandstand?

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      Theirnscott

      Yea, I think you know the answer to that question.

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        Earl King

        Indeed. However If he kicks Swalwell off the intel committee I won’t cry. LOL

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  8. Eklees

    I consider the current MAGA nuts the People of the Lie. I consider the (mostly) far left wing of the Democratic group The Stupids. If The Stupids had not dominated the policy conversation most of the past three years we might not have the backlash going on now. The People of the Lie are not interested in governing or in policy; they are only interested in "owning the libs." (whatever that means).
    Nonetheless, I am all for major corrections to SS and Medicare, which the Dems won't touch - to their detriment. Ditto for immigration (which the Republicans won't touch for the reasons cited in the comments here).
    We really need SS and Medicare reforms starting with a higher age to start taking benefits (from 62 to 65); a higher age to max out (from 71 to 73); a higher wage ceiling (from $180K to $500k) and a bigger percent of payroll paid for Medicare (from 1.8% to 2.5%). Also, means testing makes sense for the wealthiest retirees for both SS payouts and Medicare premium costs.
    Immigration seems much tougher than entitlement spending because of the competing interests. But, if the people we elect have no interest in addressing these issues what is the point of electing them?

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    1. Andrw4488

      In RI an R candidate (Fung) for 1 of the 2 congress seats said something along the lines of he would vote w/ the speaker of the house a lot of the time. This was quickly translated into a campaign ad every commercial break and between songs on the radio saying Fung wants to take away your Social Security

      I agree that the need for some kind of reform to slow down the growth of entitlements is desperately needed. But they should try for an immigration deal first. Once they say anything like 'reducing the rate of growth' in SS or Medicare you know what is coming

      https://www.huffpost.com/entry/paul-ryan-ad-wisconsin_n_1792380

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    PJ

    I think I am good with appearing to be a Democrat.

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  10. Steven.Zdatny

    It's not go to "the mat," it's go "to the mattresses". The reference is not to wrestling but to mafia wars.

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    1. The Widow’s Son

      That ship has sailed. Sorry.

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