Liz Cheney for Speaker of the House!

Electing Liz Cheney as Speaker of the House would bring stability, isolate extremists, and allow for bipartisan cooperation.

The current chaos in the U.S. House of Representatives is causing significant harm to the nation's interests both domestically and internationally. However, there is a solution that can address this issue and benefit both Republicans and Democrats: electing Liz Cheney as the speaker of the House.

By electing Cheney, Republicans would have the conservative leadership that most of them desire, while also isolating the few extremists who have contributed to the current turmoil. This would be a win-win situation for Republicans and for the country as a whole.

Furthermore, Democrats would also stand to gain from Cheney's election. Her leadership would bring stability to the role and create a coalition of Republicans interested in governing and Democrats who recognize the threat posed by the current gridlock to U.S. security. Cheney has proven her commitment to principles over politics and possesses a rare strength of character in today's political landscape.

Inevitably, there may come a time when enough Republicans decide to put an end to their internal conflicts and elect a new speaker through a party vote. However, the reality is that the new leader would still need to find common ground with Democrats on a federal budget that can gain the approval of the Democratic Senate and President Joe Biden. This was the downfall of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and it will be a challenge for any new leader.

The problem lies in the fact that cooperating with Democrats is seen as a betrayal of extremist Republican goals. Many far-right Republicans, like Virginia Rep. Bob Good, believe that most Americans wouldn't even miss the government. How can a Republican speaker succeed in an environment where the most basic responsibility of governing, such as keeping the lights on, is seen as a sin against the party's extreme wing?

The only way to overcome this issue is to elect a speaker with bipartisan support who can ignore the bomb-throwers. While voting for Cheney would undoubtedly invite attacks from the Trump loyalists, it would also provide a strong political and policy counter-argument. Cheney, as a constitutional conservative, has the ability to pass a budget with cuts in domestic spending while still providing critical aid to U.S. allies such as Israel and Ukraine.

For Democrats, it may be tempting to let Republicans deal with the crisis they have created, as it exposes the dysfunction and anger of the Trumpian government. However, this chaos could have dire consequences for the country, such as a prolonged government shutdown or conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. In such a chaotic environment, voters who are angry and feel betrayed are unlikely to embrace the calming presence of Biden over the inflammatory rhetoric of Trump. Democrats may regain the House majority, but is it worth risking a second term of Donald Trump and the autocracy he proposes?

Democrats have some leverage in negotiating enough votes to make Cheney the speaker. However, they must be careful not to give progressives free rein when it comes to policy. Instead, they can ask for certain concessions in return for saving Republicans from themselves. For example, they can push for a budget that adheres to the spending ceilings agreed upon by Biden and McCarthy, as well as an agreement to pass Biden's budget requests for Israel, Ukraine, humanitarian aid, and border security.

Additionally, Democrats can seek to bring some balance to the impeachment inquiry into President Biden. While they may not be able to stop the proceedings altogether, they can work towards a more fair and transparent process. This could involve gaining more seats on the key oversight committee, having more say in calling and examining witnesses, and setting a firm deadline to finish the inquiry early next year.

Republicans should consider accepting this kind of deal because a budget that aligns with the Biden-McCarthy debt ceiling agreement has a better chance of passing through the Senate and the White House. While it may not satisfy the desires of hard-line Republicans, real cuts in government spending would be a significant achievement that they can tout to their political base.

The alternative to finding a compromise is more dysfunction, which is already hurting Republicans. A recent survey showed that nearly three-quarters of Americans disapprove of the way GOP leaders in Congress are handling their jobs. More chaos will only further damage the party's reputation.

Ultimately, if Republicans and Democrats cannot agree on a compromise candidate for speaker for their own self-serving reasons, they should consider doing the right thing for the voters. It is important to reward politicians who are willing to prioritize the well-being of the country over their own political interests.

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