REPUBLICANS: NOT IN DISARRAY

We all had a good laugh last week when House Republicans struggled to elect a Speaker. We watched Kevin McCarthy make concession after concession to extremists on the subject of what would be in the House's rules package.

McCarthy finally won the Speakership, but we were told that non-extremists were displeased with McCarthy's giveaways. It was reported that McCarthy might struggle to pass the package -- but then it passed with only one Republican "no" vote. House Republicans then passed their first bill, a bill to rescind new funding for the Internal Revenue Service, with no Republican dissenters. And yesterday they voted to establish a new committee on "the weaponization of government" -- and again there were no Republicans in opposition.

Republicans aren't in disarray. They agree on the agenda. They're doing what they promised to do during the 2022 campaign, when they thought they'd win a big majority in the House. There's no GOP dissent now, and there was none in the fall when these things -- endless investigations and budget brinkmanship intended to slash the social safety net -- were brought up.

The Republicans-in-disarray moment was fun, but it's over now. I suppose dissent will reappear when some House Republicans realize that budget shutdowns are actually bad for their rich donors. But until then, the Republicans are going to proceed as one, doing things that please everyone in their shared bubble.

Meanwhile, keep tabs on everything being voted on now. These aren't just show votes. They're not happening only to make Fox viewers happy. They're the agenda for the next time Republicans have full control of the federal government. Which is why we need to do everything in our power to prevent that from happening.