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naraburns  nihil supernum  3yr ago (text post)   33730 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of January 2, 2023

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So in 1855 they moved to a plurality vote out of desperation:

After 129 ballots without a majority choice, the House once again adopted a plurality rule to break the deadlock. On the decisive 133rd ballot, Nathaniel P. Banks received the most votes, 103 votes out of 214, or five less than a majority, and was elected speaker.

But it didn’t save them from 8 weeks of argument in 1859. Both cases were largely due to slavery contentions and the formation of two separate Opposition Parties plus the Republican Party. Of course, war would break out only a couple years later.

Not a good time to be an American.

Edit: it was not a good time. Now is alright, I guess.

I can't imagine the majority (Republicans) here adopting "plurality" as acceptable, since that would seeming elect Jeffries (a Democrat). If the plurality candidate were theirs, maybe.

IMO this seems most likely to end in forcing the Freedom Caucus in line with a slight chance of ejecting them and forming a moderate coalition (more interesting to me, but unsightly to partisans of all stripes).

Unless the Trump team was expected to fall in line rather than hand the chamber to Jeffries. I guess the point is kind of moot as long as McCarthy stays above the plurality line?

Actually McCarthy has a plurality now.

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