Speaker Mike Johnson Struggles to Lead and Make Decisions

A Speaker Winging It

For nine months, Kevin McCarthy held the title of Speaker of the House but lacked the power to effectively lead. He constantly had to improvise to maintain his position as factions within the House were ready to turn against him at any moment. Now, in his fourth month in power, Speaker Mike Johnson is facing similar challenges. Multiple Republicans, including those who support Johnson and those who were skeptical of his rise, describe a speaker who seems to be winging it when it comes to strategy, messaging, and vote-counting.

One Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie, openly expressed nostalgia for McCarthy, tweeting that getting rid of him was an "unmitigated disaster." Johnson's lack of a clear plan and grasp on the speaker's gavel has led to dismay among his colleagues.

Struggling with Major Issues

Johnson's difficulties are only increasing. He is faced with a $95 billion supplemental spending bill for aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, and he has struggled to articulate a strategy for dealing with the issue. On Israel, he proposed a bill last year that included spending offsets to appease the House GOP's right flank, but it was dead on arrival in the Senate. Last week, Johnson removed the offsets, but conservatives still opposed the bill, leading to its defeat on the House floor.

On Ukraine, Johnson initially expressed support for its fight against Russia but demanded border provisions be attached to any aid bill. He then joined with Donald Trump to oppose a bipartisan border compromise in the Senate. This week, he criticized the Senate bill for not including any border provisions. Johnson's response to these issues has created a reputation for indecisiveness and inconsistency.

A Lack of Clarity and Communication

Johnson's decision-making process is tightly controlled, leaving other members of the GOP leadership team in the dark about his thinking until he makes a decision. This lack of clarity and communication makes it difficult to effectively message key policy issues to the public and prepare the party for tough votes. Some believe that Johnson's agreeable nature leads people to believe what they want to believe, contributing to miscommunication and missteps.

Unlike McCarthy, Johnson does not have a well-known "kitchen cabinet" to explain and advocate for his thinking within the conference. This has further exacerbated the communication issues within the party.

Challenges Ahead

Johnson's leadership will face new tests in the coming weeks. He plans to bring a surveillance program reauthorization fight to the House floor, which has already led to rebellion among members. Additionally, he is facing the threats of a government shutdown and a conservative rebellion over a spending deal he struck with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

However, the biggest challenge for Johnson remains foreign aid. He has no plans to take up the Senate bill and instead wants members to put forward their own proposals. However, options for dealing with the issue are limited by the conservative hard-liners in the House Rules Committee, who have the power to veto any actions.

The Precariousness of Johnson's Position

Johnson's paralysis stems from the precariousness of his position as leader of a divided conference with a slim majority. He is also operating under the threat of a right-wing revolt similar to the one that ended McCarthy's speakership prematurely. However, as McCarthy himself advised, delaying tough decisions does not make them go away. Johnson must be willing to make decisions and lead, even in the face of opposition.

If you enjoyed this content, sign up for POLITICO's Playbook newsletter.

—————————————————————————————————————————————
By: Rachael Bade
Title: Speaker Mike Johnson Struggles to Lead and Make Decisions
Sourced From: www.politico.com/news/2024/02/14/johnson-faces-waves-of-buyers-remorse-00141407
Published Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2024 11:29:44 EST