If you’re not familiar with that Burned-in paralysis of the American government — some of us slept through a lot of it in 9th grade — the importance of the current political moment may not land on you. As of this writing, the 118th Congress has not been able to elect a Speaker of the House of Representatives. Usually this role goes to the top name in the party, who controls the most seats. And it is almost always decided by a single vote – In 1923, several ballots were last required. Since there are effectively only two parties in the United States, this year’s failure to enforce what is usually a fairly symbolic vote is pretty nice pathetic portrayal a majority-elected government trying to organize itself.
Anyway, the House of Representatives now has go through five rounds of voting to elect a speaker, neither of which has produced a winner by a majority (majority is not sufficient) of voting members. It’s a major embarrassment for the Republican Party, whose members hold a majority of seats in the House (222 out of 435) after the 2022 election. The Democrats appear content to wait and see and continue their opponents’ assertiveness. They voted together for one man, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, a five-term incumbent representing Brooklyn’s eighth district.
Jeffries technically “won” five ballots (and rising!) for the Speaker of the House while the GOP tries to reach some sort of agreement in principle. Unfortunately, this process has forced 435 voting members of the House of Representatives to get together and name name after name over and over again, like Dante’s Spelling Bee.
In the fourth call Wednesday, Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) punctuated the farce by invoking a modern-day SHAZAM in a tone video gamers have understood for nearly 20 years: “Hakeeeeeeeem JEFFRIES!!!”
Yes, Huffman (who is 58) intentionally invoked one of the video games. oldest and greatest memes — LeeeeeeeROY….JENNNNNkins. The congressman confirmed it via Twitter:
Yes, I said what I said. If Republicans can get us to endure this repeated self-flagellation, we might as well make it memorable. https://t.co/gmMXic3tbO
— Rep. Jared Huffman (@RepHuffman) January 4, 2023
I just hope they are serve chicken in the House Commissioner.
To update: Huffman added, this time on his personal Twitter account, that his leeroying will continue until morale improves.
I’ll continue my Leroy Jenkins impersonation until House Republicans stop nominating six-time loser Quevin McCarthy for speaker. I don’t bluff.
— Rep. Jared Huffman (@JaredHuffman) January 4, 2023
