Comment Section for Inside McCarthy’s Shutdown Turnabout That Left His Speakership at Risk - The New York Times

This New York Times article discusses the political maneuvering of Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy to avoid a government shutdown, which has left his position as Speaker at risk. For weeks, McCarthy resisted partnering with Democrats, but eventually required their support to pass a temporary spending bill to keep the federal government open. This surprising reversal put him in a politically vulnerable position. McCarthy began the final day before a potential government shutdown faced with dismal prospects of passing any stopgap funding measure. He ended the day having passed a spending bill to keep the government open through mid-November. However, this was only achieved by seeking the Democrats' help to push through the legislation, which his critics labeled as a Republican surrender. The situation involved a game of chicken between the House and Senate over their competing stopgap spending plans, a 50-minute filibuster by the House minority leader, and threats by hard-right representatives to oust the speaker. In response to these threats, McCarthy stated, "If someone wants to make a motion against me, bring it. There has to be an adult in the room." McCarthy's decision to work with the Democrats was a significant shift, as he had been catering to the demands of right-wing lawmakers who were ready to shut down the government to highlight their belief that federal spending was out of control. The stopgap spending bill ultimately passed 335 to 91, with more Democrats than Republicans supporting it. However, this move has left McCarthy's position as Speaker more uncertain than ever as his opponents signaled their intentions to depose him.