Well, I am writing this on my tablet using github.dev along with my wireless keyboard and mouse combo. This isn’t necessarily the easiest way to do this on an iPad. We work with the tools we have.

I want to refer to a story posted by Andrew Tobias concerning today’s meeting of the central committee of the Ohio Republican Party. There was no call for what the state central committee did. The Republican Party in Ohio is most definitely in the midst of a conflict over its direction. My local representative in the Ohio House, Sarah Fowler-Arthur, represents the more extreme faction of the state party. The fellow representing the southern part of Ashtabula County, Mike Loychik, represents a less extreme faction. The legislators censured by the state central committee worked with Democratic Party legislators to elect a moderate Speaker of the Ohio House instead of the rather far-right fellow the GOP caucus has previously chosen on its own.

What happened in the Ohio House has been held up as an example for proceedings in the United States House of Representatives. I know I went into some discussion in the last post as to some of the bad mechanics of the situation. Since then there have been further votes that bring us to thirteen failed votes. The number of rebels is down to six as of the last vote. The House is adjourned until 0200 UTC Saturday when some procedural trickery may be attempted to try to bypass the rebels.

The rebels number more than the Republican majority over the Democrats. If they get bypassed through procedural trickery they will make the House a nightmare for Republicans unless they can cut deals with the Democrats on passing legislation. Whether we like it or not they have de facto control of the party notwithstanding who the conference elected as its leaders.

The six rebels also happen to have been involved in the events of the January 6th insurrection a bit too much. They have no incentive to cooperate let alone work for the greater good.

I suppose we’ll have to wait and see what erupts at 0200 UTC Saturday. Anything is possible at this rate.