The opportunity to restore the House of Representatives for all Americans - The Alaska State Legislative Coalition model

How did we get to this point?

Since January 2023, the beginning of the 118th US House of Representatives, we have lived under has shown the abject failure of the MAGA Republican party to conduct the most basis function of governance. With the motion to vacate the speaker deposing Kevin McCarthy from the Speakership, the MAGA House Republican party has shown no interest in governing for all Americans, let alone every one of the Republicans 54,504,697 2022 voters. Today’s MAGA House Republican caucus Speakers vote (113 Scalise votes, 99 Jordan votes, 8 votes for other candidates and 3 present votes) and resulting Anti-Scalise MAGA Republican votes committing to vote for Jim Jordan on the House Floor exceeding the four votes he can afford to lose, demonstrates that the go-it alone path isn’t going to work. It is also an affront to the ?51,475,781 Americans who voted for House Democratic candidates in 2022 and 1,872,732 Americans who voted for 3rd party candidates for the US House in 2022.

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As one of the 51,475,781 Democratic voters in 2022, I feel compelled to offer a recommendation for consideration, based upon the Great State of Alaska, by the members of the House of Representatives that claim the Republican party moniker but vote as MAGA Extremist Authoritarian Republicans regarding the upcoming vote for Speaker of the House. If you say you're a Moderate Republican Congressmember, your support and open-mindedness are crucial in shaping the future of our great nation. I would like to respectfully encourage your consideration of Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries as an alternative candidate for this esteemed position. If you truly believe you aren’t a MAGA Extremist Authoritarian Republican, if you truly don’t see Democratic members of Congress, Democratic Voters, States, Counties, Cities and supporting organizations as your enemies or an Anti-God, Anti American threat to our mutual country, this is the opportunity to prove it.

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Leader Jeffries, House Democratic leadership and House Democratic members, you need to take the opportunity to make a formal offer to any of the remaining Jack Kemp, George W. Bush, Bob Dole, John McCain, John Kasich, William Milliken, George Romney, Mitt Romney Republicans in the House chamber, who are willing to show America a new path, a unity path, an All-American path, that would combine Republicans and Democrats in a governing coalition with the Hon. Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker following the current Alaska State House and State Senate model[1]. Leader Jeffries, your public statements and Washington Post Op-Ed[2] are good starts but need to be even more definitive in the request for real bipartisan support. I suggest the following additional asks ?

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1. House Democrats need to stop asking for the MAGA Republican Caucus to get organized or become a governing partner, they won’t be able to achieve this. Instead, House Democrats need to be directly focused on presenting the need for a coalition House governing majority between Democratic members and Non-MAGA House Republicans if they exist.
2. At least 5 Real Republicans who are willing to put America and all Americans above the MAGA tribe and join with all 212 Democrats in a Pro-American Pro-Constitutional Republic, Representative Democracy, Pro-Freedom of speech and Pro-Freedom of Faith coalition that can and will deliver returns for the American population.
3. The Power Sharing agreement in the Alaska State House and State Senate[3] currently? governed by a power sharing agreement between traditional Republicans and Democrats that shares authority and committee chair positions between the two parties. In Alaska, Republicans have rejected the MAGA Extremist Republican movement to govern cooperatively with Democrats and it’s time for any non-MAGA Republicans in the United States Congress to follow suit as well.
4. This governing majority model would need to have changes from Alaska, including the equal splitting of committee chairpersons and appropriations subcommittee chairs and making the committee assignment allocations more equitable between the sides. This will also require combining some of the rule recommendations made by the MAGA House Republican caucus in January 2023 regarding procedures and process, rules that existed under Democratic leadership in the 117th Congress and proposed Democratic rules amendments in 2023 to create a balance between the coalitions. This can include but aren’t limited to the following: Ban members of Congress from trading stocks and from ever becoming lobbyists. Term limits for members of Congress. Term limits for Supreme Court justices. An ethics code for Supreme Court justices. Modifying the floor amendment process.
5. As a part of the deal, swap a dual investment in Immigration and Border services, for both increasing the administrative immigration processing staffing by 20,000 people and related enforcement staffing increases (10,000 personnel) and technology tools in exchange for restoration of the Advanced Child Tax credit and a modified Dependent Child Tax Credit to include refundable options for education related expenses. ?

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Why this is necessary?

First and foremost, Leader Jeffries has consistently shown a willingness to reach across party lines and work with individuals from all political backgrounds. It is important to note that the concept of bipartisan legislative power-sharing is not unique. In fact, several states across the nation have successfully implemented such agreements to great effect. Alaska currently has a bipartisan power sharing agreement in their State House and State Senate. States like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and Texas have all embraced bipartisan power-sharing in their State House of Representatives in the past. Similarly, Washington State, New York State, and New Mexico's State Senate have followed suit. Even Tennessee's State House and Senate have demonstrated the merits of this approach in the past. By electing Leader Jeffries as Speaker, we can draw upon these successful examples and bring this proven strategy to the national stage. By electing Leader Jeffries as Speaker, we can break free from partisan gridlock and instead prioritize the collective well-being of all American people

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The current fiscal and policy dysfunction in the United States House of Representatives rest solely and independently at the foot of the 221 (222 after November 2023 Utah Special Election) members of the MAGA Extremist House Republican Caucus. It’s not a small number of their members but all 221, who have passed 4 Appropriations bills that are an assault on personal freedom, diversity, women, families and children and who refused to consider talking to the 212 (213 after November 2023 Rhode Island Special Election) House Democratic Caucus led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on the Debt Ceiling, Ukraine Funding, Appropriations legislation or the Continuing Resolution to prevent a MAGA led Federal Government shutdown until the last day. That’s a purpose disregard of the 51,475,781 Americans who voted for House Democratic candidates in 2022 and 1,872,732 Americans who voted for 3rd party candidates for the US House in 2022, (and the 81,268,924 Americans who voted for President Biden, the 2,905,427 Americans who voted for 3rd party candidates for President and the 1,712,749 American voters didn’t select any Presidential candidate but selected other candidates down ballot in the 2020 Presidential Election) as if our voices and concerns don’t matter.

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Non-MAGA Republicans, this is an opportunity to show Red America, Blue America, Independent & 3rd party America that you can take off the negative partisan jersey and join with House Democrats in an All American unity Government. A government where we can adopt common sense reforms on our internal processes, share committee chairpersonships, and work on policies that benefit your voters, Democratic voters, 3rd party voters and those who didn’t vote, not just the MAGA voters and states only. Democratic Leader Jeffries' approach to legislation is one that champions the voices of all members, regardless of party affiliation. He believes in guiding legislation to the floor that represents the ideas and concerns of Democrats and Republicans alike. This will be difficult, but it’s a worthy gambit to advance the cause of America for all Americans, not just for MAGA Americans.

[1] https://ballotpedia.org/Unique_chamber_leadership_arrangements_in_state_legislatures,_1994-Present

[2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/10/06/hakeem-jeffries-bipartisan-coalition-house-gop/

[3] https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2022/11/25/9-democrats-and-8-republicans-form-bipartisan-majority-in-alaska-senate/