On debt commission, don’t trust partisan wolf in bipartisan sheep’s clothing

After three weeks of paralysis, the House finally has a new Speaker.

In a speech from the floor after being elected with unanimous Republican support, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) struck a practical, even affable tone, as he laid out his vision for the House.

But we shouldn’t mistake tone for substance. And while we hope the Speaker opens the door to bipartisan compromise and agreement — a necessity in divided government — he doesn’t exactly have a sterling record of bipartisanship.

In fact, Mr. Johnson has been a near constant roadblock to bipartisan accomplishment during his tenure in the House of Representatives. He voted against the effort to establish a bipartisan commission to investigate the breach of the Capitol on Jan. 6. He voted against the bipartisan infrastructure law. He voted against the bipartisan renewal of the Violence Against Women Act. And, just a few weeks ago, he voted against a bipartisan compromise to keep the government open through Nov. 17 and avert a costly, needless shutdown.

Given this illustrious partisan history, it was curious to me, as I heard Speaker Johnson deliver his opening monologue, that he kept calling for bipartisan compromise — especially as it relates to slashing government spending.