Israeli diplomat Abba Eben famously said that Palestinians should never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. Looking at events in the Middle East over the past two weeks, this quote may seem newly relevant.

But it seems even more appropriate for the Republican Party.

At a time of international and domestic unrest, with an unpopular incumbent Democratic president languishing in the polls, and the Republican primaries dominated by a

several times

As an election denier, it doesn’t take a Solon to realize that it would be a good idea for the Republican House majority to adopt a collective attitude of reassuring competence.

But they chose to take a different path.

On Monday, nine Republicans in the House of Representatives had announced they would seek the job of Speaker of the House of Representatives. This came after weeks of unrest sparked by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and seven Republican colleagues who voted to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) out of spite. In the aftermath, Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) defeated Gaetz’s preferred candidate, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, in a Republican election to replace McCarthy. But Jordan’s allies refused to back Scalise, who quickly withdrew his name from the race. Then, after three rounds of voting, Jordan failed to win the election and withdrew.

Jordan’s campaign for the job was remarkable in its hypocrisy. A career bomber in Congress who made his name by making life miserable for party leaders, Jordan suddenly embraced the virtues of compromise. He reportedly offered to support a vote on the abomination of Ukrainian aid for his bloc and offered moderate Republicans in New York an increase in federal tax exemptions for state and local taxes to win over reluctant members. Naturally, Jordan played the good cop while his allies played the bad cop, using conservative media to fuel political intimidation and even threats to force their capitulation.

As embarrassing as the ongoing unrest is for Republicans, blocking Jordan was the right call. The idea that 5% of the faction can unashamedly defend one speaker, while 95% must support the losers’ choice for the sake of the party is ridiculous from every angle.

Still, Republicans could have viewed the case of Jordan’s sudden political maturity as a learning opportunity, to understand how politics, and especially congressional politics, should work. Politically, speakers are supposed to iron out differences within their coalition, in the interest of the entire party. Majorities are always diverse. That’s why speakers are supposed to be traffic cops, not ideological rabble-rousers. The ultimate goal is to promote responsible legislation that ideally leads to an expansion of the majority.

It was cute that Jordan and his allies suddenly realized that winning coalitions require internal compromises for the good of the party.

But what Jordan and his allies still cannot grasp is that their broader approach to politics is bad for the party and therefore bad for conservatism and America (assuming you think

That

America needs conservative policies).

More than ten years ago, the rioters, often from safe seats, put their own interests above the parties. Their stunts and schemes that force government shutdowns and support Donald Trump’s fraudulent efforts to steal the election make it harder for Republicans in competitive districts to win elections or re-elections. They don’t really care if the Republican Party loses control of Congress. They are happy with the political bill, knowing that the moderates will be stuck with the bill.

Currently, Patrick McHenry (RN.C.) is the speaker pro tempore, or acting speaker. He got the job thanks to a continuity of government rule passed after September 11 that requires each speaker to appoint someone to fill the job in case the speaker is incapacitated. McHenry, a level-headed and responsible lawmaker, was McCarthy’s choice, and to McHenry’s credit, he doesn’t want the job, which is why he is best suited for it.

To his credit, McHenry has declined to take on the full powers of speaker, not wanting to set a precedent for an unelected speaker to abuse the role. It’s the right instinct, even if the law isn’t clear on that question. Why appoint an emergency speaker who is unable to handle an emergency?

McHenry has said he is open to a bigger role, but only if the House formally votes in favor of him. Ideally, all Republicans would come to their senses and simply elect him chairman. And even if he needed some Democratic votes to end the chaos, this would be the grown-up thing to do. That’s why the Republicans will likely miss another opportunity to be a governing party.

@JonaDispatch