re: Johnson could have passed a much smaller minibus avoiding a shutdown.

Could he have though? He has a razor thin majority with a party that can’t decide what’s for lunch without having a knockdown drag out amongst its members.

And yes I know it’s part of his job as Speaker to circle the wagons and bring everyone together but when you were given the job because the first guy got voted out, nobody else liked the other options, and when you’re name came up enough people said “frick it. I guess I can deal with him. Let’s get this over with and done.” You don’t have much political capital or bedrock to sit on and just trying to make it work. It’s almost like an interim coach when the head guy gets fired midseason.