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A couple days ago, Steven Pearlstein, Pulitzer Prize winning professor of public affairs at George Mason University, explained in a Washington Post column "How to take Congress away from the crazies" . Professor Pearlstein outlined in detail how a bipartisan majority could implement some simple procedural changes that would allow the House to function productively. He concludes:

“These modest steps, easily within the power of moderates and pragmatists, would neutralize extremists, break through the partisan gridlock and jump-start bipartisan compromise to solve some of the big issues facing the country.”

While the professor doesn’t address the question of replacing Speaker McCarthy, he did make this observation about extremists who hijack the legislative process:

“The only reason the hijackers succeed is because party leaders and the quiescent majority of reasonable lawmakers won’t muster the courage and imagination to stop them.”

Since the Speaker of the House determines which bills are brought to the floor for debate and vote, it’s primarily the Speaker who must lead with courage and imagination. Unfortunately, both are qualities sorely lacking in the leadership of Kevin McCarthy

Our task continues to be advocating for the removal and replacement of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House.

Whatever combination of circumstances initiated the emergence of a bipartisan majority to pass the debt limit bill, that moment has clearly passed. But now we know that it’s possible. A cross-party alliance can, and likely will be resurrected.

We also know that Kevin McCarthy is uniquely unfit to lead the House of Representatives as Speaker.

As if to illustrate the point, yesterday Mr. McCarthy allowed a floor vote on a motion to censure Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA). Mr. Schiff committed no offense, violated no rule of conduct, did not behave in a manner unbecoming of a House Member. What he did, was to perform his Constitutional duties with a thoroughness and integrity that exposed Donald Trump’s criminal behavior for all to see.

Adam Schiff led Mr. Trump’s first impeachment inquiry, and took a leading role in the work of the January 6 Committee. The vote to censure him yesterday was sheer retaliation, pure and simple. That Speaker McCarthy facilitated this travesty is disgraceful and by itself merits his removal.

But nothing I could say about this begins to approach the eloquence of Mr. Schiff’s statement before the vote:

“Speaker McCarthy would spend the nation’s time on petty political payback, thinking the censure or fine will force Trump's opposition into submission. But I will not yield. Not one inch. The cost of the Speaker’s delinquency is high, but the cost to Congress of this frivolous and yet dangerous resolution may be even higher as it represents another serious abuse of power.

“I say this to Speaker McCarthy and others who wish to gratify Donald Trump with this act of subservience, try as you might to expel me from Congress or silence me with a $16 million fine, you will not succeed you might as well make it $160 million. The Speaker will never deter me from doing my duty no matter how many false justifications or slanders you level against me. You indict yourselves.”

Indeed they do indict themselves. And Mr. Schiff’s words are an inspiration for us to work even harder than before, re-committing ourselves to the task we’ve chosen.

Kevin McCarthy must be removed, and replaced with a moderate Republican Speaker so as to marginalize and diminish the influence of MAGA extremists.