Could The Public Option Sneak Back In?

This article is part of The D. C. Brief, TIME’s politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox. When Vice President Kamala Harris arrives at the Capitol on Friday to swear-in the new class of Senators, many of the smiling politicians handing her their family Bibles will be the same ones who for months have been telling crowds that she was a threat to the American way of life.

“You’ve got a bunch of people who are far from home, inadequately nourished, overly caffeinated, perhaps drinking alcohol, often sleep deprived, cranky, and constantly plunged into uncertainty about their schedule and travel.” — Retiring Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), quoted by The Atlantic, on the problem with Congress.

“With less than 24 hours left until the start of the 119th Congress, Mike Johnson doesn’t have the votes yet to remain speaker,” Politico reports. “Roughly a dozen Republicans are still on the fence, as some of them try to get concessions on the rules or commitments from Johnson on spending.” Vanity Fair: Republicans aren’t making life easy for Mike Johnson.

There’s a viral meme that perfectly encapsulates what might lie ahead this year in politics: the classic “fuck around and find out” chart. And when it comes to Donald Trump, many of his voters score pretty high on the “fuck around” axis. .memberful-global-teaser-content p:last-child{ -webkit-mask-image: linear-gradient(180deg, #000 0%, transparent); mask-image: linear-gradient(180deg, #000 0%, transparent); } Join now to continue reading. Members get exclusive analysis, bonus features and no advertising.

“House Republican leadership is eyeing Fort McNair, an Army post in Southwest Washington, as the tentative location for a conference retreat on Saturday on its ambitious legislative plans on the border, energy and taxes,” Politico reports.

“House Democrats are expecting full attendance at Friday’s speaker vote, as lawmakers who have faced recent health issues return to Washington for the start of the new Congress,” Politico reports. “Democrats are expected to universally oppose Republican Rep. Mike Johnson for speaker, meaning he can lose only one vote and still win the gavel.”