Editor’s Commentary: It is imperative for the fate of the nation that the Republicans holding out against Kevin McCarthy continue to do so and a different candidate emerges. Andy Biggs would be an ideal choice among those being considered. Steve Scalise would be more acceptable than McCarthy.
McCarthy represents a continuation of the Uniparty Swamp’s control over Capitol Hill. He had opportunities in recent months to demonstrate leadership that goes beyond being the RINO side of the Swamp’s coin, but instead he tipped his hat to the Establishment and promised business as usual. At the 11th hour he has made a handful of concessions to give the holdouts justification to save face while Establishment shills pressured them.
The Speaker of the House is the 2nd most powerful elected official in Washington DC, just behind the President. The Uniparty Swamp has controlled the position for decades and our country has suffered as a result. The rare opportunity to break the cycle is being presented to the House. Let’s pray that Republicans step up and do what’s best for our nation. Kevin McCarthy ain’t it. Here’s Mark Tapscott and Madalina Vasiliu from The Epoch Times with the details…
WASHINGTON—Chaos walked into the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday and made itself home as members of the new Republican majority rejected House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s bid to become speaker, but then failed to settle on an alternative candidate.
In the first vote of a tumultuous first day of the 118th Congress, McCarthy, the California Republican who led the party to regain the majority in the November 2022 mid-term election, fell 15 votes short of the 218 he needed to become Speaker of the House.
McCarthy received 202 votes from Republican colleagues, while 211 Democrats voted for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who will serve as House Minority Leader in 2023. Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz), the leader of the anti-McCarthy members, received 10 votes. A handful of Republicans voted for candidates who were not nominated.
That vote capped a frenzied two days of back-room bargaining and media posturing by McCarthy and his supporters and a small group of dissident populist conservatives who demanded and got a host of reform concessions, but still voted no on the first ballot.
The bottom line for the dissidents was they just don’t trust McCarthy to be the agent of change they believe must lead the House in what they are determined to make the last two years of President Joe Biden’s tenure in the White House.
“I came to a broken and dysfunctional Congress to change it. Advancing the long-standing pecking order one notch has no prospect of doing that. Many don’t want to change it,” Rep. Dan Bishop (R-North Carolina) posted on Twitter just before the first vote.
“Kevin McCarthy is not the right candidate to be Speaker. He has perpetuated the Washington status quo that makes this body one of the most unsuccessful and unpopular institutions in the country. This is not about personality or who has ‘earned’ the position, it is about serving the American people. I will not support the status quo,” Bishop continued.
In the final minutes before the new House assembled for the speaker contest, a clearly exasperated and frustrated McCarthy told reporters: “I have the record for the longest speech ever on the floor. I don’t have a problem getting a record for the most votes for Speaker, too.”
He was referring to his more than 90-minute December address to the House in opposition to Biden’s $1.8 trillion omnibus spending bill.
With Republicans expecting early in 2022 to benefit from a giant “Red Wave” that would decisively carry them back into the majority in the November mid-term election, bargaining between McCarthy and members of the House Freedom Caucus (HFC), the lead element of the conservative rebellion, began in July.
The HFC, headed by Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) published a lengthy set of proposed changes in the House rules, which determine how legislation is written, debated, and voted on for final passage or defeat.
At the center of those proposals was one to restore the “motion to vacate the chair,” a rule that enabled one member of the House to move for a new vote on the speaker. That motion had been part of the House Rules since its first session in 1789.
But when Democrats regained the House majority in 2018 and elected Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) as the speaker, the motion was dropped. That move epitomized a trend that began several decades ago of concentrating power in the speaker and his or her chosen House leaders.
The HFC dissidents demanded the motion be restored as the prerequisite to multiple reforms they claimed were necessary to return the House to its status as the most direct voice of the people.
McCarthy initially opposed restoration of the motion to vacate, but in the final days before Tuesday’s drama, he offered to compromise by requiring at least four co-sponsors to back an initial motion.
He also agreed in the final days before the vote to support restoring the Holman Rule, a legislative procedure under which the House can defund the salary and benefits of a particular civil servant in the executive branch.
The Holman rule was first instituted in the 1870s and was used sparingly thereafter, mainly to remove civil servants who balked at carrying out congressional directions on programs and policy.
The HFC dissidents viewed restoring the Holman Rule as vital to their ability to force change in the Biden administration’s radically liberal management of the federal bureaucracy.
On Monday, as the final hours ticked away, McCarthy had made multiple concessions to the dissidents, but the final negotiations turned bitter as five members of the informally named “Never Kevin” caucus—including Representatives Andy Biggs of Arizona, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Bob Goode of Virginia, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, and Matt Rosendale of Montana—continued to demand more concessions.
By the time the House assembled for the first time as part of the 118th Congress, it appeared there was no more compromising possible.
Rosendale issued a statement saying “Members of the House Freedom Caucus presented Kevin McCarthy with proposed rule changes months before the election. The changes needed in Congress go beyond the Motion to Vacate. Serious reforms are required to restore the House to regular order.
“McCarthy had multiple opportunities to demonstrate leadership abilities and advocate for conservative policies. He had leverage to advance common-sense reforms during the CR, NDAA, & infrastructure legislation. He had early opportunity to address the rules and chose not to do so.
“Now, it’s disingenuous and not reliable to believe that his proposed changes would ever be implemented. We need a Republican Speaker who will challenge the status quo and ensure that every member has a voice.”
With this first failure, the House begins a struggle not previously seen since 1923 when nine ballots were needed to settle on a new speaker. A second ballot will be taken later this afternoon.
Article cross-posted from The Epoch Times.
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.