House Republicans have now officially nominated Gym Jordan to be speaker. He defeated Rep. Austin Scott of Georgia, about whom I know nothing, by a vote of 124 to 81. That’s somewhat better than Steve Scalise did against Jordan earlier this week, which was 113 to 99. The magic number to get the gavel is, of course, 217, and no one is saying Jordan’s going to get 217. Several mainstream Republicans have said they would not support him, the NY Times reports.

Four Dems of the House “problem solvers” caucus, led by the odious Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, are floating a proposal to give temporary speaker McHenry “expanded authorities” that would allow some bills to be voted on.

Specifically, the Democrats are proposing to let McHenry bring up any emergency aid for Ukraine or Israel, a short-term bill that extends government funding through Jan. 11, or general consideration of fiscal 2024 spending bills. Those powers should be limited to 15-day increments, they proposed, with extensions possible if the House GOP continues to remain without a leader.

In exchange, the Democratic quartet suggested, their party would be allowed to fill up 50 percent of the House’s suspension calendar — which is reserved for noncontroversial bills and requires two-thirds votes for passage, not simple majorities.

Better than nothing, I guess.

The polls in Israel show that a huge majority of Israelis blame Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government for the Hamas attacks. A smaller majority, 56 percent, think Netanyahu must resign.

Of all the stupid and senseless killings of black men by police, none were more stupid and senseless than the killing of Elijah McClain, 23, in Colorado. Yesterday a jury found one of the police officers involved in the death guilty of criminally negligent homicide and assault. Another officer was acquitted. A third officer and two paramedics who treated McClain with a probable overdose of ketamine have yet to be tried. It doesn’t seem quite enough to me.