The best summary of the chaos in Washington over California Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy’s sixth failure to get the necessary votes for Speaker of the House of Representatives was expressed in a Tweet from the noted investment advisor Tom Hearden: “We haven’t seen a McCarthy lose this much in January since (Head Coach) Mike (McCarthy) got fired (by the Packers) in Green Bay.”

Kevin McCarthy is finished.  He is an individual correctly perceived even in his own caucus as incompetent and untrustworthy.  He offers only an agenda of Stalinist-style show trials against Democratic associated figures (e.g., Hunter Biden). He has absolutely no policy principles whatsoever.  Like the biblical Esau, McCarthy sold his soul to Donald Trump regarding the January 6, 2021 treasonous insurrection for a mess of pottage.

While former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich was deemed by much of the media to be corrupt, excessively partisan, and unethical, he was unquestionably a brilliant foreign and domestic policy analyst.  Kevin McCarthy has never in his tenure in the House of Representatives demonstrated a scintilla of policy concern.  He is all about a naked quest for power without purpose.

There is a solution to this nightmare amidst all the chaos.  It would involve enterprising non-MAGA conservative House Republicans facilitating a coalition with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries under which Jeffries provides 75 Democratic votes and the GOP provides at least 143 of the 218 votes necessary to elect a new Speaker.

The Democrats could under any deal get some committee chairs. The new Speaker does not have to be a present or former member of the House of Representatives.  Ideally, it should be a non-MAGA conservative Republican.

And non-MAGA conservative Republicans will get their party back!

A word about Hakeem Jeffries.  I am a major supporter of his.  He is from BROOKLYN (that makes me love him already, as my readers will understand) and a major force for the enhancement of the historic African-American/ Jewish alliance.  A partner of Jeffries in this effort has been New Jersey Jewish Democratic Congressman Josh Gottheimer.

But back to the search for an alternative conservative non-MAGA Republican Speaker candidate. Two names are already being mentioned.

The first is recently retired Michigan Congressman Fred Upton, 69.  He would be a superb selection, and I love the fact that he is an environmentalist.  The fact that he is an environmentalist, however, may prevent him from getting the necessary support from GOP House members.

The second is Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole, 73. He is a brilliant academic historian and supreme intellectual.  His avuncular personality has served him well down through the years in dealing with younger House members.

Cole has another unique aspect.  He is a member of the Chickasaw Indian nation. He is both conservative and decidedly non-MAGA, having vehemently opposed the January 6, 2021 insurrection.

I have another possible candidate.

How about former House of Representatives member and Ohio Governor John Kasich, 70?

Stay tuned.

Alan J. Steinberg served as regional administrator of Region 2 EPA during the administration of former President George W. Bush and as executive director of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission.