The Republican-controlled House of Representatives was unable to pass an appropriations bill for the Department of Energy today because too many members of the Republican caucus voted against their own bill.
Democrats voted against the bill because of the spending cuts included in it, among other things, but Republicans who control the chamber voted it down because it would affirm President Obama's executive order banning anti-LGBT discrimination among federal contractors.
It failed 112-305, with 130 Republicans — more than half of the House GOP caucus — joining all but six Democrats to sink the legislation.
House GOP leaders could still try to bring spending bills to the floor, but they may start considering them under a more limited process that prevents lawmakers in either party from offering unlimited amendments.
Before he became the Speaker, Paul Ryan won the support of the skeptical Flying Monkey Freedom Caucus by pledging to give them a say in drafting legislation and open up the amendment process.
I was going to say that evidently wasn't a good idea, but I suppose it doesn't really matter one way or the other. Giving the Freedom Caucus a larger say in the process can produce legislation that has no chance of passing or being signed by the president, but excluding them from the process can also produce legislation that has no chance of passing or being signed by the president.
If House Republican leadership moves toward a "more limited process" it won't actually change the outcome. It could even make Speaker Ryan's job more difficult.
Republicans are incapable of governing.