House speaker

Re “McCarthy’s speaker bid shaky despite concessions” (Jan. 3): The GOP has certainly taken the fun out of dysfunction unless of course one finds the chaos amusing and gratifying as do the late night talk show hosts. Beyond that, it should be a source of national embarrassment, since it is akin to America’s Funniest Home Videos where people laugh at other people’s distress and embarrassment when falling on their butts in any number of self-inflicted mishaps.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy closely resembles Charlie McCarthy with the equivalent of Edgar Bergen in the form of the 20 far-right GOP members taking turns manipulating his actions, and as ventriloquists, putting words in his mouth. Regardless of viewpoints, the end result is a Congress that will do little other than demonstrate the GOP is not fit for purpose. For that I want to thank my fellow Americans who elected this clown show, informed by more than the usual bevy of attack ads with which we are incessantly bombarded.

In that regard, we must now ask ourselves how we arrived at this juncture; historic in that the last time it occurred was in 1923 when Frederick H. Gillett of Massachusetts had his turn in the barrel like the proverbial fish, being shot at by a vocal minority. Back then prohibition had been enacted and by this point, many members of the Congress likely needed a drink. Today, we have legalized marijuana — available in many states leading one to ask the question whether the GOP-led Congress is stoned or just stupid.

— John Mannarino, Virginia Beach