The “Speaker Problem” — Solved October 4, 2023October 3, 2023 It’s simple: Let the Republicans flail briefly — because, really, they deserve to — but then elect Brian Fitzpatrick speaker. He co-chairs the Problem Solvers Caucus, which is made up of 32 moderate Democrats and 32 moderate Republicans. Here he is, with his Democratic counterpart, Josh Gotheimer, on this past Sunday’s Face the Nation. If our 212 Democrats and at least a few of those 32 Republican problem solvers voted AYE, we’d have a new, moderate speaker. Most of the country would be thrilled. We could get a lot of the country’s work done the old-fashioned way: finding sensible solutions via acceptable compromises. Maybe even learning to like each other again. Wouldn’t that be nice?