As my regular reader (Hi Jeff!) can certainly attest, I’m a lifelong moderate Democrat (here in Colorado Springs that makes me a “far” lefty). And if I had my druthers, I’d very much want the Democrats to control the House as well as Senate and the presidency. But that’s not the world we live in, and so, given the current mess the House Republicans have created, let me say:

Ken Buck for speaker.

A recent Colorado Politics article noted U.S. Rep. Buck and our national embarrassment, U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert were two of the GOPers who, in their closed conference meeting, did not support the anointed successor to the former speaker, Kevin McCarthy, in Louisiana U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise. In the hierarchy of the GOP House, Scalise was the No. 2 guy under McCarthy, and it makes some sense he would be the logical successor, though he dropped out of the race Thursday evening. Scalise’s rival for the role of speaker was the remarkably unskilled and ultra-Trumper Jim Jordan of Ohio, whose own past is, well, let’s just say checkered.

Boebert voted for Jordan because, while she is apparently willing to date Democrats, she wants to draw a political line in the sand so far to the right it isn’t really located on the national beach anymore (Editor: maybe stop with the overreaching analogies?).

Boebert is a lost cause.

But Ken Buck, as reported in CoPo, withheld his support for – get ready for it – matters of principle. Yes, Buck opposed the favored successor because Scalise (to say nothing of Jordan) refused to declare the 2020 election was not, in fact, stolen from former President Donald Trump. Buck also said Scalise refused to commit to bringing additional funding for Ukraine to the House floor (you know, the country that is fighting Russia? An enemy Republicans used to oppose?).

This, dear readers, is a big deal.

Both of these positions by Buck are principled and important. Buck is refusing to be part of the cult of Trump, wherein all news counter to the former president’s own statements is rejected as “fake news.” And he is trying to keep his party focused on the actual things happening in the world, like the war in Ukraine.

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Buck, in an increasingly purple state, has therefore taken positions far more commonly found among the Democratic elected officials here in the Centennial State, because, frankly, they are the right thing to do. Such choices are not without political risk, in today’s politics usually in the form of a ultra-pro Trumper running in the GOP primary against him. Remember Scott Tipton?

Buck also noted Ukraine and the recent horrors in Gaza are related, in terms of being national security threats to the United States. Buck strongly feels the role of Iran needs to be fully explored and responded to, and he’s right, though we might disagree on responses.

In an unusually frank admission, Buck noted, “You know, what are the choices here? And that’s really the bottom line. We’ve got some very serious problems around the world, and I think we need to find ways to move forward. It’s not an ideal situation. Kevin McCarthy wasn’t an ideal situation. Kevin led the effort to decertify the electors in 2021 on Jan. 6, so it is one of those issues where you just have to do the best you can.” Again, Buck demands leadership that functions in the real world, not trapped in some insurrection-denying world.

As you likely learned way back in civics class, the speaker of the House is often called the second-most important job in our government, only ranked behind the presidency. The speaker decides who sits on which committees for the majority party, as well as controlling what legislation is allowed to reach the floor, among many other important functions. The speaker is third in line for the presidency (not second, as if often reported. That person is the VP) and without a speaker in place, the House cannot do any business.

That means that, at a time when Ukraine continues to battle Russia (which, again, Republicans used to see as our enemy and the leader of Russia as a dictator) and perhaps even more urgent, with the need to pass enabling legislation to support Israel with weapons, ammo and lots of other things, nothing is being done.

That is shameful.

Had Kevin McCarthy not made deals with both his ultra-right nutjobs and with the Dems, and then broken those deals, he likely would still be the speaker. But he didn’t keep his word, and despite all his attempts to blame President Joe Biden and occasionally his far-right foes, he lost the support of eight members of his caucus and therefore he lost his job. We really need to fill that void.

I won’t pretend I agree with Ken Buck on most issues. But I do believe he and I, and most folks, share the same goals of improving the lives of Americans while doing our best to help other nations and peoples. We absolutely disagree on the methods and the best way forward, but a Speaker Buck would be a person whose word could be trusted, and whose goals would be clearly stated and not part of some cultish Trump worship. Oh, and he’s anti-insurrection, which is something I’m amazed I even have to mention.

And so, let me suggest to those on the other side of the aisle the best compromise candidate for speaker is Ken Buck of Colorado. Yeah, but I’m not counting on it. There are too many nuts in the GOP right now for a commonsense choice to win.

And that’s a pity.

Hal Bidlack is a retired professor of political science and a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who taught more than 17 years at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.