Moderate Republicans ARE NOT being held hostage by the alt-right Freedom Caucus. They could end ALL this nonsense by working with the Democrats instead.
But then the far right Republicans might post mean things about them on Twitter/X and might go on FOX News to call them traitors. So instead, they'll try to hammer out a deal with the Freedom Caucus who's main policy seems to be "if everyone doesn't give us 100% of what we want right now, we'll burn America down."
The moderates could actually form a rebellion that would be more effective than that of the far right group, I think. The freedom caucus can block but I don’t think they can elect a different speaker - they would have if they could have - but a moderate Republican + all Dems coalition could elect someone else - even a moderate Republican.
There's always an Arquillian Battle Cruiser, or a Corillian Death Ray, or an intergalactic plague that is about to wipe out all life on this miserable little planet.
Can we flashy thing the Freedom Caucus and convince them that they only thought they were in the House because of swamp gas reflecting off a weather balloon?