The question for the Jacobins is what’s the plan if they oust Mr. McCarthy? Their latest justification is that they want someone they can trust in the job, but Mr. McCarthy has bent over backward to please them. It is never enough. Mr. Gaetz scores Mr. McCarthy for relying on Democrats for the funding bill, but Mr. Gaetz is counting on nearly all Democrats to join him to oust Mr. McCarthy.

Democrats could decide to provide some votes to save the Speaker, but they may prefer to see the GOP conference in chaos. Democrats will exact a price for pro-McCarthy votes if they choose that route—another example of how the Gaetz Republicans help the left despite their claims to be conservatives. That’s why GOP Rep. Carlos Giménez called Mr. Gaetz “Joe Biden’s favorite Republican” on Fox News on Sunday.

Mr. Gaetz, Matt Rosendale, Andy Biggs, Ralph Norman, Dan Bishop and pals have given no evidence that they understand the reality of divided government. It requires House GOP unity to have any leverage against a Democratic Senate and President, and even then there has to be compromise.

The rejectionists claim to be the only Republicans with principles, but their only apparent strategy—and only seeming goal—is to blow everything up.

[To use the quote from “The Dark Knight,” some men just want to see the world burn. This is all about their butthurt over the Speaker election nine months ago, not about principle. As the WSJ editors point out, McCarthy’s first proposal had actual spending cuts, but the House F***-up Conference torpedoed it out of spite. — Ed]