We have had some great speakers of the House of Representatives throughout history, but it gets clearer every day that Mike Johnson is very unlikely to become one of them.

Not long ago, Johnson turned against and killed the bipartisan immigration and border security bill negotiated by conservative Republican Sen. James Lankford, even though it contained many of the strict reforms that Johnson has long supported.

Then, just this past week, Johnson said he is refusing to allow a vote on a bipartisan Senate bill that would provide military aid for Ukraine because that bill did not include many of the same strict border controls he rejected in Lankford’s border security bill.

There is an old saying often posted on the wall of knick-knack shops: “You break it, you bought it.” Thanks to Johnson, Republicans can now be tagged for a good share of the blame for the border chaos and the growing threat to liberty in Ukraine, which is a gift to Vladimir Putin.

The Advocate, Johnson’s Baton Rouge-based hometown newspaper, called him out after his border security flip-flop, saying that Donald Trump was likely behind it. “Johnson denies he’s following Trump’s lead, but we can only conclude that Trump is more interested in having a crisis to exploit than a solution achieved on his opponent’s watch.”

“As irresponsible as that is, Trump currently plays no official policy role. Johnson does. We’re disappointed to see him go down that path and urge him to reconsider.”

A Wall Street Journal editorial said, “The Senate bill has reforms Trump never came close to getting. … By any honest reckoning, this is the most restrictive migrant legislation in decades.”

As if Johnson’s sins of omission — refusing to pass the border security bill and military aid for Ukraine — were not enough, he did manage to get the votes to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, in spite of no evidence of “high crimes and misdemeanors.”

Johnson was embarrassed when he failed on his first attempt. He won by only one vote days later. A small group of Republicans refused to play along with this politically transparent gambit. Criticized by Republicans and Democrats, it will go nowhere in the Democratic-controlled Senate. But it is the only sort-of win Johnson can claim.

We have seen speakers promote the agendas of their political parties without losing sight of their national duties. Speaker Sam Rayburn of Texas first served under FDR, co-authoring New Deal legislation. But “Mr. Democrat” also worked with Republican President Dwight Eisenhower and Republican leaders in the 1950s.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi earned the enmity of conservative Republicans by successfully passing infrastructure, health care and social reform legislation. The liberal Californian also faced challenges from the left wing of her own party. But she received the support of Republican President George W. Bush to help pass critical environmental legislation.

It wasn’t long after the nation was founded when the speakership acquired national responsibilities. In 1811, Speaker Henry Clay, who would serve six terms, took control of the national agenda and battled presidents and congressional factions. He became known as “The Great Compromiser” for his ability to pass legislation.

But Johnson has no interest in compromise, even when it is important for the good of the nation. And the Congress he leads is worse than the “do nothing” Congress that President Harry Truman ran against and beat in 1948. Johnson’s Congress is actually doing harm.

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