Actually the ones behind these shenanigans are doing it because they hope people will remember come the mid-terms. At least, they hope the people they represen

Actually the ones behind these shenanigans are doing it because they hope people will remember come the mid-terms. At least, they hope the people they represent will remember (and literally do not care about the rest). Most of the people behind this are only in Congress because their safe districts value these sorts of extreme stunts over actual governance. Not being sufficiently extreme can result in losing a primary challenge. Which is also why there's a fracture in the Republican Party over this move. The congresspeople behind this mess need only please their safe district. But the congresspeople not in safe districts, and Republicans who run for statewide or federal offices, are terrified that voters will remember these sorts of stunts in subsequent elections. Their chances to win will (continue to) crater.