In a historic turn of events, US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was removed from his leadership post on Tuesday, marking him as the shortest-serving speaker since 1875. The unexpected ousting occurred when a small group of far-right Republicans, in conjunction with Democrats, voted 216 to 210 to strip McCarthy of the speaker’s gavel. This dramatic decision came on the heels of McCarthy’s collaboration with Democrats to pass a short-term funding bill, a move aimed at averting a government shutdown.
While the expulsion may appear abrupt, it is far from surprising. The schism within the Republican Party has been brewing for some time, with a faction of far-right Republicans steadfastly adhering to radical ideals and refusing to cooperate with their Democratic counterparts. Moreover, McCarthy’s tenure as speaker was characterized by fragility from its inception. Matt Gaetz, one of the Republicans involved in forcing the vote to vacate McCarthy’s chair on the House floor, had consistently opposed McCarthy’s bid for speaker as early as January. McCarthy’s ascent to the position was an arduous one, involving a grueling 15 rounds of voting over four days, during which he had to concede to rules that made it easier to challenge his leadership.
In addition to facing opposition within his own party, McCarthy also garnered distrust from Democrats. His breach of a spending agreement with President Joe Biden in May further eroded any remaining goodwill. Despite McCarthy’s collaboration with Democrats to prevent a government shutdown, not a single Democrat supported him in Tuesday’s vote. Democrats remained convinced that McCarthy’s presence as speaker, especially in light of his September order for an impeachment inquiry into President Biden, would impede the Biden administration’s political agenda. Furthermore, they believed that McCarthy’s removal would plunge the Republican Party into turmoil, stalling their efforts against the Democrats. All in all, McCarthy had effectively become a “lame duck” speaker.
Zhang Tengjun, deputy director of the Department for American Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, observed that McCarthy’s ouster underscores the intensifying partisan struggles in the United States. Loyalty to one’s party now supersedes the ability of the two major parties to find common ground and reach consensus for the benefit of the American public.
“It does not matter whether one holds the position of House speaker or not; what truly matters is which party they belong to. This demonstrates the extent of the division between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party,” Zhang noted, highlighting how U.S. politics has entered an era marked by “a host of demons dancing in riotous revelry.”
The extensive media coverage of McCarthy’s removal has only fueled the frenzy surrounding this event. Nevertheless, it serves as a stark representation of the so-called democratic politics in the United States. In a functional democracy, the removal of a single politician should not disrupt the political system’s operation. However, McCarthy’s removal has thrust the House into a state of chaos, underscoring the profound impact that cooperation with the opposing party can have on political fortunes.
Wei Zongyou, a professor from the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, offers a deeper perspective, asserting that democratic politics extends beyond mere elections; it hinges on mutual compromise and restraint.
“If the two parties fail to find common ground, resorting to political differences as a pretext for all-out conflict, it can lead to a deadlock or even a civil war, ultimately jeopardizing the foundations of democratic politics,” Wei cautioned.
As the 2024 presidential election looms, U.S. democracy faces a severe test. The Republican Party must grapple with the ongoing chaos and address this latest leadership crisis. Without a strong House speaker to bridge the divisions within the Republican ranks, it could have far-reaching implications for the party’s overall election strategy and its ability to advance its political agenda.
Meanwhile, Democrats, watching the Republican turmoil from their House chamber seats, may be tempted to ridicule their counterparts for their inability to govern effectively, holding them responsible for the persistent political gridlock. However, Democrats should also be cognizant of the fact that Republican resistance to cooperation on critical issues could stymie the Biden administration’s political agenda. A chaotic political landscape in the coming year may not necessarily favor the Democratic Party, making the outcome of the 2024 election uncertain and unpredictable.
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