On Tuesday, Kevin McCarthy was ousted from his position as speaker of the House of Representatives in an event which can be described as nothing short of historic and jaw-dropping. The House of Representatives has fallen into what many have described as “chaos.”
If you are unaware of what has unfolded over the past week in Washington D.C., allow me first to explain the events before I assert my views.
Since McCarthy has filled the seat, he has been the non-stop subject of criticism from hard-line Republicans who denounce McCarthy’s willingness to negotiate with Democrats, especially on the issue of extending the government funding deadline.
Many Republicans such as Matt Gaetz suggested that the new bill, supposedly meant to act as a buffer until Nov. 17, was a submission to Democrats and should have included spending cuts and funding toward the southern border.
It was the first of this kind of removal in U.S. history and sets a precedent that many are hoping isn’t reinstated at any point in the future.
The majority disapprove of McCarthy’s removal while others think it was necessary not to comply with the demands of Democrats and the moderate Republicans.
When McCarthy spoke on his removal, he claimed that he did the right thing in negotiating with moderate Republicans and Democrats, and that he “wouldn’t change a thing.”
All House Democrats and eight Republicans voted to oust McCarthy.
What are the American people to make of this? In my view, it is unsettling considering how fast the vote came to fruition. It gives hard-line politicians the right to act like children when they do not get their way. Disagreeing on policy does not mean one should be removed from their seat. If that were the case, American politics would have never advanced to the level it has now. Policy debates have always existed and rarely does it end up resulting in one losing their job.
I’m not a fan of McCarthy, but it is evident that restoring Americans’ faith in the government requires cooperation rather than what looks to be heavy instability.
Harvard professor and author of “How Democracies Die,” Daniel Ziblatt says, “If you want to know what it looks like when democracy is in trouble, this is what it looks like. It should set off alarm bells that something is not right.”
Additionally, there is no replacement. Do Republicans want someone who is refusing to cooperate with the Democrats? In addition, no Democrats in the House voted to keep McCarthy as speaker, representing a harsh divide between right and left.
This will continue to permeate into American social life. As tensions rise to unprecedented levels, our elected leaders have little desire to stop them from rising further.
Electoral politics is not simply a game of keeping promises to your colleagues. If funding the government keeps the economy from hurting American families, then that is what must be done.
In short, this move by both far right Republicans and the House Democrats is unsettling. It represents how far our country is from living up to its proposed standard.
