For the first time in American history, the Speaker of the House has been removed from the U.S. House of Representatives.
In a historic 216-210 vote, former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy was removed from his position in the House. TIME reported this marked “a dramatic but expected end to McCarthy’s contentious 10-month tenure as leader of the House and setting the stage for an intense intraparty search for his replacement.”
The vote, however, set a dangerous precedent and left policy-making in limbo.
The democratic side of the house voted unanimously to unseat McCarthy alongside eight “hard-line Republicans,” according to NPR.
The House left without a speaker begs the question: what happens next? Trust us, we are far from heartbroken that McCarthy is losing his job, but the movement stalls legislation, hurting the American people by delaying the ability to move forward on important issues like integral healthcare bills.
“As House Republicans scramble to find their next speaker, the implications of a paralyzed House are sweeping,” ABC News reports, also noting the numerous legislative efforts being delayed.
Without the Speaker of the House’s position filled, legislative sessions can’t be conducted. With a government shutdown looming and the inability to pass funding bills as a result, the House must come to a decision on the new Speaker quickly.
“Members must elect a new one (House Speaker) before they can get back to their to-do lists, which include funding the government to avoid a shutdown in the next 43 days,” stated NPR.
American politics have grown increasingly divided when it comes to having an open dialogue between the two parties, and whoever takes office must be willing to do so. Could the Republicans purposely elect someone even more hard-line who simply refuses to negotiate with the opposing party? We have many concerns about who the House Republicans elect.
Forerunners in the position for House speakership include Oklahoma Republican Rep. Steve Scalise and Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan. According to CNN, Scalise has faced blowback for a 2002 speech given to a white supremacist organization with ties to the Ku Klux Klan….Jordan was a “prominent supporter of Trump’s lie about electoral fraud,” according to The Guardian.
Both candidates were backed by big names in the Republican Party. Jordan was endorsed by former President Donald J. Trump, while Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis voiced his support for both Jordan and Scalise. With glowing endorsements from both Trump and DeSantis in mind, we find these candidates unfavorable, to say the least.
The Democrats hold a strong responsibility in the selection of a new chair. To us, they are rolling the dice on who could be elected next after they voted to remove McCarthy, agreeing to vacate the position they felt was previously unwilling “to break from MAGA extremism in an authentic and comprehensive manner,” according to Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. The House Democrats do not feel confident in the candidates put forward for the chair given the Republican previously filling the role, and frankly neither do we.
The comments and concerns on Trump-supporting Republicans ring true, especially considering Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz’s endorsement of the former president as a possible candidate for the congressional opening.
“My friends, when Donald Trump was President taxes were cut, regulations were slashed, energy was abundant,” Gaetz said. “I rise to nominate Donald Trump for the position of Speaker of the House.”
We are anxiously awaiting the decision on the new Speaker of the House. Whoever takes the mantle must be able to better collaborate with opposing sides as they work to push the integral and important bills through the House. We hope steps are taken to prevent a government shutdown, and the new Speaker will create a more balanced political climate for all members of government, ultimately better serving the American people. We are, however, not confident.
