American politics has faced similar chaos for 100 years.
The nacelle of America’s democratic machine is unmanned, cannot choose its leader – Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Voting on Tuesday was chaotic, with multiple votes for speakers failing to produce a winner, which will be repeated until one person can secure a majority.
But don’t think this is just the chaotic familiarity of democracy.Fighting, division and pain are within; within a party – a fragmented and dysfunctional republican party.
What is the background?
in november midterm electionsPresident Biden’s the democratic party Retained control of the Senate but lost control of the House of Representatives.
The majority and power in the House of Representatives went to Republicans. Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi stepped down to make way for a Republican replacement. Let’s say it’s Kevin McCarthy.
But the midterm “red wave” – a landslide over the Republicans as Mr Biden’s Democrats are perceived to be weak – has not worked. Contrary to conventional wisdom about how the incumbent’s party fared in the midterms, Democrats kept the Senate and only narrowly lost the House.
Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi resigns after midterm elections
So why are Republicans struggling to choose a leader?
Two reasons: First, because the party has split into factions — from the far right to a more centrist caucus.
Second, because they only have a slim majority, it makes the math tricky for Kevin McCarthy, who needs to get 218 votes from a Republican total of 222 seats.
Why does this matter?
In short, the House cannot govern and legislate without the Speaker. It must go ahead and hold a speaker vote until a candidate wins. The two camps – the OK (Only Kevin) camp and the Never Kevin camp seem to be entrenched in each other.
Going back in history again – back in 1856, just before the American Civil War, it took two months and 133 votes to find the speaker.
Kevin McCarthy
What’s wrong with Kevin McCarthy?
Mr McCarthy seemed confident he would win votes, but his fight has grown harder as opposition has grown. Initially there were five die-hard “no way Kevin” Republicans. But in Tuesday’s vote, that number increased to 14, then 19, then 20.
In a farce, some Republicans voted for their colleague Jim Jordan, who then voted for Mr McCarthy and said he did not want to be speaker.
It is perhaps more ludicrous that Representative Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat, could win more votes than Mr. McCarthy in the first three votes, and it deeply worries the GOP.
“We’ll probably have a fight on the field,” Kevin McCarthy told reporters after the humiliating day. “But this fight is for the conference and the country, and that’s fine with me.”
Mr McCarthy’s opposition is led by a faction within the party – the House Freedom Caucus, a right-wing group that wants to change the rules of the House.
The Never Kevin group has come up with various alternative candidates, including Andy Biggs of Arizona, nominated by far-right lawmaker Paul Gosar. On the second ballot, Jim Jordan was nominated, even though he didn’t want the job.
Kevin McCarthy and Donald Trump in 2020
Is there a Trump factor?
Yes, always. Overnight, the former president told NBC News in an interview that he had not yet made a decision to support Mr. McCarthy. But by morning, he seemed to have a firmer view, telling his fellow Truth Social followers that he stood by him.
Trump has been blamed for the GOP’s lackluster performance in the midterm elections, as well as divisions and divisions within the party.
A record-breaking new Congress?
Yes. In addition to the history made during the Speaker election process, the 118th Congress broke records in many ways.
It includes a record number of women — 149 — making up 28 percent of the legislature. Diversity improved in both chambers, with 58 women of color serving. In the House of Representatives alone, there will be record numbers of Latino and Black women.
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The Chamber of Commerce is also getting younger. Just 5% of members of Congress are under 40, but nearly 21% of new MPs are under 40. The House now has its first Gen Z member, Maxwell Frost, a 25-year-old Democrat from Florida.
Once a speaker is found, what’s on the agenda?
a lot of. Republicans will control several House committees, pushing for new investigations that could shake up the political landscape.
read more:
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The investigation will begin over the financial dealings of President Biden’s son Hunter, the administration’s handling of migrants at the southern border, the COVID-19 pandemic and the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.
Names to watch: Kentucky’s James Comer and Ohio State’s Jim Jordan may be the biggest players in the survey. Mr. Comer will serve as chairman of the House Oversight Committee and Mr. Jordan will serve as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
Beyond domestic politics, note the genuinely bipartisan focus on China. A new commission will focus on competition with China.
“The Chinese Communist Party is the greatest geopolitical threat of our lifetime,” Mr McCarthy said in a recent statement.