In a matter of irony only possible in American politics, successful efforts to avert a government shutdown have led to a shutdown in the House of Representatives. Following Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) 11th hour deal with Democrats to avert a looming government shutdown, the House of Representatives voted 216-210 for his removal on Oct. 3 and his position still remains unfilled. While the plan was formulated by the eight Republicans who voted against the speaker, it was ultimately the union of 208 Democrats that sealed McCarthy’s fate. This has left the House paralyzed as Republicans squabble to find a consensus leader. The Democrats’ decision to oust McCarthy is a grave political error which highlights their own contributions to polarization, and this will hurt both the Democratic agenda and the American people.
Since former President Donald Trump’s chaotic departure, Democrats have painted themselves as the party of reason. They’ve professed their dedication to progress, governance and the people. While Republicans are focused on sham impeachments and the culture wars, Democrats are focused on kitchen table issues, like inflation reduction and climate change. Unless, of course, they can do something they believe to be politically-advantageous by deliberately sending the Republicans into chaos, and in the process, halting our government. The removal of McCarthy demonstrates how quick Democrats are to abandon their focus on the people when a politically-expedient opportunity arises.
Democrats claim their vote against McCarthy was a vote against Make America Great Again (MAGA) extremism. Considering their votes aligned with those of the Republican Freedom Caucus, who are actual MAGA extremists, this reasoning makes no sense. Democrats are naive to claim that the vote to remove McCarthy was anything but an attempt to make Republicans look bad. The squabble to become the next speaker of the House has highlighted divisions in the Republican party, which has made Democrats look put together in the media. But once the dust settles, Democrats will be considerably worse off than they were with McCarthy.
With the divided Republican caucus unable to agree on a consensus nominee, it may be weeks before the House has a speaker. While Republicans pledged to elect Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) as speaker on Oct. 17, the day ended with no consensus and Republicans pledging to try again on Oct. 18. Even if a speaker is elected on this date, the two weeks it has taken is not time Congress nor the American people have to spare. With a looming Nov. 17 budget deadline, Congress needs to act fast to avert a government shutdown. A shutdown would mean a stoppage in pay for nearly 2.2 million federal employees and 1.3 active-duty troops, significant uncertainty in the economy and even a disruption in federal education funding to school districts, colleges and universities. This is something that Democrats understand, and they were certainly not quiet about McCarthy stalling on the issue. Yet they were still willing to trade a short term political boost at the expense of the American people.
Even worse, the next speaker is far less likely to work with Democrats on any issue. While McCarthy might have been willing to give concessions to Democrats knowing his career rested in their hands, it is unlikely that the next speaker will be willing to reach across the aisle. After all, McCarthy just got shafted by Democrats for reaching across the aisle to them. The next speaker won’t do anything but give far-right lawmakers like Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) exactly what they want. Especially if the next speaker is Rep. Jim Jordan, a far-right extremist and Trump favorite. From cutting vital Ukraine funding to raising the social security age, putting the far-right at the helm of our government is dangerous. This not only applies to the upcoming budget negotiations but also to any bipartisan policy that Democrats wish to focus on in the coming year. Because of this, even if a speaker was chosen tomorrow, the likelihood that the majority-Republican House and majority-Democratic Senate would come to a consensus on the budget in time is incredibly low. This time around, Democrats have no one to blame but themselves.
The Democrats’ decision is just the latest showing of how deeply polarized our government and society has become. Not only will it have real world consequences for Americans, but it also sets a dangerous precedent for the future. While Republicans did it first with their sham impeachments and budget antics, Democrats have affirmed that in divided government, partisanship is more important than progress. McCarthy’s removal is the first time in American history that a speaker of the House was removed from the job, but it won’t be the last. Democrats have sent a message to Republicans and set a precedent that if a small minority of Democrats want a future Democratic Speaker dismissed, all they have to do is ask the Republicans. This is dangerous for our government and for our country. It will lead to more partisanship and extremism, all at the expense of the American people.
Democrats are not the only ones at fault for the current chaos in the house, however. Divisions within the Republican party are the main reason why McCarthy had to leave the speaker’s office in the first place. Republicans catering to far-right extremists and lack of care for the American people has left Congress disillusioned and dysfunctional for months. Whether it be holding the budget hostage or holding impeachment inquiries with no evidence, Republicans have shown time and time again their lack of regard for governance.
However unfair it may be, Democrats need to be the party they claim they are. The Democratic Party needs to be the party of reason and progress. Democrats may not have started the current chaos, but they certainly enabled it. In order to avert a government shutdown, which impacts every American, and fulfill their elected duties to serve the American people, Democrats must end the partisanship. Otherwise, we must take notice at the ballot box. Voting out McCarthy was a grave mistake for Democrats. If they’re not careful, they may be next on the chopping block.
Pierce McDade (25Ox) is from Bloomington, Ill.
