by Ryan Christie
The role of the Speaker of the House is becoming an increasingly thankless and difficult job, especially for a Republican. This is clear with the October 3rd removal of Kevin McCarthy, in a completely needless and unconstructive act led by Matt Gaetz, the Republican congressman from Florida’s 1st Congressional district.
The reality of the situation is that currently the Democratic Party holds the Presidency and a Senate Majority (albeit narrowly), and the Republicans hold a very slim House majority. This means that current dealings with the opposition will not always be the most favorable to conservatives. Kevin McCarthy’s record as Speaker is not perfect by any means, but it is commendable given the above limitations. There is a serious discipline problem inside the Republican Party, one that constantly replacing the Speaker is not going to fix.
A group of eight Republicans inadvertently aiding the Democratic Party and the Biden Administration by undermining the Republican agenda cannot continue. The fact of the matter is that Joe Biden’s presidency has been a complete disaster for the United States. Inflated prices of food and fuel foreshadow a recession. America’s stature on the world’s stage has been diminished, and domestically, crime and a decaying social fabric threaten the long-term stability of our country.
Any spotlight on the Republican’s inner squabbles takes away from that fact, and as the 2024 election approaches it is imperative that the Republicans unite against this continued state of decline. Hence, whoever is the next Speaker must reinstate some form of discipline.