The uncompromising, opportunistic Kevin McCarthy was eventually elected Speaker

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President Biden today honored 12 Americans with Presidential Citizen Awards for their successful efforts to protect the Capitol during the January 6 uprising. Biden continues to model how presidents behave when they honor people with a high moral commitment to democracy and public service. On the two-year anniversary of the uprising, democrats have honored the day by demonstrating gratitude, compassion, and determination to fight back against the people and ideologies that threaten the stability of American democracy. In contrast, Republicans chose to ignore the day in support of the anti-democratic “big lie” and the disgraced Donald Trump.

Matt Getz, Andy Biggs, Laurent Boebert and other alt-right extremists eventually switched their votes to McCarthy as “presents” for the other candidates, which lowered the threshold required to be elected Speaker. These House members neither like nor trust McCarthy, refusing to vote yes on McCarthy’s behalf. It also indicates that they have taken away from him the concessions that prompted them to stop voting against him. Republicans are divided so moderate House members may be the only way to marginalize Trump, Bannon loyalists.

The chaotic resistance to electing McCarthy as Speaker of the House by MAGA House representatives reveals the divisive extremism and corruption now embodied in the House chamber. McCarthy was forced to humiliate himself by making deals with MAGA extremists and begging for votes. Political pundits speculate that McCarthy made concessions to MAGA members that weakened the speaker’s role and would increase chaos as the House tried to work for the American people.

Despite Trump’s growing irrelevance, the toxic opposition to American democracy has already metastasized with the Republican Party. This fact was on full display this week. The GOP’s goal is to dismantle our government institutions. They use democratic phrases such as, “We are the greatest democracy in the world” and “I love our constitution” to illuminate their base, while their actions align with the revolutionaries.

As House Republicans played power and revenge games, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries led a unified Democratic caucus with 212 votes. He also gave a speech reminiscent of President Barack Obama’s speech of inspiration. The bottom part of his speech compares the values ​​of democrats versus the values ​​of republicans;

“He said House Democrats will always embrace American values ​​over tyranny, benevolence over bigotry, the Constitution over religion, democracy over democracy, economic opportunity over extremism, liberty over fascism, governance over gaslight, optimism over hate, segregation over isolation. , justice over judicial excesses, knowledge over kangaroo court, freedom over limitations, maturity over mar-a-lago, normality over negativity, opportunity over obstacles, people over politics, quality of life issues over QAnon, logic over racism, substance over slander, Victory over tyranny, burden over ugliness, suffrage over voter suppression, working family over well-connected, genial over xenophobia.”

In comparison, Speaker McCarthy’s speech was generic, full of more ass-kissing of Trump, the usual “love America” ​​platitudes, and generalities at the level of a middle school essay. No policy was mentioned except for Biden’s investigation. To quote the weakest speaker in US history:

  • Our system is built on checks and balances. It’s time for us to check and bring some balance to the president’s policies…nothing is more important than making it possible for American families to live and enjoy the lives they deserve.”
  • “Our nation is worth fighting for. Our rights are worth fighting for. Like fighting for our dreams. Our future is worth fighting for.”

Hakeem Jeffries showed McCarthy a speech that identified what was wrong with where McCarthy and the MAGA party wanted to take America. The party is dying, Trump is pathetic, and thankfully the Democrats have turned their attention to protecting America.