The Republican Share of the Blame

Published in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
(Germany) on 22 October 2015
by Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Thomas Johnson. Edited by Gillian Palmer.
The Republicans, especially an aggressive, conservative libertarian group within the party, carry the blame for the fact that the American political system doesn't work anymore.

According to the U.S. Constitution, the constitutional significance of the speaker of the House is telling. The office holder is second in the nation's presidential line of succession, after the vice president. There have been speakers who could exact political leverage equal to that of the president.

Republicans, and more specifically an aggressive, conservative libertarian group within the party, are now using the position of speaker to ride roughshod over the greater majority, much like in the Senate. Their arrogant, ideological stubbornness just brought the former speaker to his knees, and following his resignation, has scared off the presumed replacement as well.

Now, the chairman of the Republican Study Committee wants a momentous reject to be put up for election to the position — former vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan — but only if the party truly stands behind him. That could be good were it to fly in the face of the disastrous "culture of compromise," but that seems near impossible to imagine. Republicans are an accessory to the structural failure of American politics.


Die republikanische Mitschuld

Die Republikaner, besonders eine aggressiv libertär-konservative Gruppe in der Fraktion, tragen eine Mitschuld daran, dass die amerikanische Politik nicht mehr funktioniert.

Nach der amerikanischen Verfassung ist die staatsrechtliche Bedeutung des „Sprechers“ des Repräsentantenhauses herausragend: Der Amtsinhaber rangiert an dritter Stelle im Staate, nach dem Präsidenten und dem Vizepräsidenten. Es gab Sprecher, die es machtpolitisch allemal mit dem Präsidenten aufnehmen konnten.

Mit diesem Amt nun treiben die Republikaner, die, wie im Senat, die Mehrheit auch in der größeren Kongresskammer stellen, Schindluder; genauer gesagt, das tut eine aggressiv libertär-konservative Gruppe in der Fraktion. Deren anmaßende ideologische Sturheit hat erst den früheren „Speaker“ zur Verzweiflung gebracht und dann, nach dessen Rücktritt, den mutmaßlichen Nachfolger abgeschreckt.

Jetzt will der Vorsitzende eines wichtigen Ausschusses, der frühere Vizepräsidentschaftskandidat Paul Ryan, sich zur Wahl stellen - aber nur, wenn die Fraktion wirklich hinter ihm stehe. Das wäre gut, man kann es sich angesichts der so desaströsen „Kultur der Kompromisslosigkeit“ aber fast nicht mehr vorstellen. An der Dysfunktionalität amerikanischer Politik sind die Republikaner mitschuldig.
This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

Hot this week

Poland: Ukraine Is Still Far from Peace. What Was Actually Decided at the White House?

Ireland: Irish Examiner View: Would We Miss Donald Trump and Would a Successor Be Worse?

Canada: Putin Is Negotiating Victory, Not Peace

Thailand: Appeasing China Won’t Help Counter Trump

Mexico: Trump and His Personal Style

Topics

Thailand: Appeasing China Won’t Help Counter Trump

Poland: Ukraine Is Still Far from Peace. What Was Actually Decided at the White House?

Ireland: Irish Examiner View: Would We Miss Donald Trump and Would a Successor Be Worse?

Canada: Minnesota School Shooting Is Just More Proof That America Is Crazed

Australia: Donald Trump Is Taking Over the US Federal Reserve and Financial Markets Have Missed the Point

Israel: From the Cities of America to John Bolton: Trump’s Vendetta Campaign against Opponents Reaches New Heights

Related Articles

United Kingdom: The Democrats Are in Deep Trouble in the US – and Labor Is on the Way to Joining Them

Pakistan: The Heir Apparent

Germany: Unfortunately, Reality Comes to Those Who Wait

Germany: A Software for Authoritarian Restructuring

Malaysia: Even MAGA’s Having Doubts: How Israel Is Losing the American Right