Among Republicans, Delight in Destruction Reigns

Ousted House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is the victim of a fight about the direction of the party.

In his State of the Union address this year, President Joe Biden greeted the recently elected Kevin McCarthy, joking, “I don’t want to ruin your reputation, but I look forward to working with you.” It was obvious that the new house speaker did not find it funny.

It is well known that at the heart of every good joke is a kernel of truth. In fact, his cooperation with the Democratic Party is what sealed McCarthy’s fate. From the perspective of the Republican extremists and democracy-haters, McCarthy’s misdeeds were that he had wanted to work with the political enemy to pass the six-week temporary funding bill for the federal budget. Eight right-wing Republican ideologues, led by Donald Trump loyalist Matt Gaetz, and 208 Democrats thus voted on Tuesday to eject the speaker after only nine months in office. Apparently, even the Democrats could not resist the temptation to snub the Republicans.

Intraparty Confrontation

But McCarthy dug his own grave. From the beginning, he subserviently avoided an intraparty confrontation. He let himself be pushed around by the obstructionists and promised everyone what they wanted to hear just to get elected. In addition to the fundamental influence they have on legislation, the Trumpist extremists established at the time McCarthy was elected, the call by one representative was enough to put a motion to vacate the office of speaker to a vote.

The irrational sabotage by Trump’s followers is the first highlight of a long fight among Republicans about the essence of their party, a fight the party is fighting without regard for the losses. That the largest house in Congress now threatens to descend into chaos and stagnation is a price radical Republicans see as a great victory. Even the patriarch Trump probably celebrated. McCarthy, according to Gaetz, is part of the “swamp” in Washington, and Gaetz is just doing some “house cleaning” before Trump’s second term.

But the “house cleaning” should instead be taking place within Trump’s own party. Those who want to be Republicans need to choose before next year’s presidential election anyway whether it is a conservative but pragmatic party within a democratic and constitutional framework, or whether it is a party that has submitted to Stockholm Syndrome and cannot separate itself from Trump, the man who has taken it hostage.

Radical Destroyers

It has long ceased to be about political content but is instead about the pure lust for delight in destruction. Politics with a wrecking ball is one of Trump’s specialties, one that his followers value as an art form.

The problem for the path back to pragmatism is about who will stand up to the wrecking ball and confront the radical destroyers. Who has the credibility needed to run for election? Tragically, no one seems to meet the criteria.

The House of Representatives will have a new speaker by next Wednesday at the earliest. The problems will presumably remain the same. The U.S., Europe’s biggest ally, seems to be increasingly absorbed by its own inability to be governed — and that’s not good news for the future of democracy.