Editor's note: Bradley Blankenship, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a Prague-based American journalist, political analyst, and freelance reporter. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives was ousted from his position earlier this week, sparking massive political chaos in the country. Republican Representative Kevin McCarthy became the first speaker ever to be booted from office, and his replacement, Patrick McHenry, based on the current dynamics in Congress, essentially cannot do anything except convene a session to approve a new speaker – and, on that note, he adjourned the House, and now members are simmering on how screwed up this all is.

It's important to note, going back to January, that the 118th United States Congress was supposed to have been inaugurated on January 3 following midterm elections the previous November that saw the House of Representatives flip from Democratic Party control instead to the Republican Party. However, infighting within the now-majority GOP has led to severe dysfunction to the point that this sub-branch of government literally could not function for several days.

This is because the House could not agree on a new Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, the third-highest constitutional official and the body's leader. California Representative Kevin McCarthy could not get the necessary votes to take office due to holdouts from within his party until the 15th ballot, the most since before the American Civil War. And that means the new Congress wasn't sworn in on time.

This had extraordinary consequences for the federal government, even if for a few days since the House could not function until a speaker was chosen. No bills could be passed; no resolutions could be adopted; and Congress couldn't carry out government oversight by calling witnesses before committees. Incumbent members of Congress even lost their security clearances to get briefings about sensitive military and intelligence matters since they are technically not in office at the moment.

It's important to note that Republicans had two months to decide who their speaker would be during that spat in January. Now, they don't have the luxury. What's worse is that while a government shutdown was just averted last week due to a stopgap funding bill through mid-November, if finding a new speaker takes even the same amount of time then a government shutdown is inevitable. This would be a totally avoidable crisis.

It's also important to note why this took place. To begin with, Florida Representative Matt Gaetz forced a vote on a motion to vacate McCarthy's office after the bipartisan temporary funding measure was passed. Then Gaetz and his ultra-pro-Trump colleagues joined with the Democratic Party to oust the speaker. In essence, MAGA was mad at McCarthy for supposedly collaborating or cutting a deal with Democrats – then joined with them to remove him.

On top of this flawed logic, it is clear there was no strategy to begin with. MAGA Republicans do not have another speaker candidate to present, and even if they did, they would have no support. Accounts have emerged that some of the lawmakers who voted against McCarthy didn't even know how they'd vote until it was in the moment. Plus, with McCarthy gone, the House will essentially stop functioning as it should – meaning no bills passed, resolutions adopted, committee meetings or subpoenas at a time when MAGA is also trying to impeach President Joe Biden.

It's obvious that the Trump wing of the party doesn't just want a seat at the table; they want to launch a coup against the party to expel anyone who doesn't adhere to the personality cult surrounding the former president. That's why pro-Trump candidates challenged politicians who voted to impeach Trump – out of spite. In essence, the specter of Trump is still continuing to haunt politics to this day, as seen in this latest episode in the House.

There is no strategy, no coherence and no sense – only contrarianism and blind anger. This sort of senseless division is only bad for the United States, both politically and in terms of civil society. As stated before, this is the very first time this has ever happened; America keeps charting new historical territory in the worst kind of way, for instance, in ways that indicate its basic institutions and rule of law are degrading.

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