Rep. Richard Hudson (left) pulls Rep. Mike Rogers back as they talk with Rep. Matt Gaetz and others during the 14th round of voting for speaker as the House meets for the fourth day to try and elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress in Washington, January 6, 2023. /Getty
Editor's note: The U.S. lauds itself as a lighthouse of democracy. But the reality is quite the opposite. American Lighthouse Dying Down is a three-part series delving into the contrast between the democratic ideals and the stark realities present in the United States. The second essay focuses on Washington's political turmoil. Wei Nanzhi, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a research fellow at the Institute of American Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.
"Strike" and "ousted" were keywords for the United States in 2023.
From the Writers Guild of America to the Screen Actors Guild, to the United Auto Workers, and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, massive strikes rocked the film, education, manufacturing, and healthcare sectors.
Among these strikes, the political landscape has also been tumultuous. Most notably, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to remove Kevin McCarthyas Speaker on October 3, 2023. McCarthy, who had been elected to the position after 15 rounds of voting, became the first Speaker in U.S. history to be ousted from office with the shortest tenure in more than 140 years.
In his quest to secure the position of Speaker, McCarthy had previously struck a compromise with the far-right faction within the Republican Party, stipulating that a single House member could force the chamber to consider dismissing the Speaker. This compromise ultimately paved the way for Republican Representative Matt Gaetz to initiate and successfully pass a recall motion.
Then House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R) talks to Representative Matt Gaetz in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol, January 6, 2023. /GETTY
In response to his removal, McCarthy stated, "our government is designed to find compromise. I don't regret my efforts to build coalitions and find solutions." Apparently, McCarthy's efforts were not recognized – all 208 Democratic members of the House of Representatives, along with eight hardline Republicans, voted in favor of McCarthy's removal.
For Democrats, McCarthy was a pawn to instigate rifts among Republicans and close the door on future bipartisan cooperation.
Over the past decades, differences between the two parties were resolved through compromise, with politicians acting in the interests of their respective backing interest groups. However, U.S. politics today is witnessing polarization, with demands from interest groups becoming more divergent and uncompromising. Cross-party cooperation and consensus have become nearly impossible.
McCarthy's removal has manifested deep-seated and irreconcilable conflicts in the internal governance of the United States. The current system and established norms can no longer effectively reconcile these complex internal contradictions. Furthermore, efforts to export these conflicts abroad have proven futile. As a result, the Democratic and Republican parties are becoming increasingly polarized. In the meantime, factions espousing conflicting political ideologies are emerging within each party. Adopting a neutral stance has proved to result in disastrous consequences, compelling politicians to strongly align themselves with their respective parties and factions, engaging in "life-or-death" battles.
The empty chair of the Speaker of the House on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the United States. /Xinhua
The unprecedented compromise McCarthy made upon taking office has put U.S. politics at a hidden peril: Against the backdrop of intense political fights, removing people from key positions is easy. The easy recall motion will, again, inevitably exacerbate political polarization. The conflicts within parties and deep rifts between factions within each party mean a consensus is difficult.
Such an intense political climate has spilled over into U.S. society, manifesting itself in increased threats of politically motivated violence and attacks. Since the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021, the United States has witnessed numerous cases of political violence, often incited by "lone wolf" attackers or occurring during rival group demonstrations and rallies. Analysts warn that the United States may be heading towards widespread political violence, according to the Guardian.
McCarthy was sacrificed for U.S. partisan fights. His removal lays bare not only the profound internal divisions within the Republican Party but also the fact that the U.S. political tradition of compromising for the backing of interest groups is vanishing.
As a result, political fighting has become an every-day event in the United States. Former President Donald Trump faced allegations of property fraud; President Joe Biden is currently under investigation for impeachment; the federal government has experienced frequent shutdown crises.
With McCarthy's departure, the U.S. political landscape still has to undergo a substantial metamorphosis.
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