The aftermath of the Capitol Hill earthquake.

The removal of Kevin McCarthy from his position as Speaker of the US House of Representatives at this time could have serious consequences for the internal politics of the United States.

Kevin McCarthy has been forced to step down from his position as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. (Source: AP)

A once-in-a-century event

On October 3rd, with 216 votes in favor and 210 against, US House representatives voted to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy from office.

Previously, the Republican Party controlled the House of Representatives with a narrow majority, 221 seats compared to 212 for the Democrats. In that context, just five "rebels" could threaten McCarthy's power once all the Democrats voted to impeach him. This scenario occurred when eight Republican representatives and 208 Democratic representatives supported a proposal to vacate the Speakership of the House, currently held by Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida.

Shortly afterward, McCarthy criticized Gaetz for acting out of personal vendetta, following the Florida congressman's investigation into alleged crimes. The former Speaker of the House said he had "lost his job for upholding the law and the continuity of government ."

Meanwhile, Representative Matt Gaetz denied the allegations, asserting that his actions were aimed at preventing McCarthy's "policy failure."

This is the first time in history that the U.S. House of Representatives has removed its leader. On March 19, 1910, the legislature had attempted the same thing, but Republican Speaker Joseph G. Cannon survived the vote.

Furthermore, Kevin McCarthy became the Speaker of the House with the shortest tenure in the United States in nearly 150 years, serving 269 days (January 7 - October 3, 2023). Prior to that, in 1875, Michael C. Kerr served in this position for only 258 days. The shortest record was held by Theodore Pomeroy, who served for only one day, March 3, 1869. This politician was confirmed to fill the vacancy after Representative Schuyler Colfax resigned to become Vice President under Ulysses S. Grant. However, this was something the Congressman accepted, having announced his retirement on March 4.

With this result, McCarthy's ally, Republican Congressman Patric McHenry, assumed the interim position. However, he could only hold the position for three days, fulfilling "necessary and appropriate duties while the vote to elect a new Speaker" is underway. This is a complex and potentially lengthy process, as McCarthy previously went through 15 rounds of voting to become Speaker of the House.

This is the first time in history that the U.S. House of Representatives has unilaterally approved the removal of its leader. On March 19, 1910, the legislature had attempted to do the same, but the then-Speaker of the House, Republican Congressman Joseph G. Cannon, survived the vote.

Serious impact

So how will this event impact the internal workings of the US government?

First , the impeachment of the Speaker of the House, whose majority party holds the majority in the legislature, initiated by a member of that same party, would damage internal unity within the Republican Party. This once-in-a-century event would also negatively impact the party's position in both the House and the Senate. Furthermore, it would significantly affect the Republican Party's efforts in the 2024 presidential election.

Secondly , this event is the clearest evidence of the troubles plaguing both houses of the US Congress recently. Prior to this, veteran Democratic Senator Bob Menendez had to temporarily leave his position as head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to participate in a trial on corruption charges against him.

Menendez is accused of sharing detailed blueprints of the U.S. Embassy in Egypt, through his wife, with a businessman in the North African country, who then forwarded this information to Cairo. Additionally, he is alleged to have disclosed internal information related to U.S. aid to Egypt.

Senator Mitch McConnell (center), the Senate Minority Leader, experienced two health problems during press conferences. (Source: AP)

Recently, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has repeatedly shown signs of being unresponsive during public speeches. More recently, veteran Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein continued to participate in policymaking until her final months before her unexpected death at the age of 90. This has raised concerns among many American voters about the health and mental well-being of leaders in particular, and members of both houses of Congress in general, given that both of the United States' most important legislative bodies remain dominated by seasoned veterans.

Third , McCarthy's removal from the House Speakership may ease obstacles for the current administration, but it will present other, equally complex challenges. First, while McCarthy posed difficulties for the Joe Biden administration, he remains a familiar face to White House officials.

More importantly, the changes in the House of Representatives could make reaching a final government budget agreement more difficult. Previously, the legislature led by McCarthy only passed a temporary budget by a narrow margin.

In this context, the removal of Kevin McCarthy from his position as Speaker of the House of Representatives at this time could have serious consequences for the internal affairs of the United States.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/he-luy-tu-con-dia-chan-doi-capitol-244755.html