Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Rep. Matt Gaetz Says He Plans To Oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) said he plans to try to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy after the California Republican worked with Democrats to avoid a government shutdown on Saturday.

“Speaker McCarthy made an agreement with House conservatives in January and since then he’s been in brazen, repeated material breach of that agreement,” Gaetz told Jake Tapper on “State of the Union” on Sunday. “This agreement that he made with Democrats to really blow past a lot of the spending guardrails we set up is a last straw.”

“I do intend to file a motion to vacate against Speaker McCarthy this week,” Gaetz continued. I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid. I think we need to move on with new leadership that will be trustworthy.”

McCarthy responded to Gaetz on Sunday, saying, “I’ll survive.”

“This is personal with Matt,” McCarthy said on CBS. “Let’s get over it. Let’s start governing.”

With three hours to spare on Saturday, McCarthy proposed a bill that passed both chambers with bipartisan support and was signed by President Joe Biden to keep the government funded until Nov. 17 at current levels. Hard-line conservatives had insisted on passing a measure that included spending cuts.

As part of his negotiations to win the speaker position in January, McCarthy restored the ability for just one member to make a motion to oust the speaker, which would then prompt a House floor vote. Last week, Gaetz said he would constantly try to oust McCarthy.

“We are going to have [votes] regularly,” he said. “If we have to begin every single day in Congress with the prayer, the pledge and the motion to vacate then so be it.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) told Tapper on Sunday that she would “absolutely” vote to oust McCarthy.

“I think Kevin McCarthy is a very weak speaker,” she said. “He clearly has lost control of his caucus. He has brought the United States and millions of Americans to the brink, waiting until the final hour to keep the government open, and even then, only issuing a 45-day extension, so we’re going to be right back in this place in November.”

Original Article
Source: Huff
Author: Paige Skinner

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