07 January 2023
Republican Ambition
The overriding principle of Kevin McCarthy’s career has been achievement of the House speakership. But he would not have accomplished that goal if the Republican Party were not dominated by politicians who also have no higher principle than their own career advancement.
The U.S. House of Representatives under the GOP will probably become a showcase for media-directed demonstrations of the nihilistic anti-government policies that have brought the GOP into the majority. They recognize that, ironically, their constituents expect them to reduce the impact that the government has on the general welfare.
The media have been complicit in this devolution of one of the the law-making bodies of our democracy. The dependence of 35-40% of Americans on the electronic media for their news and opinions has allowed politicians who are skillful entertainers to build reliable followings that support their career ambitions.
Donald Trump took advantage of this to win the Presidency in 2016. Now that most Republican representatives owe their election victories to the same group of disaffected citizens, Kevin McCarthy has traipsed the same path.
