With less than a day left until the United States Public Administration closes because the Republican Party cannot agree on what laws to approve in the House of Representatives, where it has the majority, the civil war in that political formation is intensifying . The most ‘Trumpist’ sector of the party, which is the one that is forcing the closure of the federal State, is launching an offensive to remove the president of the House, also a Republican, from office. But, since these legislators do not have the necessary votes to do so, they are trying to reach an agreement with their declared enemies: the Democratic left.
The possible alliance is, at best, unprecedented, and at worst a sign of the factionalism – rather tribalism – that American politics is reaching, in which the most conservative and traditional Republican wing, led by Rep. by Florida Matt Gaetz, who is an avowed McCarthy foe, is speaking with Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal of Washington state. It is an unnatural union, between a supporter of building the walls that are needed on the Mexican border and a defender of immigration. But politics is like that. In any case, more than a possible solution to the crisis, since it seems impossible for them to reach an agreement, the negotiations between Gaetz and Jayapal are rather a reflection of the balkanization of US politics.
Meanwhile, McCarthy continues trying to reach a last-minute agreement to avoid a shutdown of the Administration that could potentially have very negative consequences for the Republicans themselves. His latest proposal is to authorize a minimal budget package, with budget cuts and measures against illegal immigration.
To a certain extent, it is a surrender – another one – of McCarthy to the ultra-conservative wing of his party, but it is not clear that it will come to fruition, especially since what that wing wants is the head of the president of the House – although not have no one to replace him – and, with such demands and with one day left until the closing, it does not seem that there will be time left to negotiate much.
