The debt deal negotiated by Kevin McCarthy (center) is causing displeasure among right-wing Republicans in the United States. © Jacquelyn Martin/dpa
There is discord among the Republicans. Above all, the debt deal is causing trouble. The far-right is now increasing the pressure on the party leadership.
Washington, D.C. - Kevin McCarthy is under a lot of pressure. Again and again, the Republican, who as speaker of the House of Representatives in the USA is number three in the state ranking after the president and his vice-president, has to defend himself against various attacks from his own ranks. That was the case again now.
As reported by CNN, among others, a group from the right-wing fringe of his party has flatly refused to follow him in votes on two Republican bills. In order to prevent the passage, the right-wingers from the so-called Freedom Caucus were even willing to vote together with the Democrats. It is the first time in about two decades that bills have been blocked in this way.
Freedom Caucus
The Freedom Caucus is an association of extreme right-wing representatives of the Republican Party within the Republican caucus in the United States House of Representatives.
Debt deal infuriates right-wing Republicans
The background to the revolt is the debt deal that the Republicans had recently negotiated with US President Joe Biden in tough negotiations led by McCarthy. Large parts of both sides are dissatisfied with the agreement. While left-wing Democrats complain about cuts in the social sector, right-wing Republicans do not go far enough with the cuts. "No one gets everything they want in a negotiation," Biden said at the time.
Republican Rep. Chip Roy made it clear that the debt deal should not have been negotiated "without talking to us." The aim here is to restore a process that fundamentally transforms things back into a functioning state. "We're frustrated with how people work here," Rep. Matt Gaetz agreed. "We no longer live in a time when the chairman is the autocrat."
In fact, the eleven members of the Freedom Caucus who voted against the bills had previously opposed McCarthy's debt deal. All eleven now also made it clear that they would continue to vote against McCarthy indefinitely - until McCarthy was willing to include their views in the political work of the House of Representatives. These are the following eleven members of the Freedom Caucus:
- Dan Bishop
- Andy Biggs
- Ken Buck
- Tim Burchett
- Eli Crane
- Matt Gaetz
- Bob Good
- Paul Gosar
- Ralph Norman
- Matt Rosendale
- Chip Roy
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McCarthy has a tough time in the House of Representatives
The revolt once again illustrates the fragility of McCarthy's narrow majority in the House of Representatives. The Republican caucus, like the entire party, is torn between right-wing supporters of former President Donald Trump and more moderate party members. How far the Freedom Caucus will go is unclear. After all, the group could also try to oust McCarthy from office. However, the right is apparently not yet prepared to demand a corresponding vote. Such an action could throw the Chamber of Parliament into chaos.
McCarthy did not have it easy with the far-right of the group from the beginning. In January, for example, he was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives only after days of torment. For weeks, McCarthy had fought against the rebellion in his own ranks and repeatedly made new concessions to appease the right. Since then, they have been doing everything they can to remind McCarthy of the power they possess. Because in order to be able to do politics, McCarthy has to win over almost all members from the extreme fringes of his group. (cs
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