Opinion: Right-wing lunatics running asylum

The nation and much of the world is reeling from the horrific and unsettling events that have occurred between Israel and Hamas. There’s also a war still going on in Ukraine, and looming overhead is the possibility the federal government may shut down in about a month.

Amid it all, the House Republican majority is making a mockery of effective governance.

As I’m writing this column, two weeks out from the removal of Kevin McCarthy, Republicans have yet to elect speaker to succeed him. Clown show doesn’t even seem the perfect term to describe such an inept debacle. It’s true the GOP House caucus has engaged in some admittedly clownish behavior, but even clowns are trained and skilled performers who perform such antics as part of their stock and trade.

This sordid saga initially began in January when it took the Republican majority 15 rounds of voting to finally elect McCarthy as speaker, long a goal of his political career. But his victory was a pyrrhic one. His nine-month tenure was the briefest for any speaker since Michael Kerr, who died in office in 1876. His ousting was engineered by Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz and seven other far-right Republicans, motivated by a confluence of factors but most notably to curry favor with their right-wing constituents.

South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, one of the “gang of eight” who were instrumental in removing McCarthy, claimed she was being targeted and castigated for her vote. Determined not to be ignored, Mace strolled into the caucus meeting with a big red “A” decal on her T-shirt reminiscent of 17th century adulteress Hester Prynne. But Prynne never gave out any of the salacious details of the man who had impregnated her. So Mace either decided to provide a revisionist version of “The Scarlet Letter,” or she has never read or properly comprehended Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel.

North Carolina Rep. Greg Murphy was so put off by his fellow colleague that he wrote on social media: “#GetADamnLife.”

As if this level of chaos wasn’t already surreal enough, New York Rep. George Santos made a frantic effort to leverage his vote in return for a promise he would not be expelled, despite his 23 felony indictments for various kinds of fraud. That being said, it appears his fellow New York GOP colleagues have reached the breaking point with him and want to see him ousted sooner rather than later. As the old saying goes, real life politics is sometimes stranger than fiction.

Initially, Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise was reassured he would likely garner strong support and be able to secure the crucial endorsements needed to be elected as the next House Speaker. Later in the week, he withdrew from consideration once it looked as if he would be unable to secure the necessary votes from his colleagues. Opposition against Scalise ranged from his ties to right-wing groups and most notably his comment “I am David Duke without the baggage.” Others cited his recent and current health issues. In reality, it was likely a combination of both factors that eventually sank his candidacy.

There are certainly some conservatives who have denounced the tactics of their more extreme brethren, but these individuals seem to be voices in the wilderness rather than being taken seriously as rational voices of reason.

Currently, the right-wing lunatics are running the political asylum.

Elwood Watson is a professor of history, Black studies, and gender and sexuality studies at East Tennessee State University. Contact him at:

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