The month of October 2023 was full of turmoil for the United States House of Representatives after the Republican majority elected to remove the speaker, Kevin McCarthy, from his leadership position. It should have come as no surprise that his party lost faith in him as it took fifteen votes for him to be elected in the first place. Though, this is another transparent instance of democratic precedence the Republicans in Congress have continued to brush aside. The most extreme members of the party, coupled with the silent onlookers, have been broadcasting and clumsily accelerating this kind of behavior since the 2016 Presidential election, and the ousting of Speaker McCarthy was a blatant example.
After only nine short months and a list of grievances, all but one Republican member of The House of Representatives voted to elect Representative Mike Johnson as the new Speaker of the House. He has represented the state of Louisiana since 2017 but has been relatively unknown until being nominated for his newly appointed position. However, the more we learn about the new Speaker and his ideological positions, the harder it is to believe he has not been a more prominent party leader. His vocal opinions on LGBTQ+ matters, women’s reproductive rights and other pressing social issues are exceptionally extreme and not in line with a significant portion of the country; though, his aid in attempting to not certify the 2020 Presidential election results perfectly illustrate the systematic erosion these kinds of elected officials are inflicting upon our democratic norms.
The Speaker of the House can sometimes be a forgotten position, but the importance of the role cannot be understated. After the Vice President, the Speaker is next in line to assume the Presidency, if necessary. The Speaker also proposes what bills are brought to the floor and assigns members to committees. The elected official that holds this office should be trustworthy, reliable and ethical because of the reasons listed above, but most importantly to uphold the democratic institutions that hold our country together. One of the most significant threats we have witnessed is the denial of the 2020 Presidential election results, and some scholars say the Speaker is capable of making the certification process significantly harder.
After Speaker Johnson’s win in early October, Amy Gardner and Michael Kranish of The Washington Post analyzed and spoke with experts regarding the Speaker’s history with election denial and what he could be capable of. After President Biden’s win in 2020, they found that Johnson was personally contacted by former President Trump to look further into the ballot counting and its legality. He continued to follow explicit instructions from Trump and rallied members of his party that helped him administer doubt regarding the results of the election. After a loss in the courts, Johnson went even further to recruit his peers in an attempt to overturn the election. Despite the exhaustive research done by non-partisan sources that show zero evidence of voter fraud with the Presidential election, that did not deter Johnson from using his vote to not certify President Biden’s election results. This kind of rhetoric is dangerous for voters to believe, alarming to see elected officials assert but it has the potential to be jeopardous for our democracy. The most frightening part of Johnson’s responsibility and role in the election denial, is that scholars think he could use his sudden promotion to affect the 2024 election results, and it hard to imagine a scenario where his fellow Republican colleagues would prevent him from abusing this power.
Out of everything our democracy has endured over the last several years, the blind support from so many of our elected officials and politicians should be one of the most important issues to understand and address. In “How Democracy Dies”, Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblat assert that, “the abdication of political responsibility by existing leaders often marks a nations first step toward authoritarianism” (Levitsky, Ziblatt 19). Witnessing one hundred and forty-seven members of Congress, Speaker Johnson included, wield unsubstantiated claims in an attempt to overturn legitimate election results, perfectly showcases what the authors were alluding to. By endorsing this level of disinformation in such a consequential way and then promoting one of the most loyal election deniers, these Congressmen showed support for those that want to dismantle our democracy.
Since President Trump announced his presidential bid in 2015, the United States has seen a complete upheaval of the democratic processes and institutions it has grown accustomed to. Disinformation is commonplace and sometimes undistinguishable; respect and the expectation of integrity are much harder to come by. Political extremism is tolerated more plainly than ever, and the appearance of diplomacy has vanished. Of these examples, the fight to certify the 2020 election results is among the most egregious, tangible attacks on our democratic norms. Electing a speaker that cannot be trusted to execute the wishes of the voters at the behest of a dangerous demagogue could be the final vestige that our politics have evolved past a functional democracy.
Works Cited
Levitsky, Steven, and Daniel Ziblatt. How Democracies Die. First edition. New York, Crown, 2018.
Hello Melissa,
Your blog brings up many valid and interesting points to consider in the messiness that has become the House Speaker position. Specifically the point and quote from which you related to “How Democracies Die.” The quote brings into mind, which you touched on throughout your post, how elected officials grow into these highly influential positions of power, even when they do not represent views consistent with the majority of American citizens. Especially when they have a history of such strong anti-democratic behavior, it calls into question the integrity of all members of that institution who allowed them to get there. I would even argue that it contributes to the lack of faith in such institutions as a whole.
This is a great commentary on how Speaker Johnson could represent a true threat to American democracy, both now and in the future during the 2024 presidential election. I particularly liked your inclusion of writings from Levitsky and Ziblatt to prove this point. I thought of their writings in “How Democracies Die” when they wrote on how political parties have become the stewards of American democracy. I see Johnson’s rise to the position of Speaker of the House as an example of how political parties have failed in this role. A majority of Republicans in the House had to support Johnson in order to elevate him to Speaker. By voting for Johnson as Speaker, Republicans have made clear their support and acceptance of election denialism. House Republicans know that as Speaker, Johnson now has greater powers to push such ideas even if it hurts democracy. The Republican party has abandoned its job to protect democracy in favor of helping their own future electoral prospects through the damaging of democratic norms and rules.
Hello Melissa,
Given the relevance of this topic, I was drawn to your post as I also wondered what Representative Johnson’s election to be Speaker of the House of Representatives would mean for the state of our government and democracy.
With this in mind, I also found it interesting that before Representative Johnson was elected to the Speakership, other more ‘moderate’ candidates, like Representative Tom Emmer, failed to gain the support of those in the far right of the Republican Party. Additionally, Emmer failed to gain former President Trump’s support which ultimately cost him the Speakership. I find it worrisome that despite losing the 2020 Presidential Election, Trump remains in control of the Republican Party and continues to benefit from the support and assistance of its members in positions of power, such as Speaker Johnson. This is also important as Trump’s influence has only exacerbated political polarization in the U.S. The extreme partisanship present in our society today can hinder compromise and cooperation essential for a healthy democracy. I believe this qualifies as an erosion of the crucial informal norm of mutual toleration. Trump’s hold on the Republican Party and its members demands unwavering loyalty and discourages dissent or moderation within the party, a “hollowing-out” of the middle so to speak.
As you pointed out, Speaker Johnson and his power are now essentially at the command of a dangerous demagogue who has clearly demonstrated no respect for American democracy and continues to threaten it with his words and actions.
Hi Melissa!
Your post navigates a pivotal moment in US political history. Kevin McCarthy’s ousting as Speaker and the subsequent rise of Representative Mike Johnson signal a wider erosion of democratic principles within the Republican party. Johnson’s rapid ascent to the Speaker position exposes a troubling reality. His extreme stances on social issues, combined with his involvement in discrediting the 2020 Presidential election results, raise profound concerns for the future of democratic institutions. The broader context you’ve provided, highlighting the turmoil in US democratic processes since 2015, stresses the urgency of the situation. The battle surrounding the certification of the 2020 election results emerges as a significant challenge to democratic standards. The selection of a Speaker associated with election denial poses a serious threat to the political system’s integrity. Your analysis serves as a crucial call to safeguard a functional and resilient democratic framework. Keeping a close watch on the state of democracy in the United States will be important. Great work!
Hi Melissa! I found your post to do a very good job of explaining the events that led up to the appointment of Mike Johnson as the speaker of the house and how he represents a significant danger to the future of American democracy. I liked your discussion of Johnson’s controversial views on LGBTQ+ and women’s issues and how these views don’t align with the views of the American people. I think it’s really important to talk about the dangers of there being disconnects between the views of ordinary citizens and the views of our representatives, as there cannot be a representative democracy when our representatives do not reflect the voices of the people. Moreover, I also appreciated your explanation of the role of the Speaker. This provided context as to why it’s so important that the Speaker of the House is a person of integrity who is truly committed to upholding democratic values. Johnson’s willingness to deny and even attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election results undoubtedly makes him a threat to democracy as he continues to hold his position. Your analysis of Johnson’s future role in possibly affecting the 2024 election results is also very important as we approach election day.