Who is the current Speaker of the House?
Critical Analysis
Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, your big brain, the information provided and any links below:
There are 435 members of the U.S. House. If all members of the House are present for the vote, how many House member votes are necessary to elect a speaker?
In the 234-year history of the House of Representatives, its members had never voted to fire their leader in the middle of a term. That changed this week when the Republican majority fired former-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Traditionally, when is the Speaker of the House elected?
McCarthy was elected speaker in January after 15 rounds of voting (the longest election since before the Civil War). He managed to finally secure the speaker’s gavel, in part by agreeing to demands from a fringe group of Republicans (Freedom Caucus) to change the rules on who can propose a resolution to remove the speaker — allowing just one member to do it. What about the election rules of the speaker of the House make it likely that the next Speaker will come from the Republican Party?
Former Speaker McCarthy lost his job because eight House Republicans voted against him yesterday, mostly as punishment for his working with Democrats to pass a bill keeping the government open into next month. Those Republicans, led by Matt Gaetz of Florida, wanted to use a potential shutdown to insist on large spending cuts. This has never happened before in U.S. politics. Why do political parties not normally fire their Congressional leader?
The Constitution doesn't specify that the speaker of the House must be a current member of the House, but it always has been, according to the office of the House historian. Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution says only this, “The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers;” On Tuesday, Texas Rep. Troy Nehls said on social media that he will nominate former President Donald Trump for speaker. According to the Constitution, could Trump become Speaker of the House?
Patrick McHenry of North Carolina has been appointed speaker pro tempore (temporary), but his only power is to oversee the election of the next Speaker. Until a permanent Speaker of the House is elected, Congress is essentially paralyzed. Besides being the leader of the majority party, the Speaker of the House is responsible for administering the oath of office to the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, giving Members permission to speak on the House floor, counting and declaring all votes, appointing Members to committees, sending bills to committees, and signing bills and resolutions that pass in the House. The Speaker is also second in line, behind the Vice President, to become President should the President be unable to fulfill his or her duties. Explain how the loss of a Speaker prevent the Congress from doing its job.
In upcoming days the Congress must pass 12 appropriations bills to keep the government from shutting down, decide whether to continue to fund the war in Ukraine, and perform other essential legislative functions. What most worries you about not having a functioning Congress?
Make an argument about whether the lack of a Speaker empowers or enfeebles (makes less powerful) the presidency.
Congressional approval was already at an all-time low (see visual below*). How do you think the current firing of the Speaker will impact Congress’s approval ratings?
Political polarization is the divergence of political attitudes away from the center, towards ideological extremes. Explain the connection between political polarization and firing of Speaker McCarthy.
Visual Extension*
Learning Extension
Learn more about the Speaker of the House.
Action Extension
Contact your member of Congress and tell them what you think they should do to move ahead and make the government function.