Historic Vote Ousts McCarthy as Speaker, as Gaetz Describes Chaos from National Debt and De-Dollarization

Oct. 3, 2023, (EIRNS)—The U.S. House of Representatives voted 216-210 to remove Kevin McCarthy as Speaker, with 7 Republicans joining Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and 208 Democrats. It is the first time that a Speaker has lost such a vote and been removed.

Earlier in the day, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) had issued instructions to the Democrats not to lift a finger to save McCarthy; and McCarthy had pretended that Gaetz was simply acting on a personal difference. Gaetz had stated that there was no personal issue, but rather there was a $2 trillion/year deficit, which, along with the declining role of the U.S. dollar for international trade, meant the country is facing chaos, and McCarthy had violated his commitment to Gaetz and others when they acceded to allow him to become the Speaker.

In the floor debate, Gaetz repeated that he isn’t creating chaos: “Chaos is Speaker McCarthy. Chaos is somebody who we cannot trust with their word.... I don’t think voting against Kevin McCarthy is chaos: I think $33 trillion in debt is chaos. I think that facing a $2.2 trillion annual deficit is chaos....” Gaetz proposed that the practice of continuing resolutions be halted, that Congress employ single subject bills and open amendments. He added that each side could lose sometimes, but that “There’d be times that we would form partnerships that might otherwise be not really predictable in the American body politic—but the American people would see us legislating!”

The “House Practice: A Guide to the Rules, Precedents and Procedures of the House,” stipulates that McCarthy was required to submit a confidential list of people to the Clerk “in the order in which each shall act as Speaker pro tempore in the case of a vacancy.” The top name on that list, a McCarthy ally, Rep. Patrick McHenry, will serve temporarily, while the House acts to elect a new Speaker.

After the vote to remove McCarthy, Gaetz responded to media request for comment:

“We are $33 trillion in debt. We are facing a $2.2 trillion annual deficits. We are facing a de-dollarization globally that will crush Americans, working class Americans. Kevin McCarthy is a creature of the swamp.... We are breaking the fever, now.... I think that this represents the ripping off of the band-aid, and that’s what we need to do to get back on track.”

McCarthy in his press conference, again was deaf to the issues of the debt, the deficits, or the de-dollarization, pretending it was all a personal problem from a defective person. “You all know Matt Gaetz. You know it was personal.... It all was about getting attention from you,” in the media. “I haven’t heard him say one true thing yet.” And those who voted with Gaetz are individuals that aren’t concerned about governing. Their trustworthiness is in question. Then, in pious tones: “If you have to lose for something, I will also lose for the country.”

Otherwise, McCarthy casually explained that Russian President Vladimir Putin is doing the same thing Hitler did, by taking Crimea and the Donbass. But this is worse than the 1930s. Hitler created an axis of powers, but Putin has done the same with China, North Korea, and Iran. Having explained why he is so anti-Putin, he explained how soft Biden was on Putin. He said that, in 2014, he had gone to Ukraine and then brought a team to the White House and tried to get Biden to sell Javelins to Ukraine, and Biden had refused. McCarthy wasn’t forthcoming on how he was going to get tougher on Russia today.

While speaking to reporters Monday night, Oct. 3, Gaetz made an interesting comment that indicates a certain recognition of what is happening in the world, although without comprehending either the cause or solution is to the mess in the United States. He said, McCarthy “seems to be reverting to the very unfortunate muscle memory of Washington, D.C. that has put our nation on top of $33 trillion debt, that has led to $2 trillion annual deficits in our near future, and the rapid global de-dollarization of the economy. You look at the BRICS system—you know Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa—they’re moving away from the dollar. And just in August they added six new countries, including G20 economies in the Western Hemisphere and Gulf monarchies.

“Moreover, you saw U.S. News say the number one economic trend of 2023 is de-dollarization, globally. This worries me: You all get all worked up that there’s going be some uncomfortable chaotic moment, that I’ll feel pressure from conservatives, or Democrats, or whomever. I feel the judgment of history. I feel the weight of that. I worried that when the history books are written about this country going down, that my name is going to be on the board of directors here. And if this country’s going down and if we’re losing the dollar, I am going down fighting....”