Republicans should focus on Biden's weaknesses, not infighting and political theater

Month after month, poll after poll, survey after survey and focus group after focus group, a majority of Americans expressed dissatisfaction with the Biden administration over virtually every issue of concern domestic and foreign. The findings were the equivalent of a campaign strategy memo for Republicans to follow as they seek to win control of Congress and the White House in November.

Inexplicably, the party has chosen to ignore what was clear to even the most casual observer of national politics: a vulnerable incumbent president weighed down by questions about his age and mental fitness whose first term record is a rationale for denying him a second. Instead, congressional Republicans have embarked on foolish, embarrassing and foredoomed impeachment proceedings and a headlong rush toward self-destructive proof they are unable to govern by forcing the removal of a House speaker they elected six months ago after driving his predecessor from office.

Mayorkas impeachment and threats to the speaker jeopardize GOP

The Senate’s rejection without debate of the articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was a foregone conclusion, and the protracted and costly process toward impeachment of the president is on the verge of abandonment after House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer indicated that criminal referrals rather than an impeachment vote will be the end result. A criminal referral is an effort to save face while effectively closing the impeachment inquiry. It will be many months before the Department of Justice even bothers to open the carboard cartons containing the impeachment documents, much less moves to act upon them. Comer’s remark was a tacit admission that a handful of Republicans did not support impeachment and forcing a vote would be a major political blunder.

A cynical translation: The entire exercise was an utter waste of time, energy and millions of dollars to produce an outcome that is essentially meaningless.

Of far greater peril to congressional Republicans, though, is the attempt by a handful of disgruntled members to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson from the office. The party embarrassed itself on national television in January 2023 by plowing through 15 ballots before electing Kevin McCarthy to the speaker’s position in a raucous spectacle that raised serious concerns the Republican majority would implode and fail in its responsibility to govern.

The party stands at the edge of repeating the chaos and dysfunction of the McCarthy episode with the filing of a resolution by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to “vacate the chair” — that is, oust Johnson. She has received support from only two colleagues but still has the option of forcing a floor vote on her resolution.

At a moment in history when the Republican Party should take full advantage of the opportunity for electoral success by focusing its energies and resources on an embattled president who has lost the confidence of the country, it has instead drawn excessive media attention toward its own self-serving ineptitude. Greene, the vocal and outspoken leader of the malcontents, seems oblivious to the pitfalls of her actions and, in fact, demonstrated her disdain with the comment, “I don’t care if the speaker’s office becomes a revolving door.” She torched the speaker and the other Republicans who supported a $95 billion foreign aid bill providing assistance to Ukraine and Israel as “traitors” to the country. This is the kind of comment that can’t later be walked back or explained and will stick in the memories of those she vilified.

The foreign aid legislation is certainly a legitimate subject of debate, criticized by hard-right Republicans as costly commitments to prolong the war in Ukraine and drag the U.S. into further involvement in a conflict that shows no signs of ending. Supporters warn that abandoning Ukraine would only embolden Russia to embark on further military adventures, destabilizing the region at even greater cost.

Whether Greene follows through on her threat and forces a floor vote on Johnson’s removal remains an open question, but the uncertainty will continue to hang heavy over Congress. Should the House be paralyzed by a prolonged and bitter quarrel over selecting its leader, Republicans will be blamed. There is, moreover, no guarantee that the cycle won’t be repeated, subjecting the party to further criticism.

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Conservative Republicans bent on fierce response after fierce response

While the Mayorkas impeachment and the inquiry into the president’s impeachment were costly exercises in futility, the threat of a dysfunctional Congress is of far greater consequence. It raises the larger question, as well, of whether permitting a single member of the House, angry over the actions of the speaker, to demand a vote on his or her removal from office is in the best interest of responsible governance. Abusing it to create mischief and havoc and bring the body to a standstill is too easily and conveniently weaponized by a disgruntled and vengeful member. Conservative Republicans, though, have made it clear that any attempt to increase the threshold will produce a fierce response.

The president’s consistently dismal standing on issues and job performance is the guide toward building on the Republican majority in the House and regaining Senate control. Biden remains seriously underwater by as much as 30 points on his administration’s handling of the economy, cost of living, immigration and the Israel-Hamas war. His overall job performance has been lodged stubbornly in the 40% to 42% range, and nearly 70% of Americans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. Polling reveals that his support among African Americans, Hispanics and young persons is eroding and, while he has gained some ground, he continues to trail Republican Donald Trump by slender margins. Normally, these are ingredients for a disastrous electoral outcome.

If Republicans continue to ignore the obvious and remain caught up in internal conflict and pointless political theater, a loss in November is inevitable, as is the assignment of blame for it. The party has lined up the circular firing squad, but that doesn’t mean the triggers should be pulled.

Carl Golden is a senior contributing analyst with the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Republican infighting, political theater will lead to loss