Watch as the Fox tries to kill 20 hens in the US hen-house of Unrepresentatives

20 renegades blocking election of Kevin McCarthy as Leader of the House of Representatives.

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A rump of 20 Republicans in the newly elected US House of Representatives have been holding up the election of their party colleague, Kevin McCarthy, as Speaker of the House of Representatives for the past three days. After 6 separate votes McCarthy has been unable to summon the votes or cut the deals to get himself over the line. There is a big signal in this tussle for people in Ireland especially for those of us hoping to see real change in our body politic.

Now, this is a case of not one but two different groups of populists taking on their own Republican establishment, the corporate media including Fox News, and also curiously enough Donald Trump. The larger of these two small groups is much likelier to cave into pressure than the other. But we shall see over the next hours how this finally plays out. Trump has endorsed McCarthy’s leadership twice during the last couple of days but both groups in a clear break with previous precedent have ignored his pleadings. A clear sign that even Trump is only about 75% on board with the populist base he did so much to create and galvanize.

One would be forgiven for falling into the trap of thinking that here is a vivid example of the far-right extremism that the New York Times and Washington Post continuously try to over-hype. It most certainly isn’t that - I don’t believe anyway.

But who are these people you might ask and who do they represent?

Well, in Irish terms, they are people similiar to Mattie McGrath, Sharon Keoghan and Carol Nolan. People who are trying to make the government of the United States and Ireland more accountable to the people of the US and Ireland. As a result - and as Mattie et al are finding out to their chagrin in Ireland - the labels and mud start coming thick and fast. Now, the Irish comparison may not be a perfect fit in terms of every like-for-like policy, or necessarily equivalents on all of the same kind of rights and fundamentals but definitely kindred spirits in terms of a commitment to honor the wishes of the people that sent them to Washington and Dublin respectively. What is playing out in Washington at the moment is democracy at its messiest. Usually drama on this scale games out behind closed doors with special interests guiding the discussions in their own favour and far-away from the madding public crowds.

What is fascinating to me is the clarity of what is occurring in this microcosm of the US democratic process. Lobbyists, corporate media, big business, and most of the politicans themselves hate messy democracy and public debate. While we might have already known this on some level what is instructive in this instance is that we can put names and faces to the specific people who are shying away and attempting to shutdown this rebellion. Democracy is forcing these nefarious forces into the light to a degree. We are all too familiar with some of the names but there are a few new additions to mark down for future reference.

Sean Hannity - Fox News

Marjorie Taylor Greene - US House Representative and so called MAGA queen

Dan Crenshaw - US House Representative from Texas and supposed poster boy for Republicanism

Major figures like Maxine Waters in the Democrat party are also calling for Kevin McCarthy.

Now, as a long time observer of the Fox News phenomenon their siding with Kevin McCarthy comes as no surprise.

jmerlino 🇺🇸 🇮🇹 @MerlinoJoann

Anyone that doesn't go along with the swamp and the media (swamp also) are saboteurs and insurrectionists. Last night Hannity with Boebert and now this.

And as that aforementioned long-time observer of Fox News it is only in key moments such as the present one where the Murdoch controlled network truly reveals their dark colors. And every single time the Murdoch’s side with the establishment and interests of the D.C. una-party. Fox News generally goes to great lengths to masks these decisive interventions so as to not alienate their core support which includes many, many, populists and America First supporters. However, most Fox anchors and panels are now calling for McCarthy to be instated as Leader and a few are going the extra mile by demonizing the naysayers like Rep Lauren Boebert.

Now, for the first 24 hours and for the first three Leader votes many media were enjoying the novelty of the spectacle and gently sitting on the fence expecting the drama to resolve itself. After all, it is almost a century since a Speaker of the House vote has turned into such chaos and such a debacle. A subtle change has occurred though moving into Day three, and as Fox News interests would view it, the time has now come for the band of misfit toys to return to the broom closet. At the time of writing they have refused to do so.

When representatives, media, and lobbyists are forced to reveal themselves in this manner it is a small victory for democracy. For those paying attention. As we get to see a few extra players reveal their true colours. So, on this point alone we might surmise that this mini revolt has been a victory and in addition it indicates that establishment interests on both sides of the political aisle are very worried indeed.

It points to a fragility in the marriage between the political elite and the military-media-industrial complex. My knee-jerk reaction to events like this, ones that I arrive late to the scene on, is always the same. Rightly or wrongly, my attitude is to side with David and not Goliath until more facts emerge from the fog. I am not super keen on some of the individuals leading this revolt like Florida Rep Matt Gaetz but I do recognise that they are, in fact, attempting to deliver on their election promises and hammer a crack into the massive exterior of a corrupted system and democracy.

Will they ultimately win this fight?

Or does the House always win in the end?

Well, I’m not holding my breathe too hard for a David win - but if he does the ripples and benefits will be felt right across the globe.

Including in Ireland.

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