House Republicans prefer political theater to passing laws

The U.S. Congress achieved an unprecedented low in productivity during 2023, with less than 30 bills passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate - a significant drop from the times when the Republicans held the majority in one or both chambers and Democrats Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were presidents. Most of the enacted legislations in 2023, such as the approval for the naming of Veterans Affairs clinics and a coin dedicated to the Marine Corps' 250th anniversary, lacked substance. The prime agents of this dysfunctional state were the House Republicans. Holding a razor-thin majority, the GOP hardliners, steadfast in their refusal to negotiate, preferred inaction to governance, busying themselves with partisan political theatrics.

The GOP's antics in 2023 included selecting and then ousting a chair, causing the Speaker's chair to be left vacant for 26 days(the longest since 1962), and censoring three House Democrats (the most since 1870). Purposefully attaching "poison pill" amendments to appropriations bills ensured these pieces of legislation would inevitably fail on arrival at the Senate. Meanwhile, the House committees for Oversight, Judiciary, and Ways and Means persisted, though without success, in their hunt for evidence to warrant President Biden's impeachment.

Facing imminent decisions on issues like the Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan aid packages and appropriations bills to prevent a part-government shutdown, Republicans must decide how far they wish to extend their policy of obstruction. The proposed military aid bill, presently under negotiation, is likely to carry provisions for stricter immigration control at the southern border. With progressive Democrats voicing disapproval, it will require sufficient Republican support to pass the House.

Several House Republicans stand opposed to increased aid to Ukraine, reflecting the sentiments of many GOP voters favoring decreased U.S. global involvement. Many Republicans, including former President Trump, seem content to see the border crisis worsen rather than endorse Biden-supported solutions. Despite the growing pressure for bipartisan cooperation, Speaker Mike Johnson's refusal to bring a Senate bipartisan bill to the House floor indicates a contentious road ahead.

In 2023, President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy reached an agreement to raise the debt ceiling, allocating $1.59 trillion to the discretionary budget and an extra $69 billion to nondefense programs. However, the deal was opposed by 71 House Republicans. Later, the Republicans passed bills to decrease the budget to $1.5 trillion, slashing popular Democratic domestic programs and reneging on the $69 billion. Despite these measures, Senate Democrats and Republicans remained faithful to the original arrangement. Johnson, confronted with the 2023 fiscal deadline, hinted at supporting a budget extension only with further domestic spending cuts.

The American public largely disapproves of a government shut down to attain political goals, although twice as many Republicans are in favor. Many Americans would also allocate blame equally between Biden and Democrats and Republicans for a shutdown. This could give the GOP hardliners enough impetus to dismiss moderate views and push for a shutdown, furthering their strategy of partisan political theatrics and potentially harming Ukraine, the US economy and the American population in the process.