“A promise made must be a promise kept”, Aristotle
McCarthy backs Biden inquiry
Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is set to endorse an impeachment inquiry into President Biden, highlighting the GOP's commitment to thorough investigations. This move, rooted in findings by key GOP leaders, signals the party's dedication to transparency. However the impetus was foisted upon McCarthy with a political gun to his head.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy has made several promises since taking the gavel in January 2023. Here is a status update on some of the most notable promises:
- Term limits: McCarthy has promised to support a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on members of Congress. He has introduced a bill to do this, but it has not yet been passed by the House.
- Funding: McCarthy has promised to increase funding for defense, law enforcement, and border security. He has also promised to cut spending on other programs, such as welfare and foreign aid. The House has passed some bills that would increase funding for these priorities, but it is unclear whether they will be passed by the Senate.
- Transparency: McCarthy has promised to make Congress more transparent. He has introduced a bill that would require House members to disclose their personal financial information, and he has also called for more hearings on the Biden administration's policies. The House has not yet passed the bill on financial disclosure, but it has held several hearings on the Biden administration.
- Investigations: McCarthy has promised to investigate the Biden administration's handling of a number of issues, including the withdrawal from Afghanistan, the border crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The House has opened several investigations into these matters.
- Culture wars: McCarthy has promised to advance legislation on a number of culture war issues, such as abortion, school choice, and parental rights in education. The House has passed some bills on these issues, but they are unlikely to be passed by the Senate.
In addition to these specific promises, McCarthy has also made broader promises to "restore regular order" in the House and to "hold the Biden administration accountable." If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck … perhaps it is a duck! Is it too early to say whether he will be successful in fulfilling these promises, but he has taken some steps in the right direction. For example, he has appointed a bipartisan committee to investigate the January 6th attack on the Capitol, and he has worked with Democrats to pass a number of bipartisan bills.
Results matter, it is a mixed bag for McCarthy in terms of fulfilling his promises. He has made some progress on some issues, but he has fallen short on others. Is it still early in his speakership, so it is possible that he will make more progress in the future? However, he will need to find a way to balance the demands of his own party with the need to work with Democrats in order to get anything done.
