Chaos in Congress proves Washington doesn’t work for the American people

No one is happy with Congress.

No one.

Stepping into October, voters are furious at “traitor” Kevin McCarthy for cutting a deal with Democrats.

They’re furious at “charlatan” Matt Gaetz for his stubborn shenanigans.

They’re furious at Democrats for seeking $24 billion in additional funding for Ukraine, while seemingly snubbing America’s domestic financial crisis.

And they’re furious at Rep. Jamal Bowman for pulling a Capitol fire alarm, reportedly to delay a crucial vote for which his party was ill-prepared.

Indeed, no one is happy with Congress this week, and it’s easy to see why.

Broadly speaking, the problem with Congress today is the widespread belief that it does not genuinely have the best interests of the American people at heart. Unfortunately, this perception is not unfounded. Congress often appears to be an elitist club primarily concerned with protecting its own interests, power, and financial gains; club members only feign interest in the American people to the extent necessary to secure their votes.

More often than not, this disregard—or outright disdain—for the American people manifests itself in the ongoing D.C. clown show, in which politicians waste time and money jockeying for “causes” with little to no bearing on their constituents. Last week’s government shutdown debate was the perfect example of that—only with trillions of dollars in national debt and a looming government shutdown, this particular cause had a huge bearing on the American people.

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Last week, in the latest installment of congressional drama, Florida’s Republican firebrand Matt Gaetz, along with other members of what one Republican staffer referred to derisively as the “we-just-hate-Kevin coalition,” tanked Speaker McCarthy’s Republican-only funding bill, which “included a spending reduction, money for border security, and a commission on the growing federal debt.”

This landed McCarthy in an uncomfortable, lose-lose situation: He had to either make deals with the Democrats, which would be seen as a betrayal by his base, or risk taking the blame for an unpopular government shutdown.

In the end, McCarthy opted for the former, leading, predictably, to sharp criticism from Gaetz. The Florida Representative declared his intention to "file a motion to vacate against Speaker McCarthy this week... I think we need to move on with leadership that's trustworthy."

While some applauded Gaetz for his stance against increasing already outlandish government spending, others were less impressed. Gaetz himself, they pointed out, held up a funding bill more favorable to Republicans, effectively forcing McCarthy to solicit Democratic votes for one with “no GOP priorities.” The final bill, which temporarily averted the government shutdown, notably did not include additional support for Ukraine, either.

“He is Joe Biden’s favorite Republican,” vented fellow Florida Republican Rep. Carlos Gimenez. “Look, if it weren’t for Matt Gaetz, we would have had a funding resolution that actually controls the border and would have had close to ten percent cuts in government. But because of Matt Gaetz, we didn’t get either one of those”

Alternatively, in his defense on CNN, Gaetz argued that his opposition to McCarthy's leadership had substantial support from the American people. "I'm not alone," he asserted. "People can say this is a party of one. I have tens of millions of Americans who stand with me on this."

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Either way, whether rooted in personal animosity or a principled stand, Gaetz’s opposition ultimately paved the way for Congress to secure a bipartisan agreement, dodging a potentially chaotic shutdown, at least until mid-November when the temporary funding bill expires. However, even this process did not go off without a hitch.

Hours before the government “ran out” of funds on Saturday, as the House scrambled to vote on McCarthy’s new proposal, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a Democrat from New York, pulled a fire alarm in the Cannon House Office Building, leading to mayhem and accusations of attempting to stall the crucial vote. Capitol Police are currently investigating Bowman for the incident, and he faces threats of expulsion from Republican lawmakers.

Bowman defended himself, claiming that he activated the fire alarm mistakenly while trying to open a locked door. He stated, "I regret this and sincerely apologize for any confusion this caused," adding that he had no intention of delaying any vote.

Representative Nicole Malliotakis, for one, was unconvinced: “I’ll be introducing my resolution to EXPEL @RepBowman for his pathetic antics to delay congressional proceedings,” she said on “X” on Monday. “Of all people, a high school principal knows what a FIRE alarm does. No one is buying the excuses & he must be held accountable!”

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In light of this tumultuous drama, where the American people are disgracefully rebuffed, is it any surprise that polling shows voters are increasingly disillusioned with Washington? According to a recent Pew survey, 65% of Americans say they feel “exhausted” when they think of politics; 55% feel angry. Only 10% say they feel hopeful. Additionally, an overwhelming 85% agree that Republicans and Democrats are more focused on fighting each other than fixing problems.

Regardless of where one stands on the government funding issue, it is apparent that a majority of Americans believe that the federal government is out of touch and broken. Last week only exacerbated that feeling. Between reckless spending, petty kerfuffles, and useless theatrics, it is clear that Washington doesn’t work for the American people, which means, now more than ever, we need an Article V convention.

It’s time to give the D.C. uniparty the boot. To join us in support of a real solution, sign the Convention of States petition below.