House speaker weakened by declining party power

+ antisemitism shifting to US left; aid challenges in Gaza US Edition - Today's top story: New House Speaker Mike Johnson leads a GOP majority weakened by decades of declining party authority [View in browser]( US Edition | 26 October 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Whatever you think about the new speaker of the House, conservative Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson, the GOP legislator now has what some consider the most miserable job in the world. That’s not only because keeping his own conference in line is what The Wall Street Journal editorial board just called “herding the cats, snakes and peacocks in the GOP menagerie.” It’s also because there have been big changes over the past few decades in how Congress operates, writes Matthew Green, a scholar of American government. The House GOP’s problems in even electing a speaker, writes Green, aren’t simply because they are internally divided or have a narrow numerical edge over Democrats. They also “stem from long-term pressures that have made it hard for both parties in Congress to exercise the kind of [authority they need to govern](.” An effective legislative party, writes Green, “exercises four kinds of authority.” His explanation of those four will help you understand why Johnson’s problem and the GOP’s problem are also the Democrats’ problem − and, because this is a democracy, your problem as well. Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Democracy House Republicans applaud as U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson, center, is elected the new speaker of the House on Oct. 25, 2023. Alex Wong/Getty Images [New House Speaker Mike Johnson leads a GOP majority weakened by decades of declining party authority]( Matthew Green, Catholic University of America The problems faced by the House GOP in choosing a new speaker aren’t particular to Republicans. They’re a reflection of larger problems that have afflicted both parties in Congress. An Oct. 19, 2023, rally in New York City’s Times Square demanding the freeing of hostages taken in the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images [Antisemitism has moved from the right to the left in the US − and falls back on long-standing stereotypes]( Arie Perliger, UMass Lowell Antisemitism in the US is growing – and that growth appears to be related to the escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hamas. It also reflects a different political ideology than in the past. Palestinians on the outskirts of Gaza City walk by buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardment on Oct. 20, 2023. AP Photo/Ali Mahmoud [Delivering aid during war is tricky − here’s what to know about what Gaza relief operations may face]( Topher L. McDougal, University of San Diego The politics of delivering aid in war zones are messy, the ethics fraught and the logistics daunting. But getting everything right is essential − and in this instance could save many Gazans’ lives. [The Israel-Hamas war deepens the struggle between US and Iran for influence in the Middle East]( John Ciorciari, University of Michigan Iran’s long-term strategy includes eradicating Israel and driving a wedge between Israel and its regional neighbors. So far, the war seems to be accomplishing that goal. [Israeli invasion of Gaza likely to resemble past difficult battles in Iraq and Syria]( Javed Ali, University of Michigan Hamas and the international community expect Israel to invade the Gaza Strip. The battle will probably be more like recent Middle Eastern combat than Israel’s past fights with Palestinians. [Hezbollah alone will decide whether Lebanon − already on the brink of collapse − gets dragged into Israel-Hamas war]( Asher Kaufman, University of Notre Dame Hezbollah dominates Lebanon’s sectarian political system, giving the paralyzed government little choice if the militant group chooses to join Hamas’ war against Israel. [Backlash to the oil CEO leading the UN climate summit overlooks his ambitious agenda for COP28 – and concerns of the Global South]( Ibrahim Ozdemir, Clark University An analysis of past UN conference presidencies suggests the 2023 summit’s agenda would do more to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. - [I studied 1 million home sales in metro Atlanta and found that Black families are being squeezed out of homeownership by corporate investors]( Brian Y. An, Georgia Institute of Technology Black would-be homeowners pay the price when big investors buy up the neighborhood. - [Turkey faces competing pressures from Russia and the West to end its ‘middleman strategy’ and pick a side on the war in Ukraine]( Ozgur Ozkan, Tufts University Turkey walks a fine line between NATO commitments and Western alliances and its dependence on Russia for financial resources and trade. - [UN warns that Gaza desperately needs more aid − an emergency relief expert explains why it is especially tough working in Gaza]( Paul Spiegel, Johns Hopkins University Government sanctions against Hamas, which the US and the European Union consider a terrorist group, mean that aid groups are not able to directly work with Hamas. - [Polls have value, even when they are wrong]( Kirby Goidel, Texas A&M University Data gleaned from even early polls reveals critical clues on how voters view candidates and issues. - [Back in the 1960s, the push for parental rights over school standards was not led by white conservatives but by Black and Latino parents]( - [GOP’s House paralysis is a crisis in a time of crises]( - [Key Trump co-defendants accept plea deals – a legal expert explains what that means]( Like this newsletter? 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