Not long ago, this will be an incredible turning point.

She is Very conservative. She has always been a fanatic of the guerrillas and the daughter of the former vice president. However, party leaders are now trying to replace her with the less conservative Elise Stefanik.

The plot of this episode reveals the state of American politics in 2021-and the former president’s dominance in one of the two major political parties in the United States.

Cheney said the Republican Party is at a “turning point.”

Although this kind of leadership dispute, like any other dispute, includes a group of conflicting personalities, Cheney has cast a bet with a clearer vision: the health of American democracy.

In a heated speech open letter, She made it clear that she would work hard to maintain her role, and her official title is the chair of the conference. This makes her the third largest Republican in the House of Representatives, Hold a party meeting And messaging.

Cheney’s unofficial role is to become Trump’s most ardent high-profile critic among Republicans in Congress, even though he has other sporadic critics.

She wrote in the “Washington Post”: “History is watching. Our children are watching.”

“The Republican Party is at a turning point. The Republican Party must decide whether we want to choose truth and loyalty for the Constitution.”

Stefanik, headquartered in New York May not be so much She is the representative of Cheney, a figure on the ideological right, but she exhibits a trait that is cherished by the Republican base today: willingness to follow Trump-and follow him wherever it may lead.

She voted on behalf of Trump to overthrow the election Kicked her out Fellow of her alma mater, Harvard University School of Political Science. But this consolidated her status as a Republican star.

Stefanik is being welcomed by the right-wing media and has just appeared on Steve Bannon’s podcast, and Cheney published her self-defense in the newspaper “The Post” that Republicans hate.

If the public opinion of Republican lawmakers indicates how they intend to vote, Stefanick, who borders the Canadian border, will soon be promoted.

This is because very few elected members have expressed support for the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney.Far More important.

Cheney McCarthy clashed with Trump

She managed to survive when she challenged her position earlier this year.

But later, Cheney and his colleagues took an independent path. Racing Go to Mar-a-Lago shoot by onself with Former president. In his Florida manor.

She has always insisted that Trump’s political career is complete. He disqualified herself from mainstream politics by trying to steal the election and stir up the mob that swept the US Capitol on January 6.

This kind of conversation leads to awkward moments.Such as Press conference She and her party leader Kevin McCarthy (Kevin McCarthy) expressed conflicting views on Trump here.

McCarthy has Clear He was fed up. He defended him in Cheney’s first leadership test, but has announced that he has taken formal action to abandon her.

McCarthy said in a letter to his colleagues: “It is clear that we need to make changes.” He said that the party cannot continue to file past lawsuits and must focus on regaining power in mid-2022.

He is expected to remove Cheney on Wednesday.

In view of another incident that happened in Congress on Wednesday, there is a coincidence in timing: Hear the attacks in January On the Capitol, it is expected that Trump’s former Secretary of Defense Blame the former president.

Cheney’s few vocal defenders called it ridiculous that she rashly alleviated the evils caused by the apparent electoral consequences, because the undisputed champion of dredging recent history is Trump himself.

The former president refused to publish the November 3, 2020 vote every day, doubling, triple, and eightfold the statement.

Warning signs of attacks on democracy on January 6

“The funny thing is [Cheney’s] You must defend yourself. Like, this is crazy. But this is where we are. “One of her remaining allies, Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, said at this week’s National Press Club event.

“She feels uncomfortable because of being dismissed [for her colleagues] And be consistent. God bless her. “

Kinzinger, a former Air Force pilot, compared the January 6 attack on American democracy with the warning issued before the crash. When the engine fails, the plane will tremble before falling into the sky.

He said that he tried to warn party leaders before January 6 that threats of violence could erupt based on threats, and that lawmakers were listening to comments from Trump supporters, and he begged his colleagues to make it clear that the election was over.

Jinzinger said that he told McCarthy on a party conference call: “I’m really, really worried about violence.” … the response I got [from the leader] Basically the voice of that. Then, “Okay, Adam. Operator, next caller.””

He said he is now disappointed with his party that it is more important to stay focused on victory than to recognize the threat to American democracy.

Why Republicans are obsessed with Trump

Kingzinger estimates that only a few Republican-elected politicians truly believe that the election was stolen from Trump. “Maybe 10 [of them]. “

He said that the rest had been strategically calculated, and Cheney was puzzled by this. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina expressed this calculus most clearly.

He said a few days ago that if Republicans fight Trump, he will participate in half of the party. Graham said the party must unite in this regard.

Graham said that although he had previously allied with the more pro-military, hawkish factions of the party, such as Cheney and her father, Graham said it was time to accept the new reality.

Graham said on Sean Hannity’s “Fox News” program: “I have always liked Liz Cheney.”

“But she has determined that the Republican Party cannot grow with President Trump. I have determined that we cannot grow without him.”

The state of the democratic guardrail

What’s next?

Trump is considering the possibility of running for president again. At the same time, the institutional guardrail against him was also uprooted from the political soil.

Just in this week’s primaries for the Virginia governor’s election, the only candidate who said Joe Biden was elected has finished Distant fourth.

According to reports, the organizers of the rally on January 6 are now Work for the leadership of the Republican Party In the House of Representatives.

Republicans who voted to condemn Trump have already been condemned by the party in their own state. Governor with State official It was simply because he refused to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

They encountered a hostile crowd of boos.election administrator In a different state is resignation One year later, full of threats.

Like a new voting law passed In Georgia Or a proposal In michigan Will dilute or weaken the power of state election officials who verified voting rights last year.

Now, the Republicans are on the cusp of purging members of their leadership, who clearly acknowledged Biden’s election victory and then shouted at Trump.

A kind Sober piece In the New York Times magazine, party supporters angrily asked their leaders to take more action to overthrow Biden’s victory and threatened to shed blood.

On the other hand, there is no mathematical reason to conclude that US legislators are almost close to blocking the certification of the 2020 election.

In the January 6 vote, even if a majority of Republicans challenged the election results in at least one state, Biden’s victory was still approved by the overwhelming majority of the Senate, and each state’s marginal profit exceeded 33%.

An electoral law expert who was asked about Cheney’s possible removal said that he is still increasingly worried about the American democratic system.

Rick Hasen of the University of California, Irvine, said: “We are in danger of losing the guardrail.”

“Much depends on whether moderate Republicans can control Trump’s authoritarian tendencies and how institutions such as courts protect the rule of law.”