House Freedom Caucus: Obstructionists or Active Policymakers?
A year ago, then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy was executing a successful debt-ceiling strategy, uniting House Republicans on the need for the Biden administration to negotiate with them in exchange for raising the debt ceiling. In the end, McCarthy’s negotiators secured a reasonable budget deal. However, the Freedom Caucus blocked McCarthy’s agenda until he agreed to cut spending further. This led to a delayed implementation of domestic spending cuts.
Similarly, on Ukraine funding, Republicans had a real opportunity to achieve meaningful reforms to border policy. However, the far right rejected a border deal that was almost entirely enforcement-based. As a result, Republicans got nothing on border security in the package of foreign policy bills that the House passed.
The Freedom Caucus likes to believe that Republicans on Ukraine voted for their very strict border bill, H.R. 2. However, this demand is unrealistic, as it is unlikely that many Democrats would support such a measure. Ukraine aid passed with over 300 votes, highlighting the lack of support for the Freedom Caucus’s position.
The Freedom Caucus’s inability to compromise has weakened Republican negotiating power and hindered conservative achievements. Their primary campaign strategy revolves around painting Republican leaders as betrayers, playing into the narrative of ‘not as bad as the Democrats’ in their districts.
In conclusion, the House Freedom Caucus has been more of an obstacle than a driving force for the Republican Party. Their insistence on maximalist wins and their unwillingness to compromise have prevented them from achieving their policy goals and have contributed to the dysfunction in the House of Representatives.
