Cartoon by Ma Hongliang
In 2023, American politics was thrown into a maelstrom of chaos and division. The ongoing fight between Democrats and Republicans is fierce, while internal disputes within each party surface periodically.
With ceaseless disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over the federal budget for the new fiscal year, the U.S. federal government was once again on the verge of a shutdown.
Due to deep divisions within the Republican Party, the U.S. House Speaker was ousted. The election of a new speaker failed repeatedly, leading the House into deadlock.
Meanwhile, former U.S. President Donald Trump faced a total of 91 charges across four criminal cases; Democratic Senator Bob Menendez and his wife were charged with accepting bribes; and President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, was indicted on charges related to guns and taxes.
The escalating chaos in U.S. politics underscores the increasingly evident political polarization fueled by bipartisan confrontations.
Related:
Gun violence remains intractable problem in US
Report says China is accelerating the forced urbanization of rural Tibetans
Gunmen kill at least 60 in attack at concert hall near Moscow
Friends of Kiwi who died in Australia raising funds to bring body home
Biden surveys collapsed Baltimore bridge, pledges help
School attendance plan unambitious, raises health concerns
Government's transport plan costly to society and climate, 88 academics warn
Alexei Navalny was about to be freed in prisoner swap, says colleague
Vatican makes fresh overture to China, reaffirms that Catholic Church is no threat to sovereignty
Some Auckland train services cancelled
Seoul AI summit opens with companies including Google, Meta, OpenAI pledging to develop AI safely
Haiti gangs try to take over Port