America’s Republicans cannot agree on a speaker. Good

The view of the world from the White House end of Pennsylvania Avenue looks like this: Hamas has attacked Israel, one of America’s closest allies. The biggest war in Europe since 1945 is raging, and Ukraine needs American support to prevent it from being swallowed by Vladimir Putin. Taiwan also needs help. And a government shutdown is looming. Meanwhile at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, the world looks like a lot of men in suits arguing about who should be in charge of the meeting. House Republicans have spent two weeks squabbling about who should be speaker. Congress is paralysed.