Irish Examiner view: Testing times in the United States 

Recent events, including the expulsion of two black representatives from the Tennessee legislature, underline the extraordinary state of American politics 

Three Tennessee legislators — Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones, and Justin Pearson — took part in a protest in favour of restricting guns after a local school shooting left three children and three adults dead. Republicans voted to expel the two black representatives. Picture: Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean/AP 

Even by the extraordinary standards of American politics, the past week has been a dizzying one.

Wildly differing events in New York, Wisconsin, and Tennessee framed what is the ongoing battle for the heart of America and the future of the country — a visceral struggle that may well frame the 2024 elections there.