Governing is for losers
GOP gotcha exercises this week in Congress are for pre-positioning ammunition for blaring 2024 TV ads (with fine-print footers) against Democrats for being un-American. The party of arrested development de-prioritizes governing.
The MAGA-led House is on a tear. In the judiciary committee Wednesday, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) proposed that committee members recite the pledge of allegiance before meetings. Never mind that members do that at the opening of every session. He wants Democrats on record voting not to a second time. An hour-long debate ensued with Democrats snidely pushing back on whether “insurrectionists” on the committee could lead the pledge. Ultimately, Democrats voted with Republicans for supplemental performative patriotism.
HORRORS!
The U.S. House voted Wednesday on a resolution “denouncing the horrors of socialism.” That’s it. The rest is boilerplate.
On the floor, Republicans railed against socialism’s evils that they did not enumerate in H. Res. 83. The conservative base programmed for a century or more to view the nine-letter word as a four-letter word, Republicans did not need to. Before the resolution passed on a party-line vote, the GOP invested floor time on Wednesday so conservative dark-money groups can deploy round after round of screaming ads against Democrats in 2024. Because in the wake of a failed GOP candidate directing gunfire into the homes of Democratic officials, it’s never too early to “other” your political opponents.
And young people too!
Who knew Medicare for All and the Green New Deal was “Neo-Marxism”?
More Othering followed.
Someone less reactionary might ask what it is about modern corporate capitalism leads younger people to think so badly of it. But that would require self-reflection on Republicans’ part, and self-reflection is for losers.
The New Democrat Coalition took the bait and issued a statement:
House Democrats pushed Republicans to clarify the implications of a new bill that would denounce the “horrors of socialism” and socialist policies, expressing concern that it may include Medicare and Social Security benefits.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) objected:
“This resolution is instead as divisive as it is insulting to the American public. It is trying to suggest that Social Security, Medicare and even fire departments are anti-American,” Waters said. “None of this is surprising to me. Nor is this blatant attempt by Republicans to try and scare Americans.”
Ask Republicans if they support the elimination of socialist National Defense for All?
But then, shooting up shit is Real American™.