Well, this is a sad day. I’m afraid chances for unity are all but gone for most. While the flurry of almost 4 dozen executive orders has raged onward, including the lesser talked about ones like the one signed that now require the census to not only include illegal immigrants, but also now give them representation in congress… The congress itself is something that is increasingly vindictive and hateful. Now I know many think this goes both ways – and to an extent I won’t disagree – but today the democrats (with 10 republicans – under 5% of the caucus) voted to strip Rep. Greene of her committee assignments due to comments she “liked” on facebook from 2018 and well before that. She disavowed those actions, and disavowed them again in front of her caucus and again on the House floor today, carried on TV. No matter. In a quick change to House rules, where the parties were previously allowed to deal with their own members, instead Pelosi struck that down so the slim majority could inflict a political cheap shot.
When Swalwell (D) was found to be in relationship with a Chinese spy yet was allowed to remain on the House intel committee (with his security clearance), the Dems took no action. The relationship was over before we were all told about it, but he was still compromised for the time it was going on. It ended because of the FBI’s actions to intervene. When Maxine Waters (D) called for violence – on video – several times – against GOP and the former administration… violence … the Dems took no action. When Omar (D) continues – to this day – to spout anti-Semitic rhetoric, the Dems still take no action. But when an (R) freshman congresswoman, 3 years ago and even further back, “liked” something and then stands in front the nation and expresses regrets- which none of these others have done – the Dems change rules and strip her of committee roles.
This strikes me as unfair, and ill-willed. The GOP did not do this, even when they had control and Waters made her remarks, and Bernie made his remarks that incited the shooter that shot 5 people at the ball field (almost killing Steve Scalise (R-La)). This isn’t a pro-GOP post – this is about fairness and vendettas. This feels like a vendetta.
This tells me that my crystal ball may be right: These continued moves to spite the GOP at every turn, including the budget reconciliation move (to totally avoid any GOP seat at the negotiating table) in the Schumer senate today to drive us another $2T into debt and bail out states and align more money for other uses – where over $250B still has NOT been spent from the last packages for those “other uses” – tells me that unity is a word; not an action. That to me is sad. That tells me the 2022 election could be another pendulum swing. The current record is 60 seats lost, from 2011. Will we calm by then? We didn’t from 2009-2011. When does it end? When do we all finally vote out the old, dead wood?
Interesting side note: Ted Cruz (R-Tx) has again re-introduced a term limit bill for congress last week. There have been several GOP-led, and often bi-partisan supported, term limit attempts since 1993. Will it even make it to the Schumer/Pelosi floors?
Another interesting note: With the next big package, our debt-to-GDP ration will hit a record high of nearly 140% – higher than the end of WWII. It was hovering around 105%-108% for the last 7-8 years, until the pandemic hit. What does that mean? Oversimplified, it means for every dollar of product we make, we owe $1.40 to someone. At some point we approach critical levels like seen in Greece and Italy and Portugal. Which it bad not just for us, but an entire world economy that bases themselves off of the USA.
This is an opportunity to find our moderate voices again. Most of us still have them, I’m willing to bet.
