House Republicans just handed the Democrats a huge gift
As the primary season begins to heat up, Republicans would rather make the case of why they’re dangerous and unfit to govern instead of what they can do through policy to improve the lives of most Americans. This doesn’t mean we should underestimate them, of course, as their agenda has largely been the same for two decades despite who was at the helm – with their primary focus being to undo much of the progress that has been made since the mid-20th century, and their aggressiveness towards the Democratic Party can often win over a few of the independent-leaning voters who have been conditioned to believe both parties are “just as bad.”
The Democrats, however, could win on a number of culture war issues by going nuclear on the GOP where it matters. The difference is that we don’t actually have to make up any stories about how awful they are, and 63 House Republicans just gave Democratic candidates a massive gift the way they voted on Tuesday. The vote was one that could have been symbolic – a chance for Republicans to pretend that they don’t stand with Russia and are in full support of NATO – a bill that called for “a center for democratic resilience” at NATO.
Among the Republicans – and only Republicans voted against this resolution – were most of the usual suspects such as Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz, and recently attended an emergency meeting of pro-Putin Republicans on Ukraine. We now have essentially a list of pro-Kremlin Republicans currently serving in the House. Every Democratic candidate for office in 2022 would be right to question why House Republicans in question either voted against the resolution or why they’re standing by those who did – and why Republicans are so against democracy. The answer is obvious – democracy is no longer useful to them.
James Sullivan is the assistant editor of Brain World Magazine and an advocate of science-based policy making