Politics
The Democrats are Taking Action Against Marjorie Taylor Greene
The Republicans seem reluctant to rein her in
The Democrats are stepping in to deal with Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene because the Republicans refuse to do so. They have delivered an ultimatum demanding Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy strip her of her committee assignments (Education and Labor Committee and Budget Committee) by Wednesday or they will introduce a resolution in the Rules Committee on Wednesday afternoon calling for her removal from those committees.
Greene, who has in the past claimed that the Parkland and Sandy Hook school shootings were staged and that wildfires in California were started by space lasers controlled by Jews, refuses to tone down her rhetoric and conspiracy theories. What particularly concerns Democrats is that she has also advocated for the executions of Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders.
It was those threats that prompted Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) to introduce a resolution to expel her from the Congress for sedition. In a statement, he said
“Such advocacy for extremism and sedition not only demands her immediate expulsion from Congress, but it also merits strong and clear condemnation from all of her Republican colleagues. Her very presence in office represents a direct threat against the elected officials and staff who serve our government.”
McCarthy seems strangely reluctant to curb Greene, in contrast to his swift action in 2019 stripping Rep. Steve King of his committee assignments for questioning why the terms “White Nationalist” and “White Supremacist” are considered offensive.
Perhaps it has to do with Greene’s claim that she has spoken to Trump on the phone and has his complete support. She also claims that she will be visiting him in Florida “soon.” No one in the Trump camp has confirmed the phone call or the visit.
Just the mere mention of Trump’s name seems to strike fear into the hearts of Republicans. The hold that a de-platformed, twice impeached, disgraced former president has on the Republican party is difficult for normal people to understand.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has reportedly also stepped in, calling Greene a cancer on the Republican party and throwing his support behind Liz Cheney amid growing calls to strip her of her leadership post as punishment for her support to impeach Trump.
Ex-Congresswoman, Susan Molinari (R-NY), is predicting that the Republican Party is on its way to becoming a fringe party. She cites McCarthy’s reluctance to deal with Greene, as well as legislation in Arizona that would allow the legislature there to overturn the electoral results in future presidential elections.
Sadly, I have to agree. As I wrote previously, I believe that we are witnessing the death throes of the GOP. Its members have become untethered from reality, following a discredited leader down a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories, White Supremacy and violence.
I’m glad that the Democrats are finally taking action. Normally, when a politician or political party goes rogue, we can shrug and look forward to the next election to vote them out of office, but the danger has become too extreme to wait for the 2022 midterms. Action must be taken now to strip Greene of her committee assignments, thereby robbing her of any power or influence, or expel her from the Congress completely, making clear that the American people will not tolerate hate or extremism in our government.