OPINION:
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who also heads up the Democratic Caucus, bragged to CBS that his party may not hold the official positions of leadership in the House — but that it doesn’t really matter.
“We effectively have been governing,” he said, “as if we were in the majority.”
Cue flaming fire emojis. That’s like calling the Republicans a bunch of poor saps.
Infuriating — but true. Where are the hard-hitting conservative agendas that are supposed to come with a GOP majority? House Speaker Mike Johnson facilitated passage of a massive foreign aid package that included billions of dollars — more dollars, more tax dollars — for Ukraine; a package that was supported by Democrats but resisted by many in the Republican Party. Democrats, following its passage, cheered and whipped mini Ukraine flags from their pockets and purses and waved them wildly on the House floor.
That was after the House, led by Republican Johnson, passed a $1.2 trillion spending bill to keep open the government and avoid a shutdown, despite the objections of many in the GOP who expressed concerns about the price tag; despite the fury of the House Freedom Caucus who saw in its text too many concessions to Democrats; despite the angst of conservatives who said the bill didn’t include necessary border controls.
The spending bill was “capitulation” to Dems, Freedom Caucus members said.
It was a total “surrender” to the left, Freedom Caucus members said.
It was “chock full of crap,” Freedom Caucus members said.
Where’s the power of the purse the party that holds the leadership posts in the House is supposed to wield?
Democrats are laughing.
Jeffries — his full statement: “Even though we’re in the minority, we effectively have been governing as if we were in the majority because we continue to provide a majority of the votes necessary to get things done. Those are just the facts,” he said.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene gets criticism from even those in her own party because of her attempts to oust Johnson as speaker. But she’s drawing attention to what the world already knows but keeps quiet, as if it’s still a secret: that of the Democrats’ total manipulation of the media and political process so that whatever they do is good; whatever they push is for-the-people; whatever they advocate is above-board and pro-America and pro-freedom and pro-pro-pro-the-country; and conversely, whatever the Republicans do is despotic, unconstitutional and just this side of lunatic.
When will Republicans learn they will never win fair shakes in the press and that whenever they try to strike deals with Democrats to appear cooperative, courteous and pro-country, they are instead regarded as weak and pliable and ultimately exploited for leftist wins?
Republicans should go big or go home. Go down swinging, for God’s sake. Be willing to go down in flames. Right?
Conservative voters want fighters, not cowardly lions.
Even when the numbers don’t add up and the vote tally in the House doesn’t fall in favor of the Republicans — conservatives in America are tired of the puppet called Joe Biden and the borders that are wide open and the economy that’s bringing loaves of bread that sell for $5, $7, $10 — the same loaves of bread that three years ago under Donald Trump’s economy sold for $2, $3, $4 — these tired and wearied conservatives in America still want fights, not concessions. They want their leaders to lead, given they voted these Republicans into positions of leadership in the first place.
When those perceived as weak tip their hat as going weaker, they will always be taken advantage of and exploited.
Democrats aren’t in it for the country and the Constitution. They’re in it to destroy both country and Constitution.
And they’re laughing because they know the Republican Party is weak.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter and podcast by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “Lockdown: The Socialist Plan To Take Away Your Freedom,” is available by clicking HERE or clicking HERE or CLICKING HERE.
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