My Little Margie
This is a brief follow-up of sorts to my article yesterday about Marjorie Taylor Greene ranting about how Red states should secede from the union – which, as I noted, was a) the definition of being anti-American, and b) would serve to almost literally bankrupt those states, since so many of them get around 40% of their budgets from federal assistance. Later in the day, I posted a comment on social media where I wrote, “The quivering impotence of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker has allowed MT Greene to be the most-vocal, lunatic, out-of-control face of the House GOP, and Democrats should take advantage of that to the fullest.”
It got a few “Likes” and “Retweets” initially, but as the day went on I noticed that things picked up significantly. Not to the point of going viral, but still substantial by my standards. And I’m very sure that the approval was not about criticism of the quaveringly impotent Kevin McCarthy, but rather the point of making Ms. Greene the face and voice of the House Republican Party.
Mainly, though, what I loved is that in the afternoon I saw a posting from Jaime Harrison, who is chairman of the Democratic National Committee, that did precisely that. He wrote – “GOP House control is a tremendous threat to American democracy. This deranged Congresswoman calls for secession but was elected unanimously by the GOP to the Homeland Security Committee. Her biggest enabler is the House Speaker!” And then embedded a video of Greene. Literally making her the face and voice of the House GOP.
I was so happy to see that the DNC was properly pulling a no-brainer and making Marjorie Taylor Greene the face and voice of today's Republican Party in the House. Indeed, even in the Congress, because I don’t see any senator taking the lead in pushing the GOP agenda. Nor any senator even criticizing her for her monumentally divisive, counter-productive and ethereally stupid, out-of-control, non-stop comments.
Republicans have long liked to pick one Democrat to specifically demonize as someone they want others to see as the face of the party. Usually, that’s been the Speaker of the House, and most prominently was done with Tip O’Neil. The GOP did a huge amount of fundraising off the bulbous, brash O’Neil, which made for a good target, even if he wasn’t even close to the voice of the party. But even that didn’t come close to when they made Nancy Pelosi their fundraising target as symbolizing all they hated about the Democrats and damn libs – a smart, outspoken, liberal woman, horrors! Moreover, not just liberal, but one who represented those damn hippies in San Francisco. And now it’s probably Alexandria Ocasio Cortez who they want to be the face of Democrats – a smart, outspoken, liberal woman of color, horrors! Or even more…“The “Squad” – three smart, outspoken, woman of color. Almost the worst nightmare of the far right. One of them a Muslim, no less. Not because any of them were actually the voice and face of the Democratic Party, mind you, but they terrified the GOP base enough for who they were as people and were great to fundraise off.
So, it seems fair to return the favor with Marjorie Taylor Greene. To be clear, though, it’s not because she’s an outspoken woman. (Though not of color, nor liberal, nor smart.) It’s because she rants about seceding from the Union. And Jewish space lasers. And the national horror of Chinese balloons that might be carrying COVID-19 to drop on America. And saying black people should fee "proud" of seeing Confederate monuments. And crying out “Liar!!” during the State of the Union Address. And wanting to pass a law that if you move to a Red state “You don’t get to vote for 5 years" because she doesn't want Democrats to bring their "values." (All the other insane fascist stupidity of this "idea" aside -- she misses that some/many/most people moving to a Red state are moving there specifically because it's a Red state. And she wants to block them from voting!!) And threatening death on Nancy Pelosi. And also, because it's clear she dearly wants to be the face and voice of the House GOP -- to the degree that she has specifically put out wanting to be the vice president running-mate of Trump. And has almost usurped the impotent Speaker McCarthy by virtue of holding him up with concessions to get her vote (and those of her small group) that he needed to get elected, and so can get him to push her agenda. And thus far, neither McCarthy, nor any official in the Republican Party, anywhere, has stepped in to call her out.
So, it’s not a case of creating a fake “straw man” to be the supposed face and voice of the GOP in the House. Even if others have more power and authority, she pretty much is its outspoken voice and face. It’s just a case of making this clear to the public. Her specifics might be outlandish and insane and not supported by all, or even most Republicans in the House. But they are all letting her take the lead for them in their silence and reticence. So, her face and voice is what the GOP is allowing her to position what they stand for and what they refuse to contradict.
That’s why the lunatic Marjorie Taylor Greene is, right now, actually the face and voice of the House Republican Party.
And if Republicans have long been willing to single out a Democrat they hate to stand for all Democrats even if it has no merit, it’s more than fair and right and proper for Democrats to not just return the favor, but point to someone who has actually pushed herself to become truly it’s loudest and craziest voice, and face.
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