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In a letter to the editor I submitted to this newspaper last November, I reflected on the results of the just concluded mid-term general elections. I noted that American voters chose to have a divided Congress. Each party achieved a slim majority in each chamber -- Republicans in the House of Representatives and Democrats in the Senate. I asked, "What's next?" and offered some observations.
It did not take long for my worst fears to be realized. Rep. Kevin McCarthy sold his soul to the House Republican "Cuckoo Caucus," giving Q'Anon conspiracy queen Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene everything she and her crew demanded in order to obtain the the votes needed to become Speaker of the House. She has even acted as Speaker pro tem on occasion, likely a play to her ego by Mr. McCarthy. So, what has been the primary thrust of the new House majority? What is their agenda? In my opinion, It is to pursue old grievances.
The known agenda does not include proposed legislation directed at domestic or international issues of importance to this nation and the American people. Instead, the "Cuckoo Caucus" is stonewalling raising the statuatory limit of our country's national debt, incurred to cover past expenditures. Failure to raise the ceiling will cause the U.S. to default on that debt. During the four years of Donald Trump's presidency, Republicans approved $1.8 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthy and raised the debt limit three times, enabling him to add $7.8 trillion to the national debt. Today, in my opinion, they are holding the credit rating of the U.S.A. hostage to their demands and threatening our economy.
Committee majorities in the House are focused on long discredited quests, wasting taxpayers' dollars to fund hearings on such matters as Hunter Biden's laptop; the origin of the Covid virus; Dr. Anthony Fauci's role in the government's management of that crisis, with Rep. Greene, who has spread lies online about vaccine deaths, having a key role in the new investigation; Russian interference in U.S. elections, shifting the emphasis from Mr. Trump's presidential campaign to Secretary Hillary Clinton's in 2016; and threatening cuts in Social Security and Medicare benefits.
Forget "The Squad" across the aisle. I believe it's the Republican extremists who are the present threat to our Democracy. Is it any wonder that there was no "red wave" in the mid-terms?
OSCAR KNADE
Montoursville
Submitted by Virtual Newsroom