Payback Time for Republicans?

Payback Time for Republicans?

– By Howard Sierer –

Over the last six years, Democrats and leftist media have abused federal government power and political norms. This raises the question of whether Republicans should or will return the favor. Here’s how a Republican-controlled House of Representatives could respond to the Democratic abuses that became (to coin a phrase) “the new normal.”

Recalling how Pres. Trump’s first two years were clouded by a steady stream of bogus Russian collusion claims, a Republican House could launch an investigation into the Biden family influence peddling racket. Taking a page from Democrats’ January 6^th committee, a special committee could be formed of Republicans with Democratic members, if any, approved by the committee chair. The proceedings could be televised in prime time with much advance fanfare about expected juicy testimony.

The committee could foster leaks for months about revelations to come. A Republican representative could reprise Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff’s false claims about Russian collusion by claiming to have “definitive proof” of Pres. Biden’s personal involvement in influence peddling even if none exists.

The contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop could be investigated in stages right up to the 2024 presidential election to prolong the political damage. Hunter Biden could be subpoenaed along with his associates and others who might or might not have been involved.

Democrats coerced 50 “former intelligence officials” to sign a letter just two weeks before the 2020 election assuring us that Hunter Biden’s laptop was fake and probably Russian disinformation. The ring leaders were former National Intelligence Director James Clapper and CIA Director John Brennan, both of whom have admitted to lying to Congress on other matters in the past.

A Republican House committee could subpoena all 50 signatories and trot them out on national television to explain why intelligence officials were meddling in elective politics.

How about impeaching Pres. Biden for failing to enforce immigration laws at our southern border? That case would have far more evidence and validity than Democrats’ first Trump impeachment for supposedly tying military aid to a possible Ukrainian investigation of then-candidate Joe Biden. As with the Trump impeachment, the show trial itself would be much more important than an unlikely guilty verdict.

Another House committee could investigate Biden’s disastrous unilateral pullout from Afghanistan, featuring testimony from Afghan refugees who worked for the U.S. recounting their subsequent treatment by the Taliban.

Why not establish a committee to investigate the attack on a federal courthouse, setting fire to a police station, and the establishment of an illegal no-go zone in major cities’ downtowns? Criminal referrals could be sent to the Justice Department along with possible charges against elected officials who aided and abetted illegal rioting across the country in 2020. Once again, the committee’s “show trial” hearings would be far more important than any subsequent criminal prosecution.

House Democrats ignored both the data and public opinion by passing a national voting law that prohibited voter ID requirements, allowed ballot harvesting by paid party operatives and allowed ballots to be counted that were received up to 10 days after the election. A Republican House could pass a national voting law that enshrines a voter ID requirement as favored by 81% of all voters including 62% of Democrats and then dare Senate Democrats to oppose it.

Democrats rounded up 17 Nobel prize winners to sign an open letter supporting the Biden administration’s plans for trillions of dollars in new spending. These Nobelists claimed his plans “will ease longer-term inflationary pressures.” Republicans could invite these folks in to explain their reasoning and possibly to extract an apology.

All this theater could be culminated with the new Republican House Speaker tearing up his copy of Pres. Biden’s State of the Union speech on national television as Nancy Pelosi tore up Pres. Trump’s 2020 speech.

Even though everything I’ve suggested above matches what Democrats have done for six years, their reaction to any of these possible actions will be to call Republicans “fascists” and “threats to democracy.”

Both parties have sullied America’s democracy over the last six years with election fraud claims. Republicans bear the larger burden by far: too many Republican elected representatives, including some from Utah, supported former Pres. Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud. Nonetheless, many of us forget similar baseless election fraud claims made by Democrats in 2000, 2004, 2016 and 2018.

In a recent opinion article, Sen. Mitt Romney decried claims of fraud made by both parties. He went on to say that “Republicans will have a choice to either pass meaningful legislation or pursue ‘pointless’ investigations, message bills, threats and government shutdowns.”

Romney’s warning about the negative path is shared by Wall Street Journal columnist Kim Strassel who cautions, “There’s a potent lesson for Republicans, too. If this election is showing anything, it’s that most Americans are exhausted by hysteria, impeachment, live congressional investigations, conspiracy theories and politicians who keep wrecking standards and norms in the name of saving democracy.”

Looking forward to the 2024 presidential election, Republicans need a record of constructive legislation that responds to American needs and aspirations. Here’s hoping they rise above Democrats’ dismal and divisive “new normal.”

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