RUTHFULLY YOURS

https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/424051-democrats-must-prove-they-are-worthy-of-their-house-majority

For the first time since 2011, the Democrats took control of the House thanks to their midterm victory. The election of Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House continues her legacy as the first woman to hold this leadership position in our history. She is the first Speaker of the House in more than half a century to lose the majority, not be pushed out by her party shortly thereafter, and then to ultimately regain this top position years later.

Despite a movement led by a number of Democrats in the House, such as Seth Moulton and Tim Ryan, to oust her as the leader, Speaker Pelosi once again showed her political prowess by not only crushing any dissent, but also by receiving votes from both Moulton and Ryan. With the government entering the third week of its shutdown, numerous departures from the Trump administration, and the beginning of the 2020 presidential race, Americans are looking for the party that they can trust going forward.

The Democrats have an opportunity before them to demonstrate that they are the party of leadership, the party of pragmatism, and the party of strength. Ryan has underscored the importance of the Democrats exhibiting strong leadership ahead of 2020. In a statement about the party retaking the House, Ryan said President Trump is “worried about the investigation that is breathing down his neck,” adding that “his only goal is to appeal to Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham, and Rush Limbaugh.”

Ultimately, given that sole mission of President Trump seems to be trying to protect his dwindling base from abandoning him, the Democrats have a tremendous opportunity to make gains with moderate voters who feel that that his priorities do not line up with their own. As Speaker Pelosi reclaims the gavel in the House, the nation will be closely watching for her first few legislative moves. Those steps will include reopening the government and outlining the policy priorities for the Democrats in the 116th Congress.

There is certainly a need for strong leadership that contrasts with the style exhibited by the President Trump. However, Speaker Pelosi cannot make the mistake of being an obstructionist. Voters across the country are frustrated with Washington. They want solutions, not shutdowns. Thus, if Speaker Pelosi takes a card from Senator Mitch McConnell and attempts to block everything the Republicans propose, then Democrats running in 2020 will not be able to paint themselves as dealmakers who are able to navigate politics, and voters will only view them as adding to the problem. What we need now is the ability to find common ground for solutions.

https://edwardcline.blogspot.com/2019/01/congresss-trump-derangement-syndrome.html

The Democratic side of the 116th session of Congress kicked off its business with an agenda aimed almost solely on “getting” President Donald Trump.

The Dem 2019 Platform: Abolish ICE, Legalize Tranny Bathrooms, Free Healthcare, Free College, Increase the Minimum Wage, Open Borders, Gun Confiscation, Abolishing Prisons, Unrestricted Abortion Rights, Gender Fluidity, More Limitations of Free Speech, Higher Taxes, Voting Rights for Illegals, Lowering Voting Age to 16, and the Proliferation of Crying Closets..But, above all, to “impeach” or remove Donald Trump. Snub Trump by taking time off.

As Michael Goodwin of the New York Post reported on January 5th, in his column, “Democrats Keep Proving How Detached they are from Reality”:

In its common definition, the job of president of the United States is to deliver peace and prosperity. Donald Trump is doing well on both fronts, so let’s impeach the bastard!

As insane as it sounds, that and only that is what many Democrats have in mind. Impeachment, or death by a thousand investigations, is the heart of their plan.

For proof, eliminate their desire to remove Trump from office and see if you can pinpoint anything else with broad Dem support. Some advocate for open borders, others for tax hikes or Medicare-for-all, but ending the Trump presidency ASAP is the glue holding the party together.

Legislation? Can’t be bothered. Mental energies must be focused on impeaching or opposing Trump.

Is the Trump Derangement Syndrome real, or “faked”?

https://amgreatness.com/2019/01/05/mitch-mcconnells-complicity

The partial government shutdown is well into its second week. And given the mix of Democrat enthusiasm and complete Republican apathy, it looks like it may stay that way for a while.

Ask any reporter or Capitol Hill staffer who has worked through previous government shutdowns, and we’ll all tell you the same thing about this one: it’s bizarre.

Government shutdowns are generally characterized by a pervasive sense of urgency and frazzled, frantic negotiations. Beleaguered members tramp back and forth to the White House and hold daily press conferences, both chambers hold late-night sessions for votes and speeches, and, of course, everyone howls on cable news. But, minus a few exceptions on the cable news networks, hardly any of this has occurred.

Instead, the clock chimed on the shutdown and Congress just went home. The Republican House, in a last-minute Hail Mary, passed a government funding bill that included the president’s requested $5 billion in wall funding. But upon receiving it, the Republican Senate collectively yawned and packed up for home on December 21. They didn’t come back until 4 p.m. on January 2.

They weren’t alone. Newly minted Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) decamped for Hawaii, for which she received approximately zero criticism in the press. The new junior senator from Utah, Mitt Romney, apparently spent the break crafting a sanctimonious missive against the administration he previously sought to join. And nary a peep was heard from anyone else in congressional leadership, Republican or Democrat.

Backward Priorities
President Trump, meanwhile, remained in Washington, practically begging for a negotiating partner. Or, at the very least, a sparring partner.

https://pjmedia.com/trending/ocasio-cortez-fans-joke-about-assassinating-steve-scalise/

On Saturday, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-S.C.), the House minority whip, responded to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who had advocated for a 70 percent top tax rate. When Ocasio-Cortez shot back, her supporters joked about assassinating Scalise, who nearly lost his life in the 2017 congressional baseball game shooting.

“Snipe his a**!” the popular satirical account Raandy tweeted, responding to Ocasio-Cortez. His tweet received 582 “likes” and 7 “retweets.”

Another chimed in, “she’s got better aim than James Hodgkinson, that’s for sure.” This tweet received 25 “likes.”

she’s got better aim than James Hodgkinson, that’s for sure
— matt’s making medium missives on mobile (@averybigbear) January 6, 2019

James Hodgkinson was the shooter who nearly killed Scalise in 2017. The congressman almost lost his life multiple times during and after the shooting.

“Raandy” is a satirical account that played a hoax on conservatives during the 2016 election by claiming to be a post office worker and ironically confessing to “ripping up absentee ballots that vote for Trump.” His tweet is clearly a joke, but the 2017 shooting is no laughing matter. Any of the 582 people who “liked” this message on Twitter might be inspired to actually carry out what Raandy so glibly jokes about.