Dear Neighbor,
In the weeks since they ousted their own Speaker and threw the House into chaos, House Republicans have faced a choice: abandon extremism and work with Democrats toward a responsible, bipartisan path forward, or double down on the bigotry, hatred, and authoritarianism that have defined their party as of late.
Today, they chose the latter.
With the election of Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Republican Party has completed its devolution into chaos and extremism. Instead of working with Democrats to find middle ground, Republicans – including supposed ‘moderates’ – have weaponized the bad behavior of their most extreme members and cemented far-right extremist rule in the House.
Having served with Mike Johnson on the so-called Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, I know him to be a far-right ideologue and a defender of insurrection. He was an architect of President Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election and he favors criminalizing abortion across the country.
But you don’t need to take my word for it. Mike Johnson's voting record speaks for itself:
- Certifying the 2020 election in Arizona: NO
- Certifying the 2020 election in Pennsylvania: NO
- Impeaching Donald Trump for inciting insurrection: NO
- The Women's Health Protection Act: NO
- Establishing the January 6th Committee: NO
- Banning wage discrimination on the basis of sex: NO
- The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act: NO
- The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: NO
- Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act: NO
- Capping insulin at $35 per month: NO
- Expanding health care benefits for veterans exposed to toxins: NO
- Bipartisan gun control legislation: NO
- Guaranteeing the right to contraception: NO
- The CHIPS & Science Act: NO
- Codifying the right to same-sex and interracial marriage: NO
- Averting a government shutdown: NO
That is not the voting record of a reasonable, mainstream Republican Speaker. But there is more to the story than just his voting record. As Chairman of the ultra-conservative Republican Study Committee, Speaker Johnson proposed a radical budget that would end Social Security as we know it. His budget:
- Enacts deep benefit cuts for the middle class – reducing benefits for everyone whose earnings are more than about $60,000 a year.
- Raises the retirement age to 70, resulting in an almost 20% cut in benefits.
- Calls for privatizing Social Security: “Accordingly, this budget urges lawmakers to consider legislative options that allow employers and employees to reduce their payroll tax liability in order to invest in private retirement options.”
- Reduces annual cost of living adjustments (COLA) for Social Security beneficiaries, making seniors even more vulnerable to the effects of inflation.
From the beginning of this Congress in January, Republicans have offered the American people nothing but dysfunction and extremism. They had a chance this month to turn a new leaf and prove to us all that they are fit to govern a modern, diverse democracy. Instead, they have chosen radicalism over results and chaos over common ground.
America deserves better.
As always, my team and I are here to help. If we can be of assistance, please don't hesitate to call us at (703) 256-3071.