Will the real ‘defenders of democracy’ please stand up? Oh, look… they just did.
As we’re all supposed to learn in basic civics, citizenship confers both rights and responsibilities. Those rights include self-determination through voting. The responsibilities include respecting the rule of law.
People in the District of Columbia disagree with that principle. They are a ‘sanctuary city’ except when they take time out to rage at mean old Border States for bussing a few dozen hungry mouths to DC.
They recently enshrined a ‘right to vote’ that does not come with any attendant responsibilities — including going through the proper process of becoming a citizen.
None of that seemed to bother Democrats, which is weird, considering the ‘defender of democracy’ brand they’ve been trying to build for themselves.
Two resolutions concerning that resolution and another one concerning DC law enforcement came before the House on Thursday and passed with support from both sides of the House.
DC was excluded from being present in any of the states by design so that the state that the capital city called home would not get disparate treatment from any other state.
The Framers never intended it for either DC or the various agencies, businesses, and groups parasitically feeding off of it to mushroom to the enormous size they have since become. It was seen as a reasonable concession, therefore, that decisions affecting DC would fall under the purview of Congress.
That explains how Congress could vote on — and pass — the two bills that have the left tied up in knots.
According to the D.C. Home Rule Act, Congress has the ability to block laws in the city from being enacted — a move that requires passage of a disapproval resolution in both the House and Senate, as well as a sign-off from the president. The measures, however, are unlikely to move in the Senate.
…The first resolution took aim at D.C.’s Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act, which allows noncitizen residents to vote in local elections. The D.C. Council approved the measure in October.
But on Thursday, the House voted to disapprove the bill in a 260-162 vote. Despite Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) urging members of her caucus to vote “no,” 42 Democrats joined with their Republican colleagues in support.The House also disapproved of D.C.’s revised criminal code, which was approved by the capital’s council in November. — TheHill
Since this bill would require support in the Senate and Biden’s signature, it is unlikely to pass.
But the split in the Democrat vote on this issue was telling.
There are cracks in the party between the activists and the more traditionalist center.
Knowing where those cracks are is a good thing… both for negotiations in the next two years AND for oppo research when 2024 comes along.
Let’s hope some of the good guys are taking notes.
Cross-Posted with Clash Daily
