Xavier Becerra's Nomination Is PRECISELY Why People Are Angry With Republicans
If we can't find the backbone to fight Becerra, what will we defend?
Senate Republicans allowed pro-abortion California Democrat Xavier Becerra to slip through their fingers in a 50-49 vote, with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) casting the deciding vote in Becerra’s favor to be appointed as secretary of Health and Human Services.
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans spent an ocean of political capital opposing Neera Tanden’s appointment to the Office of Management and Budget.
Help me out here.
Becerra is a known pro-abortion advocate. As attorney general for California, Becerra made a name for himself targeting several pro-life organizations. Becerra punished pro-life activists who uncovered Planned Parenthood’s trafficking in baby body parts. Becerra sued pro-life pregnancy resource centers for not offering abortion services.
Of course, Becerra isn’t even a doctor. The man has zero background in either health or human services. Becerra is an attorney whose sole claim to fame is targeting and then destroying his political adversaries.
The man sued the Little Sisters of the Poor for crying out loud. Who does that?
Yet Senate Republicans allowed this man to slip through their fingers despite having the votes to block his nomination.
Now that means I have to listen to crap like this from third year law students who magically get published in the Washington Post who clearly understand neither the law nor Catholicism nor religion:
Republican senators made these allegations during Becerra’s confirmation hearing, citing his support for reproductive rights and LGBTQ equality. Conservative Catholic leaders echoed their attacks. Brian Burch, the president of Catholic Vote, claimed Becerra has “a long history of antagonism toward people of faith” and a “track record of open hostility to the moral teachings of the Catholic Church.”
The irony of these attacks: Becerra is a practicing Catholic. But these charges reflect how public debate too often erases a significant strand of liberal Catholicism that prioritizes social justice over divisive issues like abortion and LGBTQ rights. For generations, liberal Catholics have connected their faith’s moral teachings to an egalitarian philosophy that militates against war, economic inequality, environmental degradation and civil rights violations.
Newsflash? Catholics actually believe things. The basic human right to exist is pretty high on that list. If you don’t believe that? Then you probably aren’t a practicing Catholic.
The problem here with “liberal” Catholicism (or liberal Christianity writ large) is that the moment you append the world liberal to it, you’re really not describing the sacred — you’re describing the secular.
Unless these so-called liberals are willing to extend their liberality to generations yet unborn? Sorry kiddos; not only did I not make the rules? I’m in sales, not management.
Of course, I am almost certain that someone in Washington from the knows-what’s-best (TM) crowd has got a grand explanation for this.
Not sure I want to hear it.
But for those curious as to what is driving the Trump movement? Here it is in stark relief. Even if pro-life values (or religious freedom issues) are not your #1 issue, the fact that the Senate Republicans couldn’t hold the line on Becerra is more than frustrating — it is maddening to the point of losing hope.
Surely we can find something to fight for — please?
Things I Don’t Care About For $200, Alex?
This.
So maybe she got the script wrong. Are we really going to hang a young lady out to dry because she was canvassing for delegates to the convention?
Sorry — I just don’t care (and neither should you). Congratulations if you don’t click on the link. You’re a better soul than I am.
Things I DO Care About For $400, Alex!
This.
Ian Prior out of Loudoun County is staring down the woke mob for daring to speak out about the wokewashing culture within Loudoun County Public Schools.
In fact, so pervasive is the wokewashing, LCPS employees are forbidden — yes, forbidden — to be critical of the policy either in public or in private. This after having thrown $400,000 in taxpayer dollars towards “equity consultants” and paying for a racially biased “equity focus group” on how to deal with — you guessed it — racial bias.
His punishment? Targeting by the woke mob in what can only be described as acts of pure fascism:
In short, a private Facebook group called “Anti-Racist Parents of Loudoun County” (hereinafter referred to as Chardonnay Antifa) solicited members to help “expose” other parents who had spoken out against the use of critical race theory and “equity” (as opposed to equality) at LCPS. As part of the call to action, one member asked for help in hacking the websites of fellow LCPS parents, spreading information about these targets publicly through mailings, and raising money for these dirty deeds.
Does that sound like America to you?
Yet this is just one experience in what is happening actively on 134 different school boards, PTOs and communities across Virginia. Citizens are taking it upon themselves to target, bully, harass and shame perceived “bigots” and “racists” for the thoughtcrime that we should live in a colorblind society.
Prior offers some thoughtful advice for those with the stomach to fight back:
So what are parents to do? Well, I helped start a daily newsletter called the Daily Malarkey that frequently highlights the absurdity of cancel culture. Here is what we said about this the other day: “The Cancel Culture war isn’t limited to politics and the media. It’s in your neighborhood, at your kids’ schools, and on your social media channels. In the past, you could generally avoid drama by keeping your head down, but when you’re dealing with a group that literally creates a blacklist, there is no safe space.”
Whatever you do, don’t back down. Go beyond the politics and read the work of James Lindsey, Chris Rufo, and Bari Weiss. If you are conservative, don’t be afraid to read Matt Taiibi just because he is liberal. If you are a liberal, don’t scoff at reading Andrew Sullivan because he is a conservative.
I couldn’t agree more. Just be aware that there are as many liberals who are openly offended by woke progressives as there are conservatives offended by the same.
…and perhaps, there are too many to our right that would love to pay these woke progressives back in their own coin.
Anathema sit.
As for me and mine? Remember that the best substitute for bad speech isn’t good speech, but free speech. Error may be tolerated, writes Jefferson, so long as reason is left free to combat it.
At present, un-reason seems to be subsidized rather mightily by a cottage industry committed to its own disease. That should strike most thinking persons as rather obtuse — and perhaps counterproductive to the task at hand.
Shaun Kenney is the editor of The Republican Standard, former chairman of the Board of Supervisors for Fluvanna County, and a former executive director of the Republican Party of Virginia.