Is This What Virginia Wants?

In his monthly reports, Ben Cline rarely passes an opportunity to kick the other party.  Some call it political. But using nasty adjectives rather than logic and civility is bullying, full stop. In the past two weeks, we see that the nastiness is not reserved only for the other party.

In January, when Kevin McCarthy was elected House Speaker, Cline wrote that they were “seizing an opportunity to negotiate much-needed Rules changes to ensure every Member can provide more input in the legislative process.” His enthusiasm jumped off the page! “This was the strongest deal on a Rules package in history, restoring transparency and accountability to the People’s House.” And, he promised us, “I won’t stop fighting for families of Virginia’s Sixth District and across the Nation …”

That was the Rule change that made it possible for Spkr. McCarthy to be fired for refusing to shut down the government! And, Republicans who subsequently refused to support Ben Cline’s next choice for Speaker, Jim Jordan, received anonymous death threats! This is the chaos that Ben Cline is proud of! Is this really what the people of Virginia advocate?

Congress is now totally incapacitated. Nothing can be done without a Speaker. Was that the goal? Putin certainly got his wish to stop military aid to Ukraine! Another huge portion of our government will close down in two weeks. How long can you survive without a paycheck? (Cline will, of course, continue to get his.)

And, lest anyone thinks it won’t affect us all, think again. When people get desperate, crime goes up. Cline claims to support the police, but he has consistently voted to fill our streets with military weapons in the hands of anyone with cash to buy one. They can transform a traffic stop, a house call, a school event, or a trip to the grocery store into a military engagement. Who can live long and well with that kind of daily job stress? These are our friends, neighbors, and children. Our Congressman should vote as if he cares about the people he represents. Instead of “fighting,” as Ben Cline asserts he is doing for us, he should find some decency and behave appropriately in representing everyone in his District. These are fellow Americans, not our enemies.

C.A. Wulf
Warren County

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