“House Democratic leaders have a rebellion in their ranks. And there’s no easy way to quash it.” (Politico, “Pelosi’s freshmen fracture amid GOP pressure,” Feb. 14.)
Politico continues: “Democrats in swing districts say they have no plan to stop voting with the GOP when they feel the need. They’ve even been given the blessing to do so by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-South Carolina, despite resistance from Pelosi.”
“I’ve always been my own person and when I think something is right, that’s what I vote for,” said freshman Rep. Jeff Van Drew, D-New Jersey, who called the argument that he should vote the party line nonsense.
Joining in the Democrat leaders opposing Democrats conscientiously bucking their own party is Rep. Katie Hill, D-Agua Dulce, our local congressional representative and one of several House seat flippers this past election.
Politico quoted Hill as saying: “Clearly [Republicans] are doing this as a ploy and not because [they] actually give a s— about the issue.”
Whoa there, Katie! House Republicans “don’t give a s—” about issue(s) they have been voting on, such as domestic terrorist funding and sexual abuse? Your party-bolting colleagues clearly didn’t think so!
Republican voters are still in the majority out here in our 25th Congressional District.
Weeks before the election, a charming, vote-canvassing young couple wearing white Katie Hill golf shirts showed up at my door looking for my young adult (Republican) son. She was a Princeton student; he, from England. (Both, they said, not from here.)
Wow, I thought. We’ve been had.
It must give the Democrats’ local and national leadership no end of hand-rubbing glee.
Sean McLaughlin
Valencia
