People across America have wondered what it would take for Republicans to come out of their hiding places and dare to speak against Donald Trump. They basically remained silent when he had his people rip nursing babies from the arms of their mothers. They said nothing when Trump locked toddlers in cages with no adult supervision. Now, we know what moves them to speak.
The only black American senator among a sea of white Republicans, Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), criticized the president‘s “unacceptable” and “racially offensive” language when he referred to four progressive minority congresswomen. He told them to “go back” to the countries they came from. Scott said:
‘Instead of sharing how the Democratic Party’s far-left, pro-socialist policies — not to mention the hateful language some of their members have used towards law enforcement and Jews — are wrong for the future of our nation, the President interjected with unacceptable personal attacks and racially offensive language. No matter our political disagreements, aiming for the lowest common denominator will only divide our nation further.’
Earlier Scott noted that Trump was “aiming for the lowest common denominator:”
‘The President interjected with unacceptable personal attacks and No matter our political disagreements, aiming for the lowest common denominator will only divide our nation further.’
Scott’s statement came out on Tuesday afternoon. In it, he said that Democrats also used racially divisive tactics:
‘Prior to this weekend, we saw the Democratic Party embroiled in racial controversy. From [Sen.] Kamala Harris [D-Calif.] attacking [former Vice President] Joe Biden on segregationists, to four black and brown women chastising Democratic leadership for attacking women of color,” he said, referring to criticism Omar, Ocasio-Cortez, Pressley and Tlaib have directed at Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
“It is clear the Democratic Party has serious issues along these lines.’
The women are Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI).
These four Democrats have criticized Donald Trump and his administration. Two of them, Omar and Tlaib, have been skeptical about the U.S.’s relationship with Israel, an American third rail that few have been willing to touch.
Trump frequently repeated that these women “hate America” to the cameras in a White House lawn gaggle. The president’s people had not wanted him to talk to the press and even moved the reporters, but Trump found his way to them, eager to talk about the amazing four. He said that if they hate America so much, which they have not claimed, they should “leave, just leave.”
In one of his tweets, the president noted that it was “sad” that the Democrats were defending these women. He claimed they used:
‘(D)isgusting language…(and said) many terrible things … about the United States must not be allowed to go unchallenged.’
The commander-in-chief identified these women in his tweet as those:
‘(W)ho originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe…go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.’
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) released a statement that read:
‘I disagree strongly with many of the views and comments of some of the far-left members of the House Democratic Caucus … but the President’s tweet that some Members of Congress should go back to the ‘places from which they came’ was way over the line, and he should take that down.’
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) suggested POTUS “aim higher.” Then, he called the women “communists:”
‘They are American citizens, they won an election, take on their policies…We all know that (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) and this crowd are a bunch of communists, they’re anti-Semitic…we don’t need to know anything about them personally, just talk about their policies.’
Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) said that the president’s tweets were “wrong.” He also pointed out that the four congresswomen whom Trump criticized had citizenship “as valid as mine,” according to CBS News:
‘President Trump was wrong to suggest that four left-wing congresswomen should go back to where they came from. Three of the four were born in America and the citizenship of all four is as valid as mine. I couldn’t disagree more with these congresswomen’s views on immigration, socialism, national security, and virtually every policy issue. But they are entitled to their opinions, however misguided they may be. We should defeat their ideas on the merits, not on the basis of their ancestry.
Then, Representative Will Hurd (R-TX) stepped up to the plate and said Trump’s tweets were “racist and xenophobic.”
Representative Paul Mitchell (R-MA) said “we must be better than comments like these:”
‘I share the political frustrations with some members of the other party, but these comments are beneath leaders.’
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is among the few who go against Trump when the issue is profound. She called the president’s words “spiteful” and “absolutely unacceptable:”
‘”We have enough challenges addressing the humanitarian crises both at our borders and around the world. Instead of digging deeper into the mud with personal, vindictive insults –we must demand a higher standard of decorum and decency.’
Another freshman member of the Freedom Caucus, Chip Roy (R-TX) said:
‘POTUS was wrong to say any American citizen, whether in Congress or not, has any ‘home’ besides the U.S. But I just as strongly believe non-citizens who abuse our immigration laws should be sent home immediately, & Reps who refuse to defend America should be sent home.’
Representative Fred Upton (R-MI) claimed that Trump’s comments were “really uncalled for” and “very disappointing:”
Featured image is a screenshot via YouTube.
The Mueller Report Adventures: In Bite-Sizes on this Facebook page. These quick, two-minute reads interpret the report in normal English for busy people. Mueller Bite-Sizes uncovers what is essentially a compelling spy mystery. Interestingly enough, Mueller Bite-Sizes can be read in any order.
