The phenomenon that’s taken place not just in the executive branch but among all Republicans since the election of Donald Trump is often given the name “saying the quiet part loud.” It’s been known for years that Republicans couch their policies and even their public statements in thinly-veiled appeals to their bigoted base. They couldn’t be overtly racist, so they make up terms like “welfare queen,” then describe that character in stereotypically racist terms — then use that strawman to enact policies that strip rights away from that fictional character.
But since the election of Trump, the quiet part — the insinuation that brown people are taking your taxpayer money, or your jobs, or encroaching on what you think are traditional values — has become something they no longer feel the need to hide.
Whether it started with Trump’s non-denunciation of white supremacists who rallied under his banner and ended up murdering a peaceful protester; or gathered steam when Republicans rallied around an Alabama Senate candidate who was credibly accused by multiple women of inappropriate sexual contact with them when they were underage; or came to a head when Georgia’s Secretary of State — the man in charge of elections in his state — refused to step down while he ran for Governor and openly used his position to suppress votes; the fact is that Republicans now have no shame and no compunction about just doing their dirty deeds out in the open.
That’s why it really came as no surprise to me or many other people who cover politics to see Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell make a mockery of what was widely considered a pretty non-controversial piece of legislation — making election day a federal holiday, so that it would be easier for voters to get to the polls.
Just what America needs, another paid holiday and a bunch of government workers being paid to go out and work for, I assume, our folks—our colleagues on the other side, on their campaigns. This is the Democrat plan to restore democracy? A brand-new week of paid vacation for every federal employee who would like to hover around while you cast your ballot?”
McConnell mocks idea of making Election Day a paid holiday pic.twitter.com/kzlGmO6EYH
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) January 30, 2019
McConnell knows that there’s no reason not to declare it a holiday, and he also knows that anything short of a federal holiday would make it something that employers could simply ignore, and that the purpose is purely to make it easier for people to vote, not to enable poll workers to “hover” anywhere.
So he said the quiet part loud, calling it a “power grab” by Democrats. We always knew that Republicans had to keep people from voting in order to keep winning elections. Mitch McConnell finally just confirmed it out loud.
It’s sad, but it presents a pretty unique opportunity for you as a voter: You can share this article with anyone you’ve been having a hard time convincing that Republicans win when they stay home from the polls.
Featured image via screen capture
