It Is Time

 Yesterday the United States Senate voted on the establishment of an independent commission to investigate the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capital. The procedural vote required 60 senators to agree to move forward to debate. Senate Republicans following the lead of Senator McConnell stopped the measure from moving forward. It was Senator McConnell’s belief that the commission would harm the chances of Republicans in their attempt to retake the majority in the House and Senate. He and a significant minority of Senate Republicans fear the revelations that may come from this investigation. It is interesting that in the formation of the legislation Democrats had negotiated with Republicans. They had given in to every Republican demand regarding the makeup and limitations of the commission. It still wasn’t enough. If you cannot get Republicans to vote for a bipartisan bill they negotiated then what hope do you have for an agreement on infrastructure, gun control, healthcare, education or any other issue? Mitch McConnell is working to do what he did to President Obama- obstruct everything. He will use the filibuster to block every piece of legislation coming out of the House. It is time to end the filibuster. 

The Republicans did not want a bipartisan commission. It is time for Speaker Pelosi to form a select committee to investigate the January 6th insurrection. Speaker Bohner form the Select Committee on Benghazi to investigate the death of 4 Americans in Libya. Surely the death of 6 Americans in our nation’s Capital Building warrants a select committee. The House select committee spent 2 years and millions of dollars investigating Benghazi. What was the purpose of that investigation? 

On September 29, 2015, Republican Kevin McCarthy said the following during an appearance on Hannity: "Everybody thought Hillary Clinton was unbeatable, right? But we put together a Benghazi special committee, a select committee. What are her numbers today? Her numbers are dropping. Why? Because she's untrustable. But no one would have known any of that had happened, had we not fought."

Kevin McCarthy, the Republican Minority Leader in the House made clear the political intent of those hearings. If Republicans become the majority in the house he will be the next Speaker. 

Speaker Pelosi must form a select committee. Let it be like the one on Benghazi. That one had 7 Republican members and 5 Democrats. This committee should have 7 Democrats and 5 Republicans. It is time for a select committee  

The final part of the problem is the ongoing gerrymandering of congressional districts. Republicans and Democrats in too many districts are not concerned with their rival in the general election. They are concerned by a primary challenger that will run against them for being too willing to compromise with the rival party. The punishment for doing the right thing is failing to be re-elected. Too many members of Congress are more concerned with being re-elected than are concerned with doing what is best for the country. They have put their ambitions above what is best for America. It is time for partisan gerrymandering to stop.