Blackford, other writers, wrong about McConnell and the filibuster

Linda Blackford is unapologetic in her outward hatred toward conservatives. Now we are “idiots” if we cast a vote for the Senator. I’m not sure if that is a compliment or a “dig.” Probably a dig. But, with the Senator earning 58 percent to McGrath’s 38 percent, or 1,233,315 popular votes to 816,257 McGrath voters, I’ll take that as a compliment.

Her voice through the H-L is often read as a comedic relief by conservatives, given the stressors of having a president who cannot think or speak without “note cards” or teleprompter telling him what to say and when. Vice-president Kamala Harris who “cackles” when asked when she will visit the border. Tens of thousands of children stranded at the border is not laughable by any stretch.

Ms. Blackford seems to think that McConnell got huge amounts of money from corporations – however, before criticizing him she should do some research. The Center for Responsive Politics, through www.opensecrets.org shows that ‘DARK MONEY,” donors topped $1 billion in 2020, with approximately $400 million to the Dems, and $200 million to Republicans.

These corporations are not insignificant in what they expect from their “contributions.” All of which can be seen with the explosion of executive orders coming out of the White House (upwards of 35 in number so far). What is most disconcerting is the Department of Defense and City of New York. Who’s benefiting from these campaign donations? Certainly not Senators McConnell or Rand Paul, KY Congressmen, Andy Barr, Jamie Comer, Thomas Massie, Hal Rogers and Brett Guthrie. It is fun to watch Pelosi, Schumer and Psaki circling back to “defend” the actions of the White House, although “actions” may not be the correct verb. I don’t really see any direction or action plans coming from the White House – just words that are read and apparently not understood.

Most recently words “read” by our President, called the voting law in Georgia, “Jim Crow” laws. I’m hoping someone explained to the President that Jim Crow laws stemmed from the Southern Democrats’ unwillingness to recognize the equality of man (Strom Thurmond and Robert Byrd come to mind). These laws were upheld in 1896 in Plessy vs. Ferguson, which brought us the “separate by equal,” legal doctrine. Thurgood Marshall, argued before the Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education, 1954, ruling separate but equal didn’t work; it was declared unconstitutional by the Court.

When our President makes accusations of “Jim Crow” laws, he often includes his support of the “little guy.” Our President claims to be a “blue collar-union guy from Scranton,” yet his first day in office he trashed 11,000 union jobs on the pipeline; shut down fracking and drilling on federal lands costing hundreds of thousand of jobs and shutting down the little guy’s small businesses across numerous states.

Now enter Aiden O’Brien with his attack on Senator McConnell for wanting to uphold the filibuster in the Senate. I suppose O’Brien was not taught that the filibuster was used extensively by Democrats to delay “watering down” key civil rights laws in the ‘50’s, and used extensively by Democrats to block 1960’s civil rights legislation. He also needs to understand that the Democrats used the filibuster over 337 in 2020 to the Republican’s one time in 2020. I suggest O’Brien do some research on the filibuster before claiming the use of it diminishes voting rights. It is an intentional curb to majority rule, and has been in place since the 1800’s.

I also remember Harry Reid changing Senate rules. And how did that work out?

Barbara Ellerbrook is the National Membership Chair for the National Federation Republican Women.