McConnell is playing with fire on border and Ukraine
The latest episode of MSNBC’s Deadline: White House, hosted by Nicolle Wallace, exposed the hypocrisy and recklessness of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and his fellow Republicans, who are holding up a vital funding deal for the border and Ukraine.
The deal, which President Joe Biden has been pushing for, would provide $60 billion for border security and humanitarian assistance, and $46 billion for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, to deter Russian aggression and support U.S. allies. The deal is supported by a majority of Americans, according to recent polls, and by many moderate Republicans in the Senate, who recognize the urgency and importance of the situation.
However, McConnell and his loyalists are refusing to back the deal, unless it includes drastic changes to the asylum system, which would make it harder for migrants to seek protection in the U.S. They are also demanding that the deal be linked to the repeal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects hundreds of thousands of young immigrants from deportation.
These demands are not only unreasonable and inhumane, but also irrelevant and counterproductive to the goals of the deal. They are driven by the political calculations of McConnell, who is trying to appease former President Donald Trump and his base, who are obsessed with building a wall and cracking down on immigration. McConnell is also trying to undermine Biden’s presidency and his foreign policy agenda, by creating a false narrative that he is weak and ineffective on the border and on the world stage.
McConnell’s strategy is not only cynical and selfish, but also dangerous and irresponsible. By blocking the deal, he is putting the lives and security of millions of people at risk, both at home and abroad. He is also damaging the credibility and reputation of the U.S., which is already strained by the pandemic and the withdrawal from Afghanistan. He is sending a signal to Russia and other adversaries that the U.S. is divided and distracted, and that they can exploit the situation to advance their interests.
McConnell’s behavior is also hypocritical and inconsistent. On one hand, he claims that he is fully on board with the negotiations, and that he hopes to reach a bipartisan agreement soon. On the other hand, he makes unrealistic and unacceptable demands, and threatens to filibuster the deal if they are not met. He also contradicts his own past statements and actions, when he supported similar funding deals for the border and Ukraine under previous administrations, without imposing any conditions or restrictions.
McConnell’s double-talk and double-dealing are not fooling anyone. He is playing with fire, and he knows it. He is gambling with the fate of the country and the world, for the sake of his own political survival and legacy. He is betraying his oath of office, and his duty to the American people.
Biden and the Democrats should not fall for McConnell’s tricks, nor give in to his demands. They should keep pushing for the deal, and use every tool at their disposal to pass it. They should also call out McConnell and Trump for their obstructionism and irresponsibility, and expose their true motives and agenda. They should also appeal to the American people, and explain why the deal is vital for the national security and the global order.
Biden should also reach out to the moderate Republicans in the Senate, who are willing to work with him on the deal, and try to isolate and marginalize McConnell and Trump. He should also use his diplomatic skills and leverage to rally the allies and partners of the U.S., and to pressure Russia to back off from Ukraine.
Biden has a historic opportunity and a moral obligation to secure the deal, and to show the world that the U.S. is back and ready to lead. He should not let McConnell and his cronies stand in his way, nor jeopardize the future of the country and the world. He should act now, before it is too late.
