Opinion

Editorial: Does partisan affiliation trump citizenship and nationhood?

Tuesday, March 2, 2021 -- U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell - like too many of his colleagues - is a political partisan before he's a citizen. In McConnell's case, he is a Republican before he is an American. His loyalty is to Donald Trump ahead of the nation.

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After Taking a Shot at Trump, McConnell Finds Himself Under the Gun
CBC Editorial: Tuesday, March 2, 2021; Editorial #8642
The following is the opinion of Capitol Broadcasting Company.

No one illustrates the ethical bankruptcy of our congressional leaders more than Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican from Kentucky who ran the U.S. Senate during Donald Trump’s presidency.

Two videos offer dramatic, and disappointing evidence:

The inescapable conclusion is that McConnell – like too many of his colleagues in Congress and legislatures around the nation – are political partisans before they are citizens.

In McConnell’s case, he is a Republican before he is an American. His loyalty is to the party ahead of the nation.

The unfortunate truth of it all is that McConnell is so upfront about it. Last week, McConnell proudly declared that if Trump is the next GOP presidential nominee, he’ll “absolutely!” support him.

That unflagging endorsement came a mere 13 days after he labeled Trump’s statements and actions “a disgraceful dereliction of duty.” McConnell said Trump fed the crowd, bent on insurrection, “a growing crescendo of false statements, conspiracy theories, and reckless hyperbole” and was “practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day.”

Seeking to separate himself from Trump’s actions, since he voted to acquit on the impeachment charges, McConnell contended that he didn’t “condone anything that happened on or before that terrible day. It simply shows that senators did what the former president failed to do. We put our constitutional duty first.”

So, McConnell “absolutely” would back a man for president who doesn’t put his sworn duty to the Constitution first; is “reckless” and who’s actions were a “disgraceful dereliction of duty.”

McConnell’s unabridged loyalty to the GOP even comes after Trump described him as a “dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack.”

Is McConnell seeking to prove Trump right?

Do qualities and qualifications for our national leaders, such as character, experience, empathy, knowledge and judgment matter?

Is there a Republican candidate whose lack of morals, honesty and accomplishment he wouldn’t support?

Is it all only about winning the presidency, no matter the cost? Are voters so enamored with winning that truth, honest campaigning and transparency mean nothing?

Has McConnell not learned anything from the last four years?

The litmus test for national leadership must be more than a reflex to partisan affiliation.

There is plenty of room for a debate over policies, programs and perspectives.

The Senate and the country deserve better than the likes of Mitch McConnell, who puts loyalty to the Republican Party ahead of the nation. There can be no better example of the dysfunction of the American political system than his answer to Fox's Bret Baier.

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