Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) tore House GOP leadership to shreds in a New York Times op-ed published on Monday, in which she accused House Republicans of crushing rank-and-file lawmakers’ ideas, being feckless on getting any policies passed, and sidelining women from any important decision-making.
Among the examples of GOP inaction Mace cited are a congressional stock trading ban, term limits, and national voter ID requirements — which she claims hold massive bipartisan support, but cannot be brought to a vote because of leadership’s inaction. Much of the hard legislating work can only be done through discharge petitions that painstakingly gather signatures to force House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) to allow a vote.
“Here’s a hard truth Republicans don’t want to hear: Nancy Pelosi was a more effective House speaker than any Republican this century,” wrote Mace. “I agree with her on essentially nothing. But she understood something we don’t: No majority is permanent. When Democrats hold the majority, they ram through the most progressive policies they can. They deliver for the coalition that elected them while they are in power.”
“Republicans do the opposite,” she claimed. “We get the majority, then become petrified of losing it. We pass the most moderate policies we can pressure conservatives to accept, betraying the coalition that delivered us here. Ms. Pelosi was ruthless, but she got things done. The current House is restrictive and ineffective, control with barely any results. Republican leadership seems intent on replicating her model of consolidation without her bold vision to push through the policies that won us the majority.”
Part of the problem, Mace argued, is that a good chunk of the caucus is never given real responsibility because of their gender.
“Women will never be taken seriously until leadership decides to take us seriously, and I’m no longer holding my breath,” wrote Mace. “Since 2013, the Republican conference chair position has gone to a woman. It’s the token slot, the designated leadership role for the top woman in the conference, while the real power lies in other offices. I’m sure Lisa McClain, the current chair of the House Republican Conference, is a wonderful cook. I’d wager she’s an even better legislator. But we’ll never know, because that’s not the box she’s been assigned.”
Mace, a controversial lawmaker who has often faced criticism for her erratic behavior, was reported by recent sources to be considering resigning in protest over these issues. She has denied this, but is nonetheless mounting a bid for governor next year rather than seeking re-election.
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