Pelosi Paints Trump as Tyrannical, Ignores Her Party
Pelosi is quick to condemn President Trump over the possibility of contesting a close election, so why doesn't she do the same for Democrats?
On Capitol Hill, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D- California), told the press that she feared President Trump would not accept the results of the 2020 Presidential Elections should it be a close race. While other close elections have caused some political confusion, a president openly disputing the outcome of an election could cause serious political upheaval.
Speaker Pelosi went on to say that she had worried that President Trump would contest the result of every 2018 election. He did not. This fear likely stems from the 2016 Presidential cycle. Then-candidate Trump dodged questions about accepting the outcome of the election, stating “I will look at it”. While President Trump is not clean in this situation, Speaker Pelosi is attempting to cash in on these remarks by insinuating that the President might push back on our country’s democratic system.
This is a serious accusation. An attempt to claim the presidency could cause serious civil unrest throughout the country, splitting the country into factions. This occurs frequently in Africa, where presidents refuse to step down after their terms, causing civil wars and divided countries. A similar situation is going on now in Venezuela, where Maduro is fighting the opposition to remain in power. The U.S. has dealt with close elections before, such as Bush v. Gore. However, Al Gore graciously accepted defeat in the 2000 election. This allowed the country to move on from the election and close the division.
President Trump’s Remarks
The 2016 Presidential Cycle was plagued by reports of Russia attempting to influence the outcome of the election. Because of this, candidate Trump said he would look at the outcome of the election when it was over.
Hillary Clinton slammed Trump for this and said that Donald Trump was “denigrating” America’s democracy. While President Trump’s remark is not the most assuring thing to hear from the future president, it shouldn’t permanently constrain Trump as an election denier.
Speaker Pelosi’s Hypocrisy
Speaker Pelosi went after President Trump on his history of possibly not accepting the outcome of our Democratic process. But, she has been noticeably quiet on other issues in her own party. A perfect example would be Stacey Abrams’ claim to the Georgia Governorship.
Abrams lost a close race for Georgia Governor to Brian Kemp. After the election, Abrams filed a lawsuit, claiming that the state had taken steps to disenfranchise voters. Pelosi has not publicly given her stance on this lawsuit. However, Hillary Clinton has taken the time to go on record and say, “If she had a fair election, [Abrams] already would have won.”
Disturbingly Quiet
This seems to be the consensus of her party; the election was illegitimate. Speaker Pelosi, though, has neither commented on the results nor the reactions of those in her party. This kind of partisan hypocrisy is frustrating to watch. If Speaker Pelosi is actually worried about contested elections, she should condemn all of those that chose to divide America by not accepting race results. Stacey Abrams is actively and openly pursuing a court case because of a close election. But Speaker Pelosi chooses to comment on President Trump because he might (could?) contest one? Bad form.
Speaker Pelosi was also noticeably quiet when Democratic colleague Senator Kamala Harris has said that, if she wins the presidency, Congress would have 100 days to enact gun control reform or she would use executive power to do it. This move would undermine Congress, the Constitution, and the people. Yet, Speaker Pelosi has not condemned Harris’ stance. Speaker Pelosi is quick to stand for political freedom when it is convenient for her image, but when it is at risk from her own party? Not as fast. It is time to hold our elected officials accountable for their stances, regardless of political affiliation.
