Expel Marjorie Taylor Greene
Rep. Greene has proven herself a waste of the taxpayer’s money and is utterly unfit to serve in government. It is time to remove her.
Marjorie Taylor Greene has started it all over again, this time provoking a fight that led to a back-and-forth on the floor of the United States House of Representatives. The fight was provoked by Rep. Greene (R-GA) after she insulted Rep. Jasmine Crocker (D-TX), saying, “I think your fake eyelashes are messing up what you’re reading.” This example of petty insulting nonsense by Rep. Greene is yet another example of a long list of infractions by the Georgia firebrand and should, at the very least, serve as a reminder that Rep. Greene has no business being a representative at all. It is time to expel Marjorie Taylor Greene.
A Long List of Nonsense
Right off the bat, I’d like to make my position clear. I have no respect for Rep. Greene or her politics. Her understanding of politics is subpar, her views on foreign policy are disastrous and her contributions to the body politic have almost always been an embarrassment. Nobody should be surprised that I want her out of the House.
But far from merely annoying me or giving me another reason to question Greene’s dedication to serving the well-being of the American people, this outburst exemplifies how fundamentally unworthy of power Greene is and always has been.
From the beginning, she engaged in noxious conspiracy theories and has used rhetoric that has veered into almost slanderous and sometimes downright threatening behavior. On more than one occasion, Greene has gone far beyond the realm of reasoned discussion and debate and into the absurd. In one instance, she accused Hillary Clinton of killing John F. Kennedy Jr., who tragically died in a 1999 plane crash. In another series of incidents, Greene has insinuated that several shootings are false flags and has harassed Parkland shooting survivor and gun control advocate David Hogg. She has also engaged in 9/11 conspiracy theories. Needless to say, Greene hasn’t brought the best to bear even before she became a congresswoman, but she wouldn’t stop there.
Veering into Violence
Even more than simply engaging in outrageous conspiracy theories, Greene has called for violence against her political opponents. Greene called for the execution of Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), liking a post that sought to remove Rep. Pelosi with “a bullet to the head.” In another incident, she outdid herself by explicitly accusing Pelosi of treason and saying:
“She’s a traitor to our country, she’s guilty of treason…She took an oath to protect American citizens and uphold our laws. And she gives aid and comfort to our enemies who illegally invade our land. That’s what treason is. And by our law, representatives and senators can be kicked out and no longer serve in our government. And it’s, uh, it’s a crime punishable by death is what treason is. Nancy Pelosi is guilty of treason.”
Nor is this the first time that Greene openly flirted with violence against the United States government and government officials. As I noted in 2022, Greene claimed that the capitol rioters would have been successful if she had planned January 6th. Such comments are disgusting but especially insulting because she didn’t have the courage to own up to her own words. Instead, she claimed she was joking and that it was taken out of context, but that defense has become so common on the right that it no longer merits serious consideration, especially with someone like Greene. Again and again, Greene delves into the worst elements of our politics.
Expelling Greene
It may seem to some that this article has served as an indictment against Greene. A list of her sins, so to speak. To some extent, it is. Greene’s behavior, both in her role as a private citizen engaging in politics, and as a member of the House of Representatives, necessitates a clear and concise record of her wrongdoing. Beyond reiterating a list of grievances against Greene, this article serves as a reminder that Rep. Greene was always unfit to be in Congress. Always has and always will be.
So long as she continues to conduct herself in this manner and so long as she continues to flirt with far-right extremism and violence, she will remain entirely unworthy of holding any public office, much less a seat in Congress. If the American people are expected to respect Congress, then perhaps it is time for Congress to respect them and remove one of its worst members from power.
Originally published at http://theprogressiveamerican.com on May 17, 2024.