Who knew? Some legislative “undemocratic power grabs” are more equal than others.
As Commentary’s Noah Rothman wrote last week:
Have you heard? There is a “coup” underway in Wisconsin. With a Democrat set to retake the statehouse in January, Wisconsin Republicans convened a lame-duck session of the legislature with the intention of passing a series of bills aimed at curbing the new governor’s authority. The measures cover a range of activity: There’s transferring the power of appointments to an economic development board back to the legislature, prohibiting the governor from banning guns in the state Capitol building, and unilaterally withdrawing from state legal challenges to Obamacare without legislative consent. The reaction to these initiatives from the national press has not been mild.
“Republicans in Wisconsin are trying to undo the results of the 2018 election,” wrote CNN’s Chris Cillizza. Vox.com’s Zack Beauchamp accused the Badger State’s GOP of “nullifying” the 2018 vote. “Wisconsin Republicans shield their voters from the horrors of democratic elections,” read a snarky Washington Post headline. Esquire’s predictably apoplectic Charles Pierce called the Wisconsin GOP’s move more evidence that the Republican Party represents “the greatest threat to the American republic since Appomattox.”
Michigan’s Republicans, too, hope to curb the power of the incoming Democratic governor, attorney general, and secretary of state while there is still time. Republicans in these upper midwestern state’s aren’t exactly thwarting the peaceful transfer of power, claimed Slate’s Jamelle Bouie, but such “legislative coup d’états” are “movement in that direction.”
Lefties have been flipping out over that stuff. But they should probably slow their roll just a wee bit:
Brazen power grabs like those above are fortunately rare, but active lame-duck sessions—particularly those that precede a transfer of legislative control from one party to the next—are not. Suffice it to say that Democrats are not the deferential stewards of transition periods their sympathizers in the press make them out to be.
For evidence of that, look no further than what’s currently happening in New Jersey:
Imagine that. https://t.co/oSrfsfsMur pic.twitter.com/q0npORXlAR
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) December 13, 2018
Oh.
I guess you can't call it a coup, since it's just cementing existing power. Enabling act?
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) December 13, 2018
Now is not the time to split hairs. According to their rules, we should be grabbing our torches and pitchforks right about now.
Unprecedented power grab! A coup! Attack on democracy! https://t.co/396J9GJ6qk
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) December 13, 2018
STEALING DEMOCRACY! Or something. https://t.co/0eqyiZh8yV
— Pradheep J. Shanker, M.D., M.S. (@Neoavatara) December 13, 2018
Where’s the uprising?
Of course.
Gerrymandering was only bad because Republicans did it. https://t.co/9KEukXYo7c
— RBe (@RBPundit) December 13, 2018
Just like everything else.
I think this is just as bad as the Wisconsin and Michigan stuff.
I bet you won't find many media people talking about it though.
Again…remember: both parties are garbage.
— Pradheep J. Shanker, M.D., M.S. (@Neoavatara) December 13, 2018
Join the conversation as a VIP Member