Joe Barbieri ’23

Opinions Editor

Following President Trump’s loss in the 2020 election, Republicans across the country are having trouble formulating an effective plan for their future. There is one thing that Republicans must focus on if they want to gain back the majority in either the Senate or the House: rallying behind up-and-coming candidates that will set the stage of Republican politics for many years to come. Many representatives, such as Madison Cawthorn from North Carolina and Lauren Boebert from Colorado, are good examples of this strategy, but one particular representative has not only Democrats worrying, but the majority of Congress as well: Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia.

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene is a threat to American democracy. Her rhetoric and conspiracy theories have many wondering who would vote to send such a fool to the House of Representatives. To explain this, let’s look at the district that she represents. The 14th district of Georgia votes heavily Republican and in the 2018 election, incumbent Tom Graves (Republican) easily beat Democratic challenger Steven Foster by a 121,762 vote margin. As a matter of fact, Greene ran unopposed in the general election, as her Democratic challenger withdrew from the race.

I would normally give any newly elected member of Congress a chance to prove how well they represent their constituents.  However, in the case of Marjorie Taylor Greene, not only should she be widely condemned by both parties, but she should also be expelled from the House of Representatives. Besides openly criticizing wearing masks during a global pandemic, Greene also berated Democratic colleague Cori Bush to such a degree that Bush is moving her office away from Greene. These repulsive actions are beneath the distinguished halls of Congress. Her district deserves better, the House of Representatives deserves better, and this country demands better.

It is truly a shame that Republican leadership, specifically Kevin McCarthy and Steve Scalise, have yet to strongly condemn, censure, and expel Greene. Every American has a moral obligation to speak out against the disgusting, divisive actions perpetrated by Marjorie Taylor Greene. Failure to do so would be true cowardice. The future of the Republican party is at stake here. By not taking effective action to get rid of Greene, the Republican leadership are making themselves appear weak. The platform of Marjorie Taylor Greene is not a future to build around. My simple tip to House Republicans: condemn, censure, and expel Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene. Anything less than that is a stain on our democracy.