ON TARGET

3/15/19                         By Dave Gunn

Resolving the Sword and Shield Paradox

     What happens when an irresistible force meets an unmovable object? We may soon find out as a collision is forming between such on Capitol Hill.

     The unmovable object: House Speaker Nancy “She who must be obeyed” Pelosi. She was previously Speaker from 2007 to 2011 and is well known for her “my way or the highway” style of leadership. Then and now, she rules by reward and by fear. Those who do what they are told are rewarded with committee chairmanships or assignments on such committees as they want, and Pelosi’s formidable help in fund raising.

     Those who do not “toe the line” find themselves shut out when it is time for fund raising for reelection and also find themselves with committee assignments unsuited to their interests or the interests of their constituents. A term in Congress can become a long, cold winter for those who cross Pelosi.

     The irresistible force is Alexandra “occasionally coherent” Ocasio-Cortez. Cortez, the newest darling of the extreme-left socialist wing of the Democrat Party has come a long way in her short political career. She did what most considered impossible by defeating 10-term incumbent Joe Crowley in the Democrat Primary, in spite of endorsements for Crowley by such New York Democrat luminaries as Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. She then went on to win election to Congress in a heavily Democrat district.

     Cortez, 29 years old but who sounds 14 when she speaks, has the arrogance of an undisciplined teenager. Unlike most freshman Members of Congress, who keep a low profile and follow the leader, Cortez entered the halls of Congress as though she owned them. She has shown little deference to Pelosi or any other of the Democrat leadership, but has used her influence to pull the party far more leftward than desired when going into a presidential election year.

     Having become more than the flavor de jure of the liberal lap-dog media and the young Bernie Sanders socialists in the Democrat Party, Cortez identifies herself as a Democratic Socialist. She is the “leader of the pack” of young socialist Democrat freshmen in the House of Representatives, and has used her new found power to make waves.

     While backing Nancy Pelosi’s successful candidacy to return to the Speakership, Cortez served notice on Pelosi that she expected special status by leading a climate change protest outside of Pelosi’s house. Cortez, an expert in exploiting social media, quickly surpassed Pelosi in Twitter followers, Facebook likes and Instagram followers. And she doesn’t mind flexing her social media muscles.

     Pelosi has fought back against the pretensions of Cortez. When Cortez announced with great fanfare her Green New Deal, Pelosi panned it and then formed a committee to study climate change. Cortez was not placed on the committee, an open snub by Pelosi and warning to speak and walk softly.

     That brushback pitch has not deterred Cortez. When Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota made blatantly anti-Semitic remarks, Pelosi and the older Democrat leadership of the House was prepared to vote a non-binding resolution condemning anti-Semitism and naming Omar as an offender. Cortez came to Omar’s defense, and raised such a ruckus that the resolution was watered down to a general statement against hate, with no mention of Omar.

     Not content to cause trouble in Washington, Cortez recently scuttled a deal between New York City and Amazon, cobbled together by Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio. The cost of this lost deal to New York was 27 billion tax dollars, 25-housand jobs (average salary – 150K), and the taxes and economic stimulation that would have been generated by those jobs.

     Nancy Pelosi, like an autocratic CEO, is not used to hearing the word “No.” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, like a spoiled adolescent, is not used to hearing the word “No.” They are on a collision course, and only one will survive. Whoever does survive will be the undisputed champion of the Democrat Party.

Dave Gunn is the nom de plume of Dr. David E. Gonnella, pastor of the Magnolia Springs Baptist Church in Theodore, Alabama. The opinions expressed are his own, and do not necessarily reflect those of the church or its membership.]