In a recent opinion piece published in the New York Times, titled Whats the Point of Congress?, Rep.
Nancy Mace (R-SC) expressed her deep-seated dissatisfaction with the current state of the House of Representatives.
Drawing from her personal experiences, she painted a picture of an institution plagued by dysfunction and in dire need of reform.
According to Breitbart, Mace began her piece on a hopeful note, stating, I came to Congress five years ago believing I could make a difference for my constituents, for South Carolina and for a country I love deeply. However, she quickly pivoted to a comprehensive critique of the House's procedures, party leadership, and the institution as a whole.
She voiced concerns about closed rules, clandestine negotiations, and a lack of transparency, yet fell short of proposing tangible legislative solutions beyond the seldom-used discharge petition process.
The South Carolina representative lamented that the House has not considered a single open rule since 2016 and accused leaders of both parties of having systematically silenced rank-and-file voices. She enumerated policy ideas such as banning congressional stock trading, implementing term limits, and enforcing voter ID laws, expressing frustration that the House cannot vote on these issues.
However, she failed to specify what bills she has introduced this term to support these policies or how she has voted on them, despite her recent efforts to combat SNAP fraud through photo ID requirements and her resolution to censure Rep. Cory Mills over allegations of misconduct.
In a surprising twist, Mace praised former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, stating: Nancy Pelosi was a more effective House speaker than any Republican this century. While she clarified that she disagrees with Pelosi on essentially nothing, she argued that Pelosi understood something we dont: No majority is permanent. Mace portrayed Pelosi as ruthless, but acknowledged her effectiveness in delivering results.
She noted that while Democrats ram through the most progressive policies they can, Republicans become petrified of losing their majority and instead pass the most moderate policies we can pressure conservatives to accept, which she views as a betrayal of the coalition that delivered us here.
Mace also commented on Speaker Mike Johnson, stating he is better than his predecessor, but contended that women will never be taken seriously until leadership decides to take us seriously. She criticized the position of House Republican Conference chair as the token slot, the designated leadership role for the top woman in the conference, while the real power lies in other offices.
She specifically mentioned Rep. Lisa McClain, saying, Im sure Lisa McClain, the current chair of the House Republican Conference, is a wonderful cook. Id wager shes an even better legislator. But well never know, because thats not the box shes been assigned.
Mace concluded her piece with a call to action: Let us vote. Let the people see. Let the chips fall. Thats democracy. However, these closing lines, much like the body of the op-ed, lacked specifics. There was no roadmap, no policy plan, no legislative vehicle offered. The message seemed more an airing of frustrations than a strategic call to action.
Mace's choice to publish her op-ed in the New York Times, a mainstream outlet often perceived as biased against Republicans, coincides with her campaign for governor of South Carolina, where she refers to herself as Trump in heels.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who recently announced her resignation from Congress, lauded Maces op-ed as masterfully written and concurred with its assertion that Republican women are not taken seriously. Greene, who has frequently criticized the pissing contest in Washington D.C. between the men, has supported Maces push to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files using a discharge petition.
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