Rep. Devin Nunes isn’t a lawyer, but he plays one on TV.
He isn’t a political scientist either, yet he throws around words without understanding their meaning.
And, he certainly isn’t a statesman trying to appeal, as Abraham Lincoln said in his first inaugural address, to the “better angels of our nature.”
Bill McEwen
Opinion
Nunes is a flame-thrower for whom a day without headlines is a day of regret.
That makes the Republican Tulare congressman one of the most dangerous elected officials in America at a time the radicalized right seeks to incite our nation’s second Civil War.
Without Parler, Nunes Says He’s Been Silenced
I don’t know whether Nunes’ rantings flow from political ambition, deep-rooted insecurities, or a combination of the two.
Given a forum by Fox News host Maria Bartiromo to address the nation on Sunday after the Capitol Riots, Nunes talked about his recent book “Countdown to Socialism” and blasted the decisions by Amazon, Apple, and Google to suspend the conservative social media platform Parler.
There “should be a racketeering investigation on all the people that coordinated this attack on not only a company but on all of those like us,” Nunes said.
“I have 3 million followers on Parler. Tonight I will no longer be able to communicate with those people and they’re Americans.”
Typical Nunes. Again playing the victim. Again peddling fake news.
For the record, Nunes still has a Twitter account and The Devin Nunes Podcast, which is available on multiple platforms. I mean who wouldn’t want to listen to “Pee Tape Truthers Should Not Be Confirmed” again and again?
Moreover, Nunes could schedule an old-fashioned, in-person town hall, which he is loath to do because he might actually hear from Democratic constituents. He also has carte blanche from Fox News.
As for a coordinated attack on democracy, that’s what took place Wednesday in D.C.
Thus far, Nunes hasn’t been concerned enough to issue a statement condemning the death and destruction at our nation’s Capitol.
Amazon, Apple, and Google are businesses. Clients agree to their terms and conditions. If you violate them, you get cut off. Pulling the cord on Parler had nothing to do with censorship or free speech. It was a business decision and a recognition that some of the people using Parler were afforded free rein to plan their attempted coup and keep President Donald Trump in office.
But this no-shirt, no-shoes, no-service reality didn’t stop Nunes from falsely claiming the decision was a violation of First Amendment rights. As Schenck v. United States in 1919 determined, free speech doesn’t protect the right to incite actions that would harm others.
Nunes Must Have Slept Through Poly-Sci Classes
Nunes the wanna-be political scientist is as dangerously inept as Nunes the wanna-be lawyer.
Depending on the day, he describes the left as socialists, communists, or fascists.
The reality is, America’s many governments are hybrids. They blend capitalism and socialism.
That is, to say, our governments combine free markets while providing public education and building Nunes’ beloved highways and dams. The U.S. also offers a public safety net — unemployment insurance, food stamps, and social security, for example. There are subsidies to farmers so they can grow the crops that feed Americans and people around the world.
Nunes may hate socialism, but I’ve never heard him complain about government help for farmers.
Fascism, meanwhile, opposes state ownership. The far-right ideology promotes extreme nationalism and authoritarianism and could care less about economic inequality. Fascist countries typically are led by dictators. Which Trump pined — and still does — to be.
Nunes Really Is a Farmer: He Sows Division
Earlier this year, we saw the seeds of insurrection when protestors stormed past police into state Capitol buildings in Idaho, Michigan, and Oregon.
Last Wednesday, some of the insurrectionists in D.C. wore black t-shirts proclaiming “Civil War Jan. 6, 2021.” And, the FBI says that extremists are exhorting Trump supporters to “storm” the U.S. Capitol again and stage “armed protests” at state government buildings across the country ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
Yet we don’t hear Nunes telling the radicalized right to stand down. Or for Americans to come together.
He’d rather conjure more unsubstantiated conspiracy theories, deny that Biden won the election, and sow division.
Great to have you back, Bill!!
Wow, wow, wow! OMG! Where is Nunes apologist MGomez today? Bill McEwen’s beautiful & thoughtful piece is a reality check on Fresno. Isn’t McEwen a conservative? I have newfound respect for at least 1 local Republican. I have hope now where I had none. Thank you Bill, you are a good American. Dirty Devin Nunes must resign.
GV Wire has become nothing but a platform for liberals and Socialists. Too bad that Assemi has forgotten where their family came from and what they have been able to accomplish in this great country. Also, Social Security is not a gift from government, in case you didn’t know. Look up the history of it sometime. You may be amazed to find out that it is paid for by employees as well as employers and has become nothing more than a Ponzi scheme after being raided by the government you love so much.
We are all socialists to one degree or another. Let’s have an intelligent back and forth, and not retreat to the talking pints you were fed by now suspended KMJ host, Ray Appleton.
Are you sure?
Do you define “socialism” as trying to look out for society’s most vulnerable? A willingness to share the burdens of those unable to fully shoulder their loads? And that the degree to which we are willing to do so is the degree to which we might be ascribed as “socialists”?
Or, could you mean being ready to endorse, to some degree or another, the philosophy that “ends justify means”?
Any chance GV Wire might mark their opinion pieces as such, and separate them from the “news”?
The column is clearly marked as opinion.
Not in the daily email promotion/link.
Like Doug said. Not in the daily email promotion/link.
Any chance you might fully look at the text of a piece before you knee-jerk all over it?
Thank you!
I don’t know if I was relieved or dismayed to find the blatant attack promised in the email was not a blisteringly bad piece of journalism but instead an editorial.
BTW, I don’t know Mr. McEwen at all. Is he a credentialed clairvoyant? Can we trust that he does actually know what Representative Nunes thinks?
Rep. Jim Jordan is on TV right now still casting aspersions on the election. Shame on Jim Jordan, and shame on local Republicans. Let the shaming begin.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) is on TV right now casting aspersions on the election. Shame on him Jim Jordan, and shame on local Republicans for continuing to fan the flames of hate.
Clear perspective, sound opinion
Is there any local groups trying to hold Nunes accountable for his responsibility to the people of his district while he carries on about socialists, etc.? He needs to explain to the people he represents (all of them) how he spends his time and money and how his activities help his constituents.
Wow. What a dirty hit piece. There are millions of us out here that still believe that this past presidential election was anything but fair and that cheating and censorship abound.
These social media companies need to choose – Are they companies that make decisions about what to allow and who to censor (in which case they should be liable for their content) or are they free speech forums open to all where they are protected from litigation for illegal content posted on their forum. They shouldn’t be allowed to have it both ways. Shutting down competitors like Parler also is illegal.
I learned much more about Bill McKewan from this article than Devin Nunes. Why do conservative views bother him so badly? Is it that they ring of truth while the left has nothing but insults, Trump hating and threats and bullying to stand on. What happened at the Capitol was unfortunate and wrong. Those responsible for the violence, destruction and rioting should be arrested and prosecuted no matter their political view. However, where is mention or outrage over the months of rioting, violence, vandalism, fires, theft and “autonomous zones” we’ve witnessed in U.S. cities. The left only see me concerned when lawlessness comes from the right. Do you recognize the hypocracy?