Political theater extends again to the Greeks. William Shakespeare wrote about politics in “Coriolanus” and different performs. A private favourite of mine was “Fiorello!”, a 1959 musical about New York Metropolis Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia.
What occurred in Newark final week was political theater at its worst. New Jersey Democrat Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez (son of former Senator Robert Menendez), La Monica McIver together with Newark Mayor Ras Baraka tried to conduct an “oversight” go to at a federally contracted constructing utilized by ICE to detain undocumented immigrants, together with individuals charged or convicted of crimes. In accordance with a assertion from the Division of Homeland Safety, the group had not requested to tour the power and “that as a bus carrying detainees was getting into the power, ‘a gaggle of protestors,’ together with two members of the U.S. Home of Representatives, stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility.”
Solely Mayor Baraka was handcuffed, arrested and later launched. Baraka was charged with trespassing, which he denies. I’m positive it is just coincidental that Baraka is one in all six main Democrats operating for governor of New Jersey. The incident acquired him free publicity.
The members of Congress claimed they have been exercising their “oversight” duties, which apparently included alerting the media and informing a crowd of demonstrators, some carrying indicators.
On the social media website “X,” Performing U.S. lawyer for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba denied Baraka’s assertion that he was leaving when brokers arrested him: “The Mayor of Newark … dedicated trespass and ignored a number of warnings from Homeland Safety Investigations to take away himself from the ICE detention heart in Newark, New Jersey, this afternoon. He has willingly chosen to ignore the legislation. That won’t stand on this state … NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.”
The place have we heard that one earlier than?
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of Public Affairs for DHS, gave the company’s model of occasions after the group of Democrats acquired by the gate: “…Representatives Robert Menendez Jr. and Bonnie Watson Coleman and a number of protestors are holed up in a guard shack, the primary safety verify level.
“Members of Congress storming right into a detention facility goes past a weird political stunt and places the security of our legislation enforcement brokers and detainees in danger. Members of Congress aren’t above the legislation and can’t illegally break into detention amenities. Had these members requested a tour, we’d have facilitated a tour of the power.”
We will anticipate to see extra stunts and “grandstanding” just like the one in Newark as a result of that’s all that Democrats appear to have of their little toolbox.
Mayor Baraka would possibly make higher use of his time engaged on Newark’s deplorable public colleges the place “Almost 70% of scholars in grades 3-9 are falling wanting assembly literacy benchmarks, round 82% aren’t assembly math requirements, and 93% of fifth graders are beneath grade-level in science,” in keeping with Chalkbeat Newark.
It’s unhappy to see a as soon as nice political social gathering descend into irrelevancy. Democrats are caught within the mire of unhealthy concepts that return greater than six many years – from claiming Republicans wish to put off Social Safety, to denouncing the wealthy, elevating taxes and elevated spending on failed authorities applications. All they’ve left is their protection of criminals, open borders and the last word election loser: organic males in girls’s sports activities.
In “Fiorello!,” one tune appears to sum up the cynicism many really feel about trendy politicians:
“Politics and poker, politics and poker
Enjoying for a pot that’s mediocre
Politics and poker, operating neck and neck
If politics appears extra predictable
That’s as a result of normally you’ll be able to stack the deck!”
Many good Broadway performs and movies have been created over time with politics as their central theme. If what occurred final week in Newark was a play, it could have closed earlier than opening evening in New York on account of unhealthy evaluations.
Readers might e mail Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com. Search for Cal Thomas’ newest ebook “A Watchman within the Evening: What I’ve Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America” (HumanixBooks).
