House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) speaking at a press conference at the Southern border of the United States. (Image: Screengrab via X / C-SPAN)
A major criticism that Never Trump conservatives have of MAGA Republicans is that they are more interested in "owning the Democrats" than making strong policy decisions.
And they typically cite President Ronald Reagan's relationships with House Speaker Tip O'Neill during the 1980s or Joe Biden's alliances with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS) as examples of Republicans and Democrats — disagreements and all — being able to find common ground and get things done.
In 2024, Republicans and Democrats have a mutual interest in security on the U.S./Mexico border. But in an article published this week, Rolling Stone's Nikki McCann Ramirez describes Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) as a Republican who has "made clear" that his motives are "purely political" when it comes to a possible Biden and GOP deal on border policy.
Nehls, Ramirez observes, "said the quiet part out loud" when he told CNN, "Let me tell you, I'm not willing to do too damn much right now to help a Democrat and to help Joe Biden's approval rating."
“I will not help the Democrats try to improve this man's dismal approval ratings. I'm not going to do it. Why would I? (Senate Majority Leader) Chuck Schumer has had HR 2 on his desk since July, and he did nothing with it.”
Nehls' comments, according to Ramirez, "Lay bare House Republicans' ultimate guiding light in their governance strategy: helping Trump defeat President Joe Biden."
"For weeks now," Ramirez reports, "a bipartisan group of senators has been working to craft a deal that would tie increased border security measures to emergency military aid for Israel and Ukraine."
“On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters that lawmakers in the upper chamber are 'closer than we have been' to finalizing an agreement. … While Republicans like Nehls have made clear they won't give an inch on immigration if it means handing even the smallest of victories to President Biden, they're prepared to make the border a center-stage 2024 issue in other ways."
Ramirez adds, "On Wednesday, the House Homeland Security Committee announced its intent to move forward with impeachment proceedings against Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas — a showdown long sought by far-right representatives like Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA)."
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