Bon voyage Mike Johnson!
Defying the loudest and most obnoxious members of his party, Mike Johnson helped pass funding to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. According to Axios, once Johnson learned more about intelligence, he changed his stance on what Axios called “the most vital foreign policy legislation in years.” Mitch McConnell, Chuck Schumer, and Hakeem Jeffries all helped to convince Johnson. This is how Congress is supposed to work. The New York Times reported that Johnson attended a meeting with top national security officials in the Oval Office to discuss intelligence and met repeatedly with Republicans in swing and red districts so that he could consider voters’ feelings about funding Ukraine. He also considered his son, who will be attending the U.S. Naval Academy in the fall. All that came together to lead Johnson to the right decision. Of course, his speakership is likely now in jeopardy, but what good is leadership if you can’t use it to do the right thing? According to NYT, Johnson said: “I want to be on the right side of history.” In this instance, he will find himself there.
The real turning point for Johnson was his meetings with the intelligence community. Knowing that he would have to work with Democrats to get the bill passed didn’t deter Johnson after he heard the intelligence, resulting in a stark turnaround. He told reporters: “History judges us for what we do. This is a critical time right now. I could make a selfish decision and do something that’s different. But I’m doing here what I believe to be the right thing. I think providing vital aid to Ukraine right now is critically important.” Johnson’s “about face” certainly earned him the respect of colleagues on both sides of the aisle. In direct contrast to the MAGA contingent, Johnson trusted the intelligence shared with him, saying: “I really do believe the intel. I think that Vladimir Putin would continue to march through Europe if he were allowed.” Unfortunately for Johnson, he will have to deal with the fallout of doing the right thing.
CNN reported that Marjorie Taylor Greene called on Johnson to resign. She claims that he “betrayed” Republican voters by helping to pass the aid bill, and if he doesn’t resign, he will be removed. That might not be as easy this time around. Many Republicans have grown tired of Greene’s antics, and some Democrats have indicated that they will vote against removal of Johnson. Moderate Republicans are also happy with Johnson following the vote, and senior Republicans believe they can count on Democratic support to save his position. Given the very low “majority” of Republicans, Johnson’s removal will likely not happen. As for Johnson, when asked about a possible ouster, he said: “I have to do my job. …I’ve done here what I believe to be the right thing to allow the House to work its will. And as I’ve said, you do the right thing, and you let the chips fall where they may.” Hopefully, he has learned a lesson in the importance of everyone working together for the good of the country.
Shirley is a former entertainment writer and has worked in the legal field for over 25 years