What is going on with Mitch McConnell?

What in the world is Mitch McConnell up to? Is he trying to piss off the MAGA arm of his party? Is he trying to pretend he cares about something or someone other than himself for a change? We may never know, but it is interesting that he felt the need to travel to Ukraine to visit with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to Politico, McConnell is all for the $40 billion Ukraine aid bill while the MAGA contingent is dead set against it. They claim that we have too many crises happening in the U.S. to send money abroad, but the U.S. has always come to the aid of allies in times of need. It would be interesting to know what their ideas of “crises” are, as they certainly don’t support giving aid to Americans in need.

As Politico reported, 57 voted against the bill and Rand Paul delayed the vote on his own. McConnell, however, is not swayed. He is quoted by Politico: “It’s in America’s interest to do this. . . . It’s in our interests to help Ukrainians just like its in the interest of NATO countries.” McConnell is right about one thing: If helping Ukraine puts a stop to Putin and his evil attempts to take over much of Europe, the aid is necessary. McConnell went even farther, suggesting that the U.S. “should be first in line” to ratify Finland and Sweden as members of NATO and to designate Russia as a “state sponsor of terror.” McConnell was joined in his push to pass this legislation by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, making it the rare bipartisan bill presented in the House. President Zelenskyy’s office praised the move as “a powerful signal of bipartisan support for Ukraine from the U.S. Congress and the American people.” As other Republican senators continue to drag their feet, however, it remains to be seen just how “bipartisan” this bill will be and how popular it will be among the American people. Many Republicans and their supporters don’t believe in democracy here, let alone abroad, but it is important for the U.S. to set the example for democracy, even as we fight for it at home.

Democracy is one of the biggest takeaways in helping Ukraine. Russia does not support democracy. Indeed, it is the antithesis of democracy. People like Trump and Rand Paul secretly admire Russia because it has its people “under control,” something that the freedoms of the U.S. won’t allow. Had Trump won a second term, we would have moved more in that direction, and that’s why people came out in record numbers and voted in 2020. We never want to be a country like Russia, and we showed that by giving Trump the boot. We can continue to show our desires by giving others the boot who seek to take away our freedoms, including Mitch McConnell.

While it seems admirable that McConnell and his contingent traveled to Kyiv to show support for Ukraine, one can only wonder if some ulterior motive is involved. It’s hard to imagine McConnell supporting any type of freedom.