Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia, posted on Wednesday that she was open to the idea of temporarily banning voters if people recently moved from a Democratic state to one run by Republicans.
In her tweetGreene shared a statement by Pedro Gonzalez, associate editor for right-wing publications Chronicles Magazine, who said that he “actively” supports “discriminating against transplants” who come from Democratic-leaning states.
“They shouldn’t be able to vote for a period, and they should have to pay a tax for their sins” of being from a liberal state, Gonzalez explained.
Greene supported the idea, and she added her own commentary.
“After Democrat voters and big donors ruin a state like California, you would think it wise to stop them from doing it to another great state like Florida,” Greene said. “Brainwashed people that move from CA and NY really need a cooling off period.”
All possible in a National Divorce situation.
After big donors and Democrat voters have destroyed a state like California, it would be logical to stop them from doing the same to another great state like Florida.
People who have been brainwashed into moving from CA to NY need a cooling down period. https://t.co/NB2dVj7n2X— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) December 29, 2021
Greene said the idea would be especially possible “in a National Divorce scenario.” Although she didn’t elaborate on what that meant, her statement seemed to suggest that she was considering the possibility of Republican-led states seceding from the country.
Greene is more than happy to accept contributions from other states, even those she mocked in her tweet. Greene “has raised $179K from CA donors in the current cycle, the most of any state, per FEC,” said Seema Mehta, a political writer for the Los Angeles Times.
The Georgia congresswoman’s comments were widely disparaged on Twitter, including by lawmakers from the states she was criticizing.
“Don’t ignore this,” warned Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-California). Greene’s comments demonstrate “what a GOP-run country looks like,” he went on.
“They will take your right to vote if you don’t agree with them,” the congressman said, adding that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California) is “fully behind” Greene’s extremist sentiments.
The Republican Party is becoming more accepting of the authoritarian views and anti-democratic views held by Greene. Numerous historians have made this observation.. If Republicans win in next year’s midterms or in the 2024 presidential race, some experts have warned that their leadership could push the United States toward fascism.
“This is real, this is serious and it’s frightening,” Brian ClardyMurray State University history professor. In the next two election cycles, “democracy itself will be on trial,” he added.
