Dem Sen. Schiff Says that ‘Our Country Is Headed Down a Dangerous Road to Dictatorship’
EXCERPT:
SCHIFF: “Now here’s the other thing: Even as they’re saying they want some kind of a funding bill, they’re telling us, they’re telling us that if we reach an agreement with them, they don’t plan to honor it. Now how can that possibly work, if they’re telling us, 'Whatever funding you agree on, we’re going to cut your priorities after the agreement is done?' That makes no sense at all. So there are going to have to be some assurances that what we agreed to, if we get to any agreement, is ironclad — that is, they will not renege, cannot renege, that there are mechanisms in the bill to protect against the continuing illegal use or non-use of government funding. So that’s what’s at stake in this fight. It takes place at a time when our country is headed down a dangerous road to dictatorship, when we are seeing things in this country we never would have imagined. When we’re seeing the administration use its coercive power to cripple universities or to go after law firms who represent unpopular clients, or to silence the media, or extort payments from the media in exchange for mergers. We’re seeing the requirement that companies pay tariffs or get penalized or that they give a share of their profits to the federal government or can’t export their products. This is unprecedented. We’re seeing abuses at the Justice Department unlike anything in American history, where the weight of that department is used to go after the president’s enemies. This is the road to dictatorship. So, we cannot approach this funding debate like it is a normal debate at a normal time with a normal administration. You want my vote for a funding bill? You’re gonna have to agree to restore health care for people that are going to be losing it by millions. You’re going to have to agree to reduce the cost of healthcare instead of having 75% health care costs imposed on the American people. And you’re gonna have to agree to end the use of federal government money for lawless, corrupt purposes. To me, that’s what’s at stake in this funding debate."
