On MSNBC‘s “All In with Chris Hayes“, Elie Mystal, a frequent MSNBC guest and The Nation correspondent, harshly criticized the Republican Party. He characterized them as “locusts“ who take pleasure in other people‘s suffering.
His comments came ahead of Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R–Calif., being elected Speaker of the House. Mystal opined that the GOP was more focused on destruction than on governing. He asserted that the internal struggle to secure the position demonstrated this. His words painted a bleak picture of the Republican Party‘s priorities.
“The Republicans don’t want to govern. Dysfunction is a victory condition for the Republican Party. It’s Democrats that want things. Republicans don’t want things. So the fact the government can’t function, the fact this rules package makes it almost impossible for the speaker to wield any real power, that’s okay with Republicans,” Mystal said.
“We’re in a situation where Democrats are basically like Bill Paxton [sic] in ‘Independence Day’ when he asked the aliens, ‘What do you want us to do?’ And the aliens say, ‘Die!’ Right? That’s what – They’re locusts and they feed on dysfunction and suffering,” he continued, confusing actor Paxton with Bill Pullman, who played the president in the sci-fi film.
Hayes didn’t push back on Mystal’s dehumanizing language, instead bringing up McCarthy’s ties to K Street lobbying groups and how those lobbyists do “want things.”
“Kevin McCarthy – and this is the critique from that rogue caucus that is correct – he’s a creature of K Street. He’s wired downtown. That’s why he is where he is. Those folks want stuff and they want stuff passed,” Hayes responded.
Mystal said, “Yeah, but the people in control right now – the people that Kevin McCarthy has sold his soul to, to get this gavel, they don’t want things.”
“That I totally agree,” Hayes said.
Mystal was one of many liberal figures who mocked the ongoing ballots for the Speaker of the House since the first vote began on Tuesday with no candidate receiving the 218 votes necessary to win the position.
“Republicans learning that Republicans aren’t willing to govern and have an inexhaustible reserve of grievance is pretty funny. I hope all you ‘Democrats should reach across the aisle’ folks are watching and realize how stupid you’ve all sounded for so long,” Mystal tweeted Wednesday.
Erica Carlin is an independent journalist, opinion writer and contributor to several news and opinion sources. She is based in Georgia.
