Why Trump called out 'The Squad’

Last week, we learned of a feud brewing within the Democratic Party. The speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, was accused of "singling out" the "Squad," comprising four progressive congresswomen, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts. Ocasio-Cortez, the de facto leader of the "Squad," had suggested that it was because they were "women of color." As Hillary Clinton said "You can't keep snakes in your backyard and expect them only to bite your neighbors." Pelosi, who belongs to the party that pioneered the inglorious tradition of branding opponents as bigots, was getting a taste of her own party's medicine.

There is an old saying that you shouldn't interrupt while your enemy self-destructs. It, therefore, befuddled many when President Trump tweeted that instead of hating their country, the four congresswomen should "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime-infested places from which they came." In subsequent days, he doubled down, tripled down, and even quadrupled down on his assertions in various forums. Suddenly, the news of the "feuding" Democrats melted into thin air. The media along with their Democrat allies gleefully carried Trump's "racist" attacks on the "Squad" ad nauseam. Does the purpose behind the president's challenge seem mysterious and perplexing? Let's re-examine the feud among the Democrats first. It was reported that Pelosi had learned through internal polling that the "Squad" is deeply unpopular in swing states. Twenty-two percent had a favorable view of Ocasio-Cortez, while 9% had a favorable view of Omar. Socialism was viewed unfavorably by 69%. What must have disturbed her further is that the publicity-hungry "Squad" has become the face of the Democratic party in swing states. Thus, with motives of possible envy of her younger, more energetic colleagues and the urge to restore sanity in her party, Pelosi played her first move in slighting and sidelining the "Squad." If successful, she would have managed to deceive voters into thinking that the Democrats still cared for values that mattered to most Americans but at the same time all about "inclusivity" and "tolerance." If Pelosi had been half as shrewd as she thought she was, she would have restricted her criticism to a press conference and moved on. But instead, she led a vote in the House that formally condemned the president's tweets. Thus, with merely with a series of tweets, President Trump poured a bucket of cold water on Pelosi's efforts to tiptoe away from the "Squad." The Democrats now officially stand with the "Squad," who openly propagate socialism, open borders, unfettered abortion, anti-Semitism, radical Islamism, and blatant hatred for their country. Every Democratic presidential candidate and the eventual nominee will be compelled to stand with the "Squad" or be labeled as a bigot. For years, we have heard liberals openly attack their country without any consequences. Here in India, the problem is identical: "liberals" use all platforms available to demonize their country. This hate is owing to the frustration that they have lost power. It is essential to be able to objectively criticize one's country for any development to occur, but there is a huge difference between criticism and rabid loathing. Very often, when liberals are questioned, they term the challenger a bigot. That not only silences the challenger, but all supporters of the challenger and any other potential challengers. Thus, we have the likes of John Kasich and Mitt Romney, who do not dare contest any such abhorrent utterances. In fact, they seek validation of liberals by attacking their own. The reason Trump won in 2016 was owing to his fearlessness in taking the fight to the opposition. Luckily for his voters, he hasn't changed an iota after being elected to office. The robust economy, the defeat of ISIS in the Middle East, and a focus on curbing illegal immigration will help President Trump get re-elected. But it is this ethical act of challenging blatant immorality on this occasion and several others that is the reason why he has an unbreakable bond with his supporters.