Tweet Share Share Comment This is Totally Normal Quote of the Day, a feature highlighting a statement from the news that exemplifies just how extremely normal everything has become.
“Donald Trump is facing 91 felony charges. If Republicans want to name something after him, I’d suggest they find a federal prison.” —Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly in response to a House Republican bill to rename Dulles International Airport for Donald Trump
H.R. 7845, a newly introduced bill to designate Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia as Donald J. Trump International Airport, is just one sentence short of being an excellent piece of legislation. If only there were a Section 2 stating that in exchange for the honor, Donald J. Trump would stop running for president, it could be signed into law next week.
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The bill was introduced Friday and was covered more widely this week. Some reports described the legislation’s introduction as the beginning of a “push” or a “long-shot effort” from House Republicans to rename the federally owned airport after Trump. That’s generous. There’s absolutely nothing impelling this forward. It’s a stunt bill designed to get its sponsors press coverage (congrats) for innovative obsequiousness to Trump. And sheesh, does the lead sponsor, Pennsylvania Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, lay it on thick.
“In my lifetime, our nation has never been greater than under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump,” Reschenthaler said in a statement. “As millions of domestic and international travelers fly through the airport, there is no better symbol of freedom, prosperity, and strength than hearing ‘Welcome to Trump International Airport’ as they land on American soil.”
In a way, it could be a perfect passing of the torch. The current namesake, John Foster Dulles, worked to overthrow international governments; his would-be successor, the domestic one.
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Why Reschenthaler, though? The six co-sponsors of his bill are mostly of the ilk you would expect to ride along with a bill of this sort. There’s Texas Rep. Troy Nehls, who, for his State of the Union outfit, paired a Trump mug-shot T-shirt with a bow tie. There’s Alabama Rep. Barry Moore, who just out-Trumped his way to victory in a member-on-member primary. There’s Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar, who is Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar.
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Reschenthaler, though, is a real member of Congress. He’s the House GOP’s chief deputy whip, a significant leadership position. He’s on two real committees, Appropriations and Rules. He’s in the Golf Caucus, damn it. He has no meaningful primary opposition and has no need to make up ground with Trump for any heresies committed during the 2020 interregnum. So why does he get to be the airport bill guy? Shouldn’t a proper deputy whip give the airport bill idea to some other sap who could use a boost?
Anyway.
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Democrats were quick to call the bill stupid. Connolly wasn’t the only regional member slinging zingers, unfortunately. Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin said: “If they name it after Trump, there could be continued round-trip service to Moscow.” Virginia Rep. Don Beyer, more usefully, observed that Dulles had been the site of heavy protests early in the Trump administration over the imposition of the so-called Muslim ban.
“I remember Republicans like those who wrote this bill hiding and giving mealy mouthed responses when asked about the suffering Trump’s Muslim ban caused. They know Dulles will never be renamed after Trump,” Beyer tweeted. “Again, that’s not the point, the point is to suck up to their Dear Leader.”
Dear Leader, as of publication time, has not publicly commented.
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Sure, Rename Dulles Airport After Trump. In Exchange for One Thing.
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03.04.2024
Tweet Share Share Comment This is Totally Normal Quote of the Day, a feature highlighting a statement from the news that exemplifies just how extremely normal everything has become.
“Donald Trump is facing 91 felony charges. If Republicans want to name something after him, I’d suggest they find a federal prison.” —Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly in response to a House Republican bill to rename Dulles International Airport for Donald Trump
H.R. 7845, a newly introduced bill to designate Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia as Donald J. Trump International Airport, is just one sentence short of being an excellent piece of legislation. If only there were a Section 2 stating that in exchange for the honor, Donald J. Trump would stop running for president, it could be signed into law next week.
Advertisement The bill was introduced Friday and was covered more widely this week. Some reports described the legislation’s introduction as the beginning of a “push” or a “long-shot........
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