Despite the efforts of some of its members, the House GOP will not vote to keep antislavery activist Harriet Tubman off of the $20 bill.
The move to block replacing the image former president Andrew Jackson with Tubman on the note is being spearheaded by Republican representative Steve King, who filed an amendment to bar a redesign. The amendment was dismissed by the Rules Committee on Tuesday, ultimately deterring it from deliberation on the floor of the House.
According to King, the main argument from keeping the abolitionist and spy during the Civil War off of the $20 bill stems from traditionalism.
“It’s not about Harriet Tubman, it’s about keeping the picture on the $20,” said King. “Y’know? Why would you want to change that? I am a conservative, I like to keep what we have.”
(If you think enshrining one of the worst presidents in U.S. history responsible for orchestrating one of the most heinous acts of genocide on American soil is a really great representation of our national values…well, then, I’m sure we wouldn’t have a lot to say to each other at a dinner party.)
King also declared any campaign to put a person of color or a woman on American currency inherently “racist” and “sexist,” which makes me wonder if he knows what those words actually mean.
“Here’s what’s really happening: This is liberal activism on the part of the president that’s trying to identify people by categories, and he’s divided us on the lines of groups,” he told the press.” This is a divisive proposal on the part of the president, and mine’s unifying. It says just don’t change anything.”
King’s statement mimics the sentiments of presumptive GOP nominee and bewigged genetically-engineered tapeworm Donald Trump, who called the move to put Tubman on the $20 bill “pure political correctness,” after which he suggested her image be used on the $2 bill.
Oh, and don’t forget to blame everything on the Obama administration—especially when it comes to stuff like a recently blocked amendment which would prevent federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT employees.
“President Obama’s on his way out the door,” he said. “He’s going to do everything he can think of to upset this society and this civilization.”
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Image via AP.
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Still here. Still without airbrushing. Still with teeth.
