If Mike Johnson really thinks the bold, fresh face of the Democratic Party is Zohran Mamdani, then so be it, because Mamdani is exactly what he and his fellow Republicans fear, and that is hopeful, inclusive, energetic, and unabashedly on the side of the many, not the few.

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Johnson, with that pathetic pious look on his face, railed against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for endorsing Mamdani for New York City mayor. Johnson, the arbiter of anything that isn’t remotely inclusive. He said that Mamdani is the face of the Democratic Party. As you will read below, that’s not such a bad thing when compared to Johnson’s as the Republican face.

But that wasn’t the worst part of what Johnson had to say about Mamdani. He actually blamed Mamdani for the government shutdown.

Throwing a hissy fit Johnson said, "We can't allow a rise of Marxist and far-left activist in one party to shut down the entire operation of the federal government, and that is exactly what they are allowing them to do. The Democrats have got to come to their senses. You can endorse communists all you want, but at least keep the government operating for us."

This from a man who is allowing Donald Trump to do everything he wants to destroy our democracy, and he’s succeeding, thanks to Johnson’s spineless, pious stupidity.

Because Mike Johnson, with some help from Trump, is 100 percent responsible for the government shutdown. He presides over a House that he’s refusing to bring back into session, even as federal workers go unpaid, as the shutdown he precipitated drags on, as every day of delay erodes public trust and harms ordinary people.

And now, just when the last piece of the discharge petition to force the releasing of the Epstein files to the House floor is ready, when Arizona Rep.-elect Adelita S. Grijalva is finally set to take the oath and become the signature that triggers that vote.

What does the puny Johnson do? He sits on his hands. He won’t swear her in, because he knows that a full House floor means accountability. Mike, you might as well go ahead and blame Mamdani for the Epstein files delay while you’re at it.

Because surely Mamdani is not white, is to blame. Johnson, a defender of Nazism (perhaps unintentionally), feels Mamdani is a threat to all that is good.

Johnson leads a caucus of mostly white, mostly older straight men whose greatest achievement under his oversight has been giving Donald Trump carte blanche to march this country backward. Johnson loves repression and oppression, and that’s done by choking the poor.

Johnson and his GOP priorities are to block the Epstein files now, and for the future, to promote Nazism. What’s not a priority for the party? Let’s start with the soon-to-be dried-up funds for the lifesaving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that affects over 40 million people who rely on it for food. It will run out of money November 1 because of the shutdown, and Johnson could care less.

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An [em]Ozzie and Harriet[/em] caucus that happily passed the big beautiful bill, a disgusting act that will enrich the rich while slamming the poor and lower middle class. They were so giddy about it. All the while Johnson lectures on Christian values, invokes faith, and ignores the very commandments he sayeth he obeys.

Now consider Mamdani. He’s young, immigrant-born, a citizen of this country by choice, fiery, open-minded, creative. He stands for child care, education, raising the minimum wage, building affordable housing, LGBTQ+ rights, and forging an inclusive society where people from every background feel they belong.

Mamdani is looking out for the poor. Not just the white, rich and Christian club that Johnson and his party care about. Mamdani isn’t just offering policies. He’s offering hope. Johnson offers a dark Nazi-white ethos that snuffs out hope for anyone not like him.

How much would you like to wager that Johnson blames Mamdani for depleted SNAP funds?

No one would believe that. There is only one man who stands for lifting up the too often ignored, while the other stands for preserving power, protecting privilege, obstructing justice. If Johnson wants to “make” Mamdani the face of the Democrats, go ahead. Because the future belongs to Mamdani’s generation, his vision, his coalition.

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Johnson can smear Mamdani all he wants. I’m sure he’s jealous of his youth, his background, his ability to inspire change and exude positivity. And when Johnson tries to smear Mamdani, he’s not just attacking a candidate, he’s also attacking a nonwhite, nonrich, non-Christian-elite face of the future.

Meanwhile, Mamdani stands in a party where color, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, or faith does not disqualify you. It strengthens you. He represents equity. He represents inclusion. He stands for a country where the streets aren’t militarized, where health care isn’t a privilege, where inflation doesn’t burden the jobless, and where people really care about the jobless.

I don’t need to say this, but just to be clear, Johnson stands for the opposite. Johnson’s party is becoming more and more a party of the fringe and the extreme. That’s not the party of Mamdani.

Johnson will preach love but practice hate out in the open, as in labeling the No Kings protests “Hate America” rallies.

Related: The person leading an actual ‘Hate America' rally every day is you, Mike Johnson

He invokes America’s greatness while refusing to bring the House back, blocking accountability, ignoring the workers who aren’t getting paid, and slamming the door in the face of Grijalva because she is the last stop to expose the Epstein files. What a poor excuse for a leader.

I’ll take Mamdani’s bright, hopeful, inclusive attitude any day of the week. Who knows, maybe Johnson will blame Mamdani for Americans who still have hope in a democracy.

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