Former Vice President Mike Pence has had a difficult year, to say the least. His most recent op-ed in the Washington Post indicates that he still hasn’t managed to find himself a political home since leaving office. Pence, in the piece, attempts to appeal to both sides. He has apparently still not learned a vital lesson about politics; trying to escape being hated by anyone is only likely to ensure that you end up being hated by everyone.
Pence still can’t pick a side
Pence has consistently featured in polls of potential candidates for 2024, usually in a distant third place behind Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis.
While he has not been as active and attention-grabbing as these two potential competitors, the former vice president has remained politically active to a lesser degree since leaving office.
The latest op-ed argues that both January 6 and the Democrat’s efforts to eliminate the filibuster represent attempted power grabs.
Pence went on to support anti-voter fraud laws passed by Republicans in state legislatures while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of accepting election results.
There’s an obvious problem with this particular attempt to cater to both sides. If the elections can be fully trusted then why would there be a need for legislation meant to stop voter fraud?
If there is extensive voter fraud, then why should Republicans certify questionable elections and why did Pence not personally object to an election which he feels justifies anti-fraud legislation?
Selective loyalty to the Founding Fathers’ vison
Pence appealed to the Founding Fathers to support his arguments, saying that they constructed a system which divided powers between a federal government and the states.
He says that, because elections are determined largely at the state level, he would have been offending the vision of the Founders if he had raised any objection to certifying Biden’s election.
This, it should be noted, is an attempt to dodge responsibility and avoid having to take a side. America bears no resemblance to what the Founding Fathers intended in a hundred different ways.
Pence wants Republican voters to believe that on this single issue he has made an ironclad vow to never compromise on the vision of the Founding Fathers.
Left-wing extremists might dismantle every American freedom and tradition and send federal agents to round up anyone who dissents, but Mike Pence will eternally stand his ground when it comes to the sanctity of state election policy.
The former vice president has had an entire year now to establish where he stands before he tries to convince Republicans to send him to the White House. Thus far he seems to be having no more success in 2022 than he did in 2021.
