Yesterday, House Minority Leader in the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy delayed the vote on the Build Back Better Act with an over eight-and-a-half-hour speech on the House floor. Throughout his speech, the GOP leader took aim at undocumented immigrants, the so-called “Biden Border Crisis” and tried to make a case for keeping immigration provisions out of the Build Back Better bill.
Despite his attempts to derail the bill that would improve our immigration system, House Democrats passed the Build Back Better Act hours later.
Here is how the internet reacted to McCarthy’s long speech:
United Farm Workers called on him various times throughout the nights to work in the agricultural fields in the California district that represents where the majority of farmworkers are immigrants:
Grape worker Lorenzo sent this from near Bakersfield, in @GOPLeader McCarthy’s district. Each tray weighs around 40lbs, and his wheelbarrow holds 8 trays.
Rep. McCarthy, seems like you’ve got a lot of energy. Want to come give it a try? Please, #TakeOurJobs! pic.twitter.com/CAx1hMu698
— United Farm Workers (@UFWupdates) November 19, 2021
but “math is hard” he said https://t.co/iexD8JWISq
— United Farm Workers (@UFWupdates) November 19, 2021
Hey Kevin, how about you come join us for a day. Work as a farm worker in your district before deciding whether the farm workers who have fed you deserve a work permit? Andres would be happy to teach you the hard work and professionalism it takes to be a farm worker. https://t.co/m0qzmOwVeg
— UFW Foundation (@ufwfoundation) November 19, 2021
Other immigration advocates pointed out how McCarthy conveniently rambled for more than 8.5 hours, roughly the same time that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered her speech back in 2018 advocating for Dreamers and highlighted the contrast in values between the two leaders:
McCarthy’s 8.5hrs ramble aims to delay Americans of childcare & other assists.
@SpeakerPelosi who held record w 8hrs in 2018, aimed to force #immigration votes – reading personal stories of #Dreamers.
What a contrast in values. @votolatino https://t.co/wdE6QKFMjX— MARIA TERESA KUMAR 🌻 (@MariaTeresa) November 19, 2021
Others pointed out how McCarthy’s opposition to the Build Back Better Act would also affect children and families:
McCarthy is talking about immigration to delay BBB, hoping that his base will be more moved by the *hate* of immigrants than the *hope* for a better country where medicine is affordable, children get pre-school, parents get paid family leave, and elders get hearing aids.
— #RandyResistING Authoritarianism (@RandyResist) November 19, 2021
Kevin McCarthy spoke for over 8 hours to express his vehement opposition to raising taxes on people with incomes over $5 million and corporations with profits over $1 billion to pay for universal pre-K, affordable childcare, and an expanded child tax credit.
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) November 19, 2021
Last night, Kevin McCarthy stood up and spoke for eight and a half hours. What did he say? Nothing. What did he achieve? Nothing? Who listened? No one.
Why did he do it? To block support for children, old people, women, and workers.
— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) November 19, 2021
Those watching quickly caught on to McCarthy’s strategy to simply delay the vote of the bill:
Kevin McCarthy’s brilliant strategy of preventing House Dems from passing the Build Back Better bill late last night in the dark seems to have worked! They’ll pass it this morning so it will be the talk at water coolers & all over the news as people head into Thanksgiving week.
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) November 19, 2021
Whenever he mentioned immigration or immigrants, McCarthy used dog-whistles, a common tactic used by the Republican party, to incite fear towards immigrants:
maybe not the very same workers, because they retired during his 80 year dogwhistle https://t.co/iv7wqYof5z
— United Farm Workers (@UFWupdates) November 19, 2021
