Rep. Ilhan Omar, Secretary of Homeland Security in Pretend Shadow Cabinet
When my nephew was in high school, he was active in the Model United Nations group (an extra-curricular activity in which students typically role play delegates to the United Nations and simulate UN committees). You get to study international policy and politics—even travel to the New York City and The Hague.
This is what came to mind when a friend from Minneapolis forwarded an email from his state representative, Ilhan Omar (DFL-Mpls). It is a bit confusing.
Here is the email.
I am excited to announce the launch of America’s Cabinet! I am proud to be one of the elected representatives to serve on the Cabinet as the Secretary of Homeland Security, and I want to invite you (sic) join us on this journey and follow our work.
America’s Cabinet is a non-partisan effort launched by a group from the Young Elected Officials Network (YEO) speaking out about what Washington should be doing now to support communities across America. The Cabinet offers a positive vision for what our country could be with effective leadership.
The Cabinet was created to go beyond voicing opposition to harmful policies– the Cabinet will offer policy ideas to ensure America lives up to its promise and to create a nation that works for all Americans. Our nation is at a critical crossroad and America’s Cabinet is here to offer bold policy recommendations and leadership to tackle the issues that impact us all.
She signed it “Rep. Ilhan Omar, Secretary of Homeland Security.”
You do not know whether to laugh at the absurdity of a “shadow” cabinet, or cry because these elected officials are not high school or college students. The “Cabinet” is an anti-Republican, anti-Trump activist outcropping of People for the American Way. But all these “cabinet members” have been elected to represent their communities. One hopes they are making time to do the boring but vital work of governing in between these forays into national stardom and activism. After all, elected officials are responsible for making sure government works.
Omar, the first Somali elected to any state legislature, is the darling of the Left in Minnesota. She got to go to the fishing opener with the Lt. Governor Tina Smith and made the cover of Time magazine, where she tells her story– and juxtaposed with Donald Trump talking tough about refugees–talks of “shifting the narrative.” She left Somalia at the age of eight when war broke out, and lived in a refugee camp until coming to Minnesota at the age of 12, where Minnesota offered her family a home.
She has adopted the mantle of the liberated, pro-choice feminist, the critic, the woman of color, the refugee. This is all very powerful, and it has been used to deflect reasonable questions about her socialist agenda and very complicated legal and personal life (married to her brother apparently for immigration reasons and a “Somali” marriage to the father of her children). That story has been covered by my friend Scott Johnson at Powerline.
Take a look at the bills she has authored as a state rep (including a bill to change voting rules that limit someone from “assisting” more than three voters when filling out a ballot, $200k a year for a Somali museum, more money for the Cedar Riverside Cultural Center–and a bill requiring a tax return and other information from a U.S. presidential candidate before the name can be placed on a ballot in Minnesota).
I have some questions for the “Secretary of Homeland Security.”
Has she adopted the view of left-wing intelligentsia and the Hilary Clinton camp that the United States should have open borders, allowing migrants to come and go as they please?
Given her leftist, feminist mantle, I assume she rejects Islam as practiced in Somalia (wide-spread female genital mutilation and polygamy). If so, why? And would she sponsor bills to enforce a ban (they already illegal) and punish these practices?
Does Rep. Omar love America? Does she think this is a good nation? Is she proud to be here?
Would she agree that our ability to offer her a safe home, and a life as an independent, powerful woman has anything to do with our Judeo-Christian culture or the brilliance of our constitutional scheme?
Why instead of making demands and heaping abuse on America, do we not hear, “Thank you, Minnesota. Thank you, United States for offering a soft landing after my family fled war and a refugee camp. You are a great people and a great nation; I will work to uphold the Republic and to repay your great kindness.”