In a striking statement on Sunday, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) suggested that vice president Kamala Harris delivered a speech that Ronald Reagan himself could have given.
Speaking on ABC’s This Week, Cheney compared Harris’ speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) to the rhetoric used by past conservative icons, marking a significant departure from the typical political divides in Washington.
Cheney stated, “If you look at Vice President Harris’ speech, for example, at the Democratic Convention, it is a speech that Ronald Reagan could have given.”
“It is a speech that George Bush could have given.”
She emphasized the speech’s embrace of “the exceptional nature of this great nation” and described it as reflecting “a love of America” and a “recognition that we all have to work together” to preserve the nation’s greatness.
The former Wyoming congresswoman’s praise for Harris was part of a larger critique of the direction the Republican Party has taken under president Donald Trump.
Cheney contrasted Harris’ message of national pride with Trump’s rhetoric, which she described as undermining America’s global standing.
She criticized Trump’s frequent negative portrayal of the U.S., saying, “You contrast that with what we hear from Donald Trump, again, on a daily basis, that America is a failing nation, that America is a laughing stock.”
“The trash talking of the United States of America very much is part of the message that Donald Trump is pushing.”
These comments reflect Cheney’s ongoing concerns about the Republican Party’s alignment with Trump’s policies, particularly as the 2024 presidential election approaches.
While Cheney has long distanced herself from Trump, she has used opportunities like this interview to challenge the assumption that Trump’s vision aligns with traditional conservative values.
Cheney went further to assert that Trump’s economic policies are fundamentally anti-conservative.
She specifically criticized his proposal to impose high global tariffs, a policy that has been a recurring part of Trump’s platform since his presidency.
The tariffs Trump advocates are reminiscent of the protectionist trade policies of the 1930s that contributed to the Great Depression, per Cheney.
“So at the end of the day, I think it’s important for people to recognize he’s not a conservative,” Cheney said.
She noted that Trump’s economic proposals, particularly his calls for 100 percent or 200 percent tariffs, would stifle global trade and lead to economic instability.
“It will choke off global trade, will likely lead us down a path that we’ve seen before, for example, in the 1930s, lead to, at that point, it was a depression,” she added.
The sharp division Cheney described between Reagan-esque optimism about America’s potential and Trump’s pessimistic rhetoric highlights the deepening rifts within the GOP.
Cheney, who lost her seat in Congress after taking a stand against Trump, continues to criticize the former president’s influence over the Republican Party.
Her comments suggest that she views Trump as a threat to the traditional conservative values that defined leaders like Reagan and George H. W. Bush.
Cheney’s critique of Trump’s economic policies, particularly the proposed global tariffs, underscores her belief that these strategies could have long-term negative effects on the U.S. economy.
She raised concerns that voters who support Trump for his economic stance might be unaware of the potentially damaging consequences of such policies.
Cheney has become a vocal opponent of Trump’s influence in the GOP, positioning herself as a defender of what she sees as the core tenets of conservatism.
Her comments also seem aimed at persuading traditional conservative voters to reconsider their support for Trump based on his economic platform.
Source: Resistthemainstream
