Holiday dinner tables and gatherings can make for awkward conversations, so we’ve put together a list of the topics GOP Senators and Senate candidates should avoid this Thanksgiving:
College (Un)Affordability
The GOP opposed bills that would allow students to refinance their federal college loans and supported measures that amounted to the deepest cuts to the Pell Grant program in history. Not something you want to discuss with college kids home on break or the members of your families saddled in student debt. Also, don’t blame your college-aged family members for their student loans (looking at you, Roy Blunt).
Minimum Wage
Not only have GOP senators and candidates fought a minimum wage increase, some like Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, want to get rid of the federal minimum wage altogether. It’s probably best to not talk about policies that would help grow the middle class and create a more secure economy for working families.
Medicare & Social Security
The grandparents won’t appreciate the drastic cuts to Medicare and Social Security Republicans have proposed and voted for again, and again and again. This is also a no go.
Women’s Health
Defunding Planned Parenthood and denying women access to basic healthcare has been a priority for the GOP led Senate since the beginning of the year. Time after time, Republican senators and candidates have used women’s health as a political football, but they should consider just sticking with good ol’ American football this week.
Koch Addiction
Behind these harmful policies, you can usually find the billionaire Koch brothers and their various political front groups, which will keep the cash flowing for GOP candidates but they admitted they do “expect something in return.” On each of these issues, GOP senators and candidates voted with the billionaire Koch brothers propping up their respective campaigns over the middle class families they were elected to serve.
Extended Family Members
Last, but certainly not least, GOP senators and candidates might not want to bring up some of their extended “family” members like Donald Trump, John Boehner and David Vitter. Republicans might want to think twice before embracing some members of their party.
“With a list of taboo topics this long, it’ll be a quiet Thanksgiving dinner for many GOP senators and Senate candidates,” said Lauren Passalacqua, DSCC National Press Secretary. “And even if they can avoid these topics during the holidays, they’ll have a tougher time on the campaign trail, where they’ll have to explain these reckless positions to the middle class families, students, seniors and women their policies would impact the most.”
