FILE – In this Nov. 2, 2017 file photo, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., flanked by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, left, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., holds a news conference on Capitol Hill to respond to the Republican tax reform plan in Washington. Top Democratic leaders in Congress have abruptly pulled out of a planned meeting with President Donald Trump after he attacked them on Twitter. Trump tweeted early Tuesday that “I don’t see a deal!” with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi. Schumer and Pelosi are shooting back with a statement asking for talks with top GOP leaders in Congress instead because, they wrote, “we don’t have any time to waste.” (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

I’m rarely surprised by anything that happens in politics, especially in the era of Trump, but this genuinely shocks me.

As I shared last night, Democrats filibustered the vote to end debate on the Senate Wuhan Virus Relief bill. This after Schumer had praised the “bipartisan compromise” just 10 hours earlier. Apparently, Nancy Pelosi walked into town after taking the weekend off and blew the entire process up.

FYI the Senate's procedural vote on the Phase 3 stimulus package failed, 47-47. Reporters on the Hill are saying Leader McConnell is angrier than they've ever seen him. https://t.co/yHiBwvFEkY https://t.co/OpzNzjnKqK

— Christian Datoc (@TocRadio) March 22, 2020

Now, we are getting a glimpse of the totally unrelated garbage Democrats are trying to jam into the bill.

Via senior GOP aide, Schumer/Pelosi now pushing these demands amid pandemic-fueled economic collapse:

1) Unprecedented collective bargaining powers for unions
2) Increased fuel emissions standards for airlines
3) Expansion of wind and solar tax credits

— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) March 23, 2020

Flashback to this quote over the weekend:

"This is a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision," Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) told lawmakers, according to a source on the call. https://t.co/Ux0wUaNctO

— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) March 23, 2020

Last week, I reported on an obscure article citing sources that some Democrats wanted to shove provisions like the above into a bill. At the time, speculation was that such efforts would be defeated by their own leadership. Apparently, Nancy Pelosi is not above playing games with people’s lives though.

As I noted previously, airlines already have every incentive to reduce emissions because it reduces fuel costs. Manufacturers are doing everything possible to design new aircraft that burn less fuel, if for no other reason than it saves money. Putting arbitrary stipulations on the industry will just ensure its demise. Further, trying to shoehorn union payoffs into a bill would be disasterous for an economy that’s already struggling. Lastly, tax credits for wind and solar have been a dramatic failure (remember Solyndra?) and would simply throw good money after bad.

Meanwhile, Rep. James Clyburn says the quiet part out loud.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision.” – Majority Whip James Clyburn

They are gambling with your future to gain more power.

Do NOT forget this in November. pic.twitter.com/T20YR0feWO

— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) March 23, 2020

Republicans can not let them get away with this. The media will do what they always do. Ignore them and take the message directly to the people. The President should hold an emergency address today to point out exactly what’s going on. He has the biggest bully pulpit in the world, and while Twitter is good, less than 10% of the population are on it (and most are highly partisan anyway). It’s time to exercise the full power of the presidency to take the fight directly to Pelosi and Schumer.

Let them answer to the American people for what they are trying to do.