The Big Picture

It’s no secret that despite his campaign promises, President Joe Biden’s time in the White House is spent catering to the most radical voices within his party. One doesn’t have to look hard to see the socialist “Squad’s” influence over Biden’s agenda.

After a pressure campaign led by Squad member Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Biden used his executive authority to extend the Center for Disease Control eviction moratorium despite significant constitutional concerns. Biden himself even admitted repeatedly that he lacked the authority to further extend the moratorium following a recent Supreme Court ruling--before following through with it anyway.

Forcing landlords to go without collecting rent for an extended period has harsh consequences for many Americans who depend on rental properties for income. The apparent blindness far-left politicians have for the burden eviction moratoriums and “cancel rent” policies have on hard-working Americans is only made worse by the blatant hypocrisy of those same politicians.

The Details

Biden’s Disregard for the Rule of Law

• The Supreme Court left the original CDC eviction moratorium in place in a 5-4 decision, Alabama Association of Realtors v. Department of Health and Human Services.
• The deciding vote, Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh, wrote in his concurring opinion, “In my view, clear and specific congressional authorization (via new legislation) would be necessary for the CDC to extend the moratorium past July 31.”
• Biden acknowledged the extension is legally questionable. He admitted, “the bulk of the constitutional scholarship says that it’s not likely to pass constitutional muster.”

The unprecedented move by the CDC to place an eviction moratorium in the first place is both questionable and troubling. Most concerning is the effect that this moratorium has had on landlords.

The Pacific Legal Foundation spoke with landlords across the country struggling with the CDC’s eviction moratorium. One, a woman from Louisiana, was forced to forgo her prescription medication due to tenants not paying their rent.

Whether saving for retirement or paying for groceries, income from rental properties is vital for many Americans.

“Cancel Rent” Hypocrisy

• Despite the consequences of rent cancellation policies for landlords who depend on rental property income, socialists within the Democratic party are pushing for the moratorium’s extension.
• Rep. Ilhan Omar introduced H.R. 1847, the Rent and Mortgage Cancellation Act. The legislation is co-sponsored by fellow Squad members Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and would cancel rent payments until April 2022.

The Squad is happy to deny rent payments to struggling landlords, but they can’t be bothered to do the same themselves.

• On top of a $174,000 congressional salary, both Tlaib and Pressley collected thousands from rental properties.
• According to financial disclosure documents, Pressley made between $5,000 and $15,000 from rental properties, whereas Tlaib made between $15,000 and $50,000.

The rank hypocrisy of socialist politicians in the ivory tower of Washington is staggering.

Why it Matters

The CDC’s eviction moratorium is a misguided and unconstitutional policy. It represents another instance of Biden abandoning his rhetoric of “unity” in favor of the far-left.

There are real-world consequences for the runaway spending and draconian policies politicians push on the American people. Hard-working families are suffering, and rather than getting the government out of the way, aggressive politicians push policies they themselves cannot be bothered to follow.

“Cancel rent” policies are not sympathetic; they have devastating consequences for real people that depend on rental income. Unfortunately, this is lost on the very politicians who cannot live by their own standards.