Boo boo! Poor members of Congress who have worked 10 weeks straight! I feel so sorry for them. I spent 30 years in the U.S. Army and deployed six times to places like Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. We worked 12 months straight, fighting a determined enemy dedicated to killing us. Never did I see my Soldiers treat each other the way several Congress members treated each other yesterday (and other days!). Shameful. In my units, if this behavior took place, the Soldiers involved would be assigned to burning the poop from the latrines - colloquially called being assigned to the “shit detail.” Maybe we need Congress members who embarrass themselves and the institution to clean the toilets in the capitol building until they learn to behave like professionals and get the job done. Again, shameful.
Two things spring to mind. First, Soldiers serving our country in dangerous places, doing the nation’s business, make a quarter (or less) of what these spoiled children in Congress make. Next, it is a good thing Congress members are not armed 24x7 the way deployed Soldiers are - a kidney punch would be the least of their complaints.
So many of my sister and brother Soldiers lost their lives or parts of their bodies for this? The perspective just boggles the mind.
You LITERALLY took the words right out of my mouth! Not to mention that if we all did our jobs they way they have doing theirs, we wouldn't have them anymore. This isn't a Biden problem, or a Trump problem -- this is a government "pay-to-play" problem. Do away with all the lobbyists and the cushy government health insurance and let's see how fast things get real in DC.
"The House in particular has been in session for 10 straight weeks"...and even that isn't working every day. I don't think they'll get much sympathy from the average working person who gets two weeks off per year.
You're being too kind...more like Junior High School antics.
In my first professional role I taught both Junior High and Senior High classes. The current ReTrumplican'ts in Congress have the maturity level more akin to Junior High School.
~ Markwayne Mullin - his coming of age "tough-guy" bravado stemming from his adolescent anger toward his parents and/or his birth hospital for botching his first (and perhaps second) name on his birth certificate.
~ MyKevin - his elbow in the back of Tennessee Congressman Tim Burchett and also shoulder-checking former Congressman Adam Kinzinger on a couple of times. Seems like there are a number of others who should be expecting elbows, knee bends, or kicks to the side of a thigh for also voting against his Speakership.
~ George Santos - for his unfailing ability to lie about anything at anytime about such outrageously ridiculous things.
RE: members of Congress who have worked 10 weeks straight.
Let's figure out their week. There are normally no committee meetings on Monday and Fridays, since they are arriving back in town on Monday and leaving for home or a junket on Fridays.
There was an especially longer Labor Day during their first week of the supposed 10, Also off on Columbus/Native American Heritage Day in October and Veterans' Day in November.
BTW - They receive subsidized "fact-finding" tours of the world (sometimes with spouses) paid for by the taxpayers while earning $175,000 a year salary with full medical, pension, and expense account.
What a bunch of children, with nothing but schoolyard taunts!
You’re completely right, Chris, about the “trickledown” effect of what works at the top, ie Trump and his elementary school bullying, and these less-than-stellar individuals trying to emulate him (and this appears to be the only evidence we have that “trickledown” actually works, but I digress...).
Their cartoonishness would be funny if it weren’t for the fact that the American economy (and to a great extent, the global economy) rests on these children keeping the government open on a permanent basis.
Being recently retired, the state of my investment portfolio couldn’t be more important to my wife and I, and I moved a substantial part of it into “stable value funds”, given that they are virtually unimpaired by market shifts, but every day I leave them there while the Republicans in the House fiddle as Rome burns, it’s harder and harder to justify taking 5% disbursements. You know, disbursements from the interest that those funds aren’t generating right now?
Ugh. A blue wave in 2024 couldn’t come soon enough for me!
The trickledown is not just trickling down to politicians. I went for my yearly check-up a few days ago and saw a new sign on the wall about rules of conduct: "no verbal or physical aggression", etc. I asked the receptionist how come and she said they have been having a rough year with people yelling insulting things to them and offering aggression. Most of us have heard of or witnessed this: the example of their fearless leader has freed some people up to be rude and bullying.
Finally we will have the kind of interaction that will make c-span popular and have people paying attention to what happens in Congress. I wish someone would give Tuberville a knock on the head so we get past one Senator undermining our military and defense. (Sarcasm)
Most circus people I have ever known were very hard workers. And I know three people who are professional clowns and they are extremely serious about their work. You can't apply those terms to any of the permanent pre-pubescents in the Trump Party.
Exactly! Do not say this is a problem with Congress, Chris. This is a problem with the current state of the Republican party. What a bunch of spoilt children. Either spoilt, or afraid to do the right thing for fear Drump will knock them.
I wonder.....how many people on this sub can truly understand what he says about his Oklahoma-ness and how sincerely he means it?
As someone who has lived in Texas for 38 years, thought not a native Texan, Ive got plenty of stories to tell of Oklahoma and Oklahoma values. Short of few developed areas, it remains wildly rural and I place an emphasis on WILD. There are parts of Southeastern OK that are legendarily outlaw-ish in nature.
This is Markwayne being Oklahoma. Believe him when he says it too. His actions are very Oklahoma.
Not to paint all Oklahomans w a broad brush, but this type of over the top machismo is spot on for an Oklahoman. (Feel free, if anyone is offended, to chirp about me being from Texas.....but rem....I'm not a Texan so it won't bother me.)
I drove to and from Amarillo to Guymon in February and it was terrifying. I felt like I was either going to get run off the road from the wind or pass out from the cow smell
I'm sorry you had to endure that ride. People from West Texas call it God's Country but to me it seems more appropriately named The Place God Forgot.
Not alot to look at and you'd better not hang in the fast lane, or you'll get run over. In fact, don't hang out in the fast lane anywhere in Texas at anytime for any reason. Pass and Get OVER - quickly. No Sunday drivers allowed in Texas. Not even on Sundays.
And there are some absolutely beautiful parts of OK, but definitely not in the Panhandle. I'm sorry if you have to make this ride regularly.(half jokes/half serious).
So full disclosure, I spent a week in Odessa in 2021 and loved it and I enjoyed Amarillo too, even if no one told me how freezing it was.
I was in Amarillo on vacation. Spent a day in Clovis too.
But you are right about driving. It was insanely windy and I was clutching the steering wheel like my life depended on it, and yet people were flying by going 90-100 without a care in the world. I saw literal tumbleweeds blowing by.
I drove to and from Odessa to Hobbs and I felt car sick because you feel you have to go 90 to 100 just to keep pace with traffic.
Joanna Freeman wrote a great book about the violence in Congress prior to the Civil War titled “Field of Blood”. Hopefully the current rising emotions in Congress today aren’t presaging a repeat of that period.
The party has no interest in governing, something many of its members have publically admitted. Instead, they are as the political scientist Ernesto Laclau described it, "performing a crisis." The party is now nothing more than a personal vehicle for Trump. Its members will fan the flames of chaos and advocate for executive authority in the hands of Trump as the only solution. Serious governance can only hurt the long-term plan.
Boo boo! Poor members of Congress who have worked 10 weeks straight! I feel so sorry for them. I spent 30 years in the U.S. Army and deployed six times to places like Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. We worked 12 months straight, fighting a determined enemy dedicated to killing us. Never did I see my Soldiers treat each other the way several Congress members treated each other yesterday (and other days!). Shameful. In my units, if this behavior took place, the Soldiers involved would be assigned to burning the poop from the latrines - colloquially called being assigned to the “shit detail.” Maybe we need Congress members who embarrass themselves and the institution to clean the toilets in the capitol building until they learn to behave like professionals and get the job done. Again, shameful.
Two things spring to mind. First, Soldiers serving our country in dangerous places, doing the nation’s business, make a quarter (or less) of what these spoiled children in Congress make. Next, it is a good thing Congress members are not armed 24x7 the way deployed Soldiers are - a kidney punch would be the least of their complaints.
So many of my sister and brother Soldiers lost their lives or parts of their bodies for this? The perspective just boggles the mind.
You LITERALLY took the words right out of my mouth! Not to mention that if we all did our jobs they way they have doing theirs, we wouldn't have them anymore. This isn't a Biden problem, or a Trump problem -- this is a government "pay-to-play" problem. Do away with all the lobbyists and the cushy government health insurance and let's see how fast things get real in DC.
"The House in particular has been in session for 10 straight weeks"...and even that isn't working every day. I don't think they'll get much sympathy from the average working person who gets two weeks off per year.
I agree! Like, their work schedule is not exactly arduous.
Next year’s official House schedule is 28 4-day weeks
Reminds me of an SNL sketch in the Bush 43 era:
"I'm your representative, 24/7. 24 hours a week, 7 months a year"
Chris,
You're being too kind...more like Junior High School antics.
In my first professional role I taught both Junior High and Senior High classes. The current ReTrumplican'ts in Congress have the maturity level more akin to Junior High School.
~ Markwayne Mullin - his coming of age "tough-guy" bravado stemming from his adolescent anger toward his parents and/or his birth hospital for botching his first (and perhaps second) name on his birth certificate.
~ MyKevin - his elbow in the back of Tennessee Congressman Tim Burchett and also shoulder-checking former Congressman Adam Kinzinger on a couple of times. Seems like there are a number of others who should be expecting elbows, knee bends, or kicks to the side of a thigh for also voting against his Speakership.
~ George Santos - for his unfailing ability to lie about anything at anytime about such outrageously ridiculous things.
RE: members of Congress who have worked 10 weeks straight.
Let's figure out their week. There are normally no committee meetings on Monday and Fridays, since they are arriving back in town on Monday and leaving for home or a junket on Fridays.
There was an especially longer Labor Day during their first week of the supposed 10, Also off on Columbus/Native American Heritage Day in October and Veterans' Day in November.
BTW - They receive subsidized "fact-finding" tours of the world (sometimes with spouses) paid for by the taxpayers while earning $175,000 a year salary with full medical, pension, and expense account.
What a bunch of children, with nothing but schoolyard taunts!
You’re completely right, Chris, about the “trickledown” effect of what works at the top, ie Trump and his elementary school bullying, and these less-than-stellar individuals trying to emulate him (and this appears to be the only evidence we have that “trickledown” actually works, but I digress...).
Their cartoonishness would be funny if it weren’t for the fact that the American economy (and to a great extent, the global economy) rests on these children keeping the government open on a permanent basis.
Being recently retired, the state of my investment portfolio couldn’t be more important to my wife and I, and I moved a substantial part of it into “stable value funds”, given that they are virtually unimpaired by market shifts, but every day I leave them there while the Republicans in the House fiddle as Rome burns, it’s harder and harder to justify taking 5% disbursements. You know, disbursements from the interest that those funds aren’t generating right now?
Ugh. A blue wave in 2024 couldn’t come soon enough for me!
The trickledown is not just trickling down to politicians. I went for my yearly check-up a few days ago and saw a new sign on the wall about rules of conduct: "no verbal or physical aggression", etc. I asked the receptionist how come and she said they have been having a rough year with people yelling insulting things to them and offering aggression. Most of us have heard of or witnessed this: the example of their fearless leader has freed some people up to be rude and bullying.
Finally we will have the kind of interaction that will make c-span popular and have people paying attention to what happens in Congress. I wish someone would give Tuberville a knock on the head so we get past one Senator undermining our military and defense. (Sarcasm)
I have often of late described Republican politics as being like a circus inside a clown car.
That seems more appropriate than ever.
Most circus people I have ever known were very hard workers. And I know three people who are professional clowns and they are extremely serious about their work. You can't apply those terms to any of the permanent pre-pubescents in the Trump Party.
Not high school, junior high school. For the first, and possibly only time, I agree with Lauren Boebert.
Probably more right, Diana.
Chris, I taught high school juniors and seniors for 38 years. They were better-behaved than this bunch of entitled twits.
Note that all the people you identify as acting like permanent middle school pre-pubescents are ALL Republicans. Not a Democrat in the bunch.
Exactly! Do not say this is a problem with Congress, Chris. This is a problem with the current state of the Republican party. What a bunch of spoilt children. Either spoilt, or afraid to do the right thing for fear Drump will knock them.
I wonder.....how many people on this sub can truly understand what he says about his Oklahoma-ness and how sincerely he means it?
As someone who has lived in Texas for 38 years, thought not a native Texan, Ive got plenty of stories to tell of Oklahoma and Oklahoma values. Short of few developed areas, it remains wildly rural and I place an emphasis on WILD. There are parts of Southeastern OK that are legendarily outlaw-ish in nature.
This is Markwayne being Oklahoma. Believe him when he says it too. His actions are very Oklahoma.
Not to paint all Oklahomans w a broad brush, but this type of over the top machismo is spot on for an Oklahoman. (Feel free, if anyone is offended, to chirp about me being from Texas.....but rem....I'm not a Texan so it won't bother me.)
Fair enough, Paul!
how is this guy a Senator?
I drove to and from Amarillo to Guymon in February and it was terrifying. I felt like I was either going to get run off the road from the wind or pass out from the cow smell
I'm sorry you had to endure that ride. People from West Texas call it God's Country but to me it seems more appropriately named The Place God Forgot.
Not alot to look at and you'd better not hang in the fast lane, or you'll get run over. In fact, don't hang out in the fast lane anywhere in Texas at anytime for any reason. Pass and Get OVER - quickly. No Sunday drivers allowed in Texas. Not even on Sundays.
And there are some absolutely beautiful parts of OK, but definitely not in the Panhandle. I'm sorry if you have to make this ride regularly.(half jokes/half serious).
So full disclosure, I spent a week in Odessa in 2021 and loved it and I enjoyed Amarillo too, even if no one told me how freezing it was.
I was in Amarillo on vacation. Spent a day in Clovis too.
But you are right about driving. It was insanely windy and I was clutching the steering wheel like my life depended on it, and yet people were flying by going 90-100 without a care in the world. I saw literal tumbleweeds blowing by.
I drove to and from Odessa to Hobbs and I felt car sick because you feel you have to go 90 to 100 just to keep pace with traffic.
Last Spring on an Oklahoma Interstate, I was driving at 70 mph in a terrific rainstorm --- with very short visibility.
In the left hand lane mind-you, I had some "Oklahoman" tail-gating me. Had no idea where the macho-man expected me to drive...the breakdown lane?
There's a reason why the term "dumb effing okie" exists.
Joanna Freeman wrote a great book about the violence in Congress prior to the Civil War titled “Field of Blood”. Hopefully the current rising emotions in Congress today aren’t presaging a repeat of that period.
This is a disgrace. The taxpayers are paying their salary to represent us and work for us. Period. If they can’t do their job, vote them out.
Unfortunately, for many of these clowns, the "Jerry Springer Congress" is the show the constituents want to watch.
Very true.
What a disgrace! Nothing else to say. It’s so disgraceful it doesn’t warrant any more words.
My high school was more mature!
As I stated in response to one of your earlier posts:
The Sharks and The Jets!
They need to grow up!
The Republican Party is completing its transformation into a populist party. I first wrote about this phenomenon in 2020: https://democracyssisyphus.substack.com/p/the-devolution-of-the-republican-party-into-populism-29edffd9615a
The party has no interest in governing, something many of its members have publically admitted. Instead, they are as the political scientist Ernesto Laclau described it, "performing a crisis." The party is now nothing more than a personal vehicle for Trump. Its members will fan the flames of chaos and advocate for executive authority in the hands of Trump as the only solution. Serious governance can only hurt the long-term plan.