9/16/2009

Moments from Yesterday's Brief Dance of the Damned:
From the floor "debate" over the resolution that Representative Joe Wilson not be given a pudding cup after his din-din unless he eats his peas:

Joe Wilson: "However, this action today will have done nothing for the taxpayers to rein in the growing cost and size of the Federal Government. It will not help more Americans secure jobs, promote better education, ensure retirement, or reform health insurance. It is the Democrat leadership, in their rush to pass a very bad government health care plan, that is bad medicine for America. It has muzzled the voices we represent and provoked partisanship. When we are done here today, we will not have taken any steps closer to helping more American families afford health insurance or helping small businesses create new jobs. "

Eric Cantor: "I don't understand how it is a priority that we are here on this particular resolution. The resolution, as has been pointed out, creates no job. The resolution does nothing to do anything to increase access to quality health care. The resolution does nothing to address the issues of national security. Plain and simple, this resolution does not reflect the priority of the American people." Cantor then went on to explain why he thought Barack Obama was lying.

Candice Miller: "The resolution that we are considering today will not create one job. It will not help one person get health care for their family. It will do nothing to allay the concerns of seniors who are worried about their Medicare. It will do nothing to get our economy moving again."

Mike Pence: "Last Wednesday was not a good day in the House, but today is worse. Today we see politics overwhelming this institution. The American people are tired."

Those were all Republicans, lamenting the time spent on ridiculous non-job-creating, non-health-care-solving, non-national security-improving resolutions.

Other resolutions discussed and voted on yesterday by the House of Representatives include:
Re-naming a post office in Iowa to the "Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Memorial Post Office." That was co-sponsored by Republican Darrell Issa.

Recognition of and support for American Legion Day. Widely approved of by Republicans.

Recognition of an area of Missouri as "the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor," because it is, apparently, "the national center of the animal health industry based on the unmatched concentration of animal health and nutrition businesses and educational and research assets."

Now you can ask yourself if any of these things produce jobs, make the nation more secure, or do anything for health care for, you know, human beings. You could say this shit happens everyday in Congress. And you'd be right. But then you'd be accusing Congress of wasting time. And when such weighty matters are at hand, why would you bother punishing someone for a breach of the rules of the very body that is wasting time?