Jeanne Schmidt and the House of Representatives Freak Show
Last Friday is an example of a rare moment where I wish I still had C-SPAN. I guess the political show on Friday would provide good material for a DVD “Best of CSPAN — the House of Representatives” (I don’t have a clue what else it would include, as they cut through the video footage of the frequent parliamentary pauses where since nothing is happening on the floor, the video pans around for an hour or so combing everything to find amusing video footage of our Legislature in Action). There we had the House of Representatives debated a bill from Representative Duncan (Republican) who tore out two parts of Representative John Murtha (Democrat)’s 3-part plan of a bill on moving us out of Iraq. The best I can do is watching this and this and listening to the footage on NPR’s “Weekend Edition.”
Welcome Representative Jeanne Schmidt. She’s the woman who won a special election against Paul Hackett, by four points or thereabouts in a district that Bush had won by 30+ points or thereabouts… an election Charles Cooke, Newt Gingrich, and others referred to as a serious warning siren for the Republican Party. It’s a good thing it wasn’t her that said those words, and instead a Marine… otherwise I’d have to call her a World Class Asshole. Nay… it is striking how the Republicans hid behind the almighty “troops”, who are all, evidentally, uniformly demanding to “Continue the Mission” (whatever the hell the “Mission” is supposed to be these days). Also notice the defense from Representative Tom Lantos, who I believe is what is referred to as a “Hawk”.
[BTW: There is no “exit strategy” because the War with Iraq was itself an “Entrance Strategy”. This is why the Senate resolution to merely let the Iraqis know the US’s Intention is to depart was shot down. To Bush Administration and Bushistas, the act of not being in Iraq is the definition of Failure. Keep that in mind as we commence with the fallacious debate the nation’s political class is currently engaging themselves in.]