It’s a cliché of political commentary to say that members of Congress are corrupt idiots. In fact, it’s an American tradition; just ask Mark Twain. But it’s rare that one single day brings to light as much congressional corruption and idiocy, from both parties, as was on display yesterday. Here are three examples, with links to stories about each one.
1. During a Senate Finance Committee meeting, Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) spoke in favor of holding up work on a health care reform bill for 72 hours so health industry lobbyists would have time to read it and give their impressions. They don’t usually just come right out and say, “I need to know what the lobbyists want me to do,” but there you have it. Excuse me? Who, exactly, is running the Senate – senators or lobbyists? I guess we know the answer to that one.
2. At the same committee meeting, Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) said America doesn’t need to have a public option as part of health care reform because – get this – France doesn’t have one. Conrad read The Healing of America by T.R. Reid, and somehow concluded (I’ve read the book, too) that the French government isn’t involved in health care. I prescribe remedial reading classes for Sen. Conrad. Why? France has had a public insurance system, which covers all French citizens, since 1945. The French can also buy supplementary insurance if they wish, but the insurers’ premiums are strictly regulated, and they can’t deny, nor cancel, coverage. And, by the way, this horribly intrusive, socialist nightmare of a system was rated by the World Health Organization as the best in the world.
3. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), whom we wrote about last week when he defended Rep. Joe Wilson’s fervor for flying the Confederate battleflag, told listeners on a WorldNetDaily radio show that same-sex marriage is “a purely socialist concept,” which probably would come as a surprise to all the gay men who were sent to gulags by the Soviet government, or persecuted by Mao’s underlings, or imprisoned by East European communist states. King’s statement is breathtaking in its idiocy and twisted logic. If you’re a fan of lunatic reasoning, it’s a must-read.
This article appears in Sep 22-29, 2009.
No, Frank. YOU’RE the devil’s work, spawn.
I’ve always said that the GOP masquerades as the party of free markets, civil liberties, constitutionalism, etc. etc.
These partisan games always show us their true colors.
No republican other than Ron Paul is advocating getting the feds completely out of the picture. That is so sad.