I made the point in an earlier post (Discordant Democrats vs. Republican Dittoheads) that Republicans work in lock step and simply do whatever they are told. I'm not talking (necessarily) about the average Joe the Plumber Republican. I'm talking about elected officials with law degrees. The average United States Senator or Representative who happens to be a Republican needs not think, read, or consider. All he or she needs to do is listen to the orders and follow them. Thining on one's own is simply not done.
Does that sound like a typical Greg Laden over the top bit of hyperbole? It does? Ha! This time it is not!
At a town hall meeting Wednesday Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) told Chickasha residents he does not need to read the 1,000 page health care reform bill, he will simply vote against it."I don't have to read it, or know what's in it. I'm going to oppose it anyways," he said..
This is not upholding the duties of the office. For this sort of stupidity he should be impeached.
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Has *anyone* read it?
OQO, as usual, it's largely aides, lobbyists and consultants who have read the bill in its entirety. Plenty of people have read large chunks of this one, though.
I don't know who's read it .. .well, actually I KNOW Al Franken read it... but anyway, coming out and saying "I don't need to read it, all I need to do is vote against it" is pitiful.
Maybe somebody told Sen. Inhofe that, buried in the text of the health-care reform bill, there lurks clear and irrefutable evidence for anthropogenic global warming.
#4: it may not be in the bill, but all you need to do is watch the bloviation on the bill and you'll see enough atmospheric temperature forcing to do in the ice caps right now.
Pierce, I think you have a point. Inhofe has made clear that he doesn't need to read the science behind global warming to know it's a hoax.
The "Gang of Six" have basically said that they are in the process of making this bill so unpalatable to both progressives and to the president that it will never get passed. At least Mike Enzi has said to. And Human Events is pissed at him for even doing that much, because, you know he is actually talking to Democrats and not spitting in their outstretched hands.
I'm heading off tomorrow morning to a big (I hope) "health insurance reform" rally in downtown Portland (OR). I have poked around the web a bit to see whether any right wingers are planning a counter-rally to try to knock the wind out of our effort. I would rather not run into any of the Inhofe-ish idiots. I'm not in any way a violent persons, but I don't know if I could control myself.
What's the civilian equivalent of dereliction of duty. Shouldn't this be an impeachable offense?
I've complained about the "have you read it" thing. Dumb question since the Senator/Rep reading the entire bill themselves is not really all that useful (in most cases at least). They have staff for a reason.
That said, a reasonable answer is:
"My staff and I have take a long careful look at the bill."
Preferably followed up by some good details.
Extra points for (though in a perfect world required) citing outside sources who's analysis you are trusting.
Franken read the whole thing himself so he could throw the fact back in the face of opponents (good for him). Though if you've read his political books, you should know how he really operates... leading a team of really smart people and synthesizing their work.
Malfeasance of office is a criminal act. He needs to pay his debt to society by suffering overcrowding in prison. Which he will, unless the police and courts are wholly corrupt.
If you think Repuglican legislators are bad, you should see their constituents!
Good as always Greg - I'd quibble about the title though. Don't you think lockstep is redundant :)
I had to laugh at that. And while I agree with the stupidity of what Inhofe said, there is plenty of precedent for Congressmen of both sides saying dumb things about reading legislation - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACbwND52rrw&NR=1