July 25, 2003
Fisticuffs?
So I'm back from Europe. I havent read a newspaper in over two weeks so I'm real out of the loop. One thing I DID manage to read about was the altercation in the Ways and Means Committe in Congress. Replete with name calling and arrests it seems it almost resulted in a bout of congressional fisticuffs, the likes of which haven't been seen since 1902 when Senator John McLauren from South Carolina fought the elder South Carolinian Senator Ben Tillman on the Senate floor.
Choice exceprt:
In a move that made the skirmishing over Texas redistricting look like Athenian democracy, Chairman Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) took the extraordinary step of summoning the Capitol police to roust the Democrats from the library.
Meanwhile, back in the hearing room, California Democrat Fortney "Pete" Stark stayed behind in what turned out to be a failed attempt to deny Republicans the unanimous consent they needed to proceed. Colorado Republican Scott McInnis told Mr. Stark to "shut up," whereupon Mr. Stark said, "You think you are big enough to make me, you little wimp? Come on. Come over here and make me. I dare you. You little fruitcake. You little fruitcake. I said you are a fruitcake." The battle then shifted to the House floor, where it devolved into an argument over whether the police were summoned to remove the Democrats from the library (as Democrats contended) or to protect Mr. McInnis from bodily harm at the hands of Mr. Stark (as Republicans said).
It all sounded like a game of congressional Clue: "If it was the gentleman from California in the hearing room with the fruitcake, why did you sic the cops on the Democrats in the library?" asked Rep. Gary L. Ackerman (D-N.Y.). At the end of the day, everyone was splattered in muck.
that 1902 stuff ain't shit compared to THE CANING OF CHARLES SUMNER!
http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/The_Caning_of_Senator_Charles_Sumner.htm
submit your films, fuquaz.
dcsfp.org
and you didn't even mention that our New York City politicians are gunning each other down.
Posted by: sw at July 28, 2003 02:54 AM