GOP freshmen get a tough lesson in politics

[underpants]

For the House’s famous class of Republican freshmen, the first four months in office have brought a frustrating surprise. The divided, mistrustful bent of American politics — which brought them to power last fall — is now making that power maddeningly difficult to use.

On Capitol Hill, the Democrats they bashed have turned the Senate into a black hole for GOP ideas. So the freshmen are left with political theater, voting for bills the Senate will ignore.

And back home, the same hoarse-throat tactics that helped them bring down incumbents last year — attacks on a health-care plan, town-hall heckling — have been used against them.

Huizenga, however, rejected the idea that the Democrats were simply reusing the tactics that Republicans used to attack President Obama’s health-care law.

“They are lying,” Huizenga said. In contrast, he said, “we’ve got facts.”

“ ‘Hey, Dad, I’m wondering . . . Harry Reid says he’s not going to pass (one of the House bills), and the president said he’s going to veto it. So why are you guys going to do it anyway?’ ” Huizenga recalled his 13-year-old son asking in an e-mail. “ ‘And — oh, by the way — I scored a goal in floor hockey.’ ”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gop-freshmen-get-a-tough-lesson-in-politics/2011/05/19/AGdy3oCH_story.html

[lumberjack_jeff]

1. "so why are you going to do it anyway"?

The wisdom of 13 year olds is wasted on teabaggers.

[Ship of Fools]

2. the worst part of this

is that we will have had to live through 2 effing years of their absolute ignorance -- 2 very important and wasted years that might otherwise have been used to propel green jobs/economy, a bigger stimulus to get us on our feet again, etc. i'm all but a complete novice in understanding politics. this site is helping me learn. but i'm also amazed that even i understand politics better than these teabaggers in d.c.

i wholeheartedly believe that history will judge these 2 years, instigated by sarah effing palin, to be the beginning of the decline of our nation. sarah effing palin and the enabling jokester -- john mccain. what a total waste of our time, literally. i will never again *click* on anything palin. never, ever again. she can rot in hell.

thanks for allowing the rant.

[Whisp]

3. nice rant.

:)
a bit late but welcome to DU.

[Ship of Fools]

5. mercy buckets

[physioex]

4. Pailin is just in it for the publicity......

She wants to make her money and run. The real people that are of bigger concern are the ones that finance the Tea Party machine like the Koch brothers.

[Ship of Fools]

6. i totally agree that's the case now,

but i don't think that was initially the case. palin tapped into an *anger*, but unfortunately it was a minority of idiots that were whipped into a frenzy by msm. don't you think that by the time repubs caught on to the idiocy of baggers, they brazenly went public with their corporate backers, no longer needing to be behind the scenes? i guess i just don't see how else they could justify coming out of the woodwork so strongly. suicide by cop, in a way? either way, what a waste of time.

[underpants]

7. Yes DU is great

Wise and otherwise as I like to say

The Bush years were also a complete waste - he comes into office with a "balanced budget" and projected surplus (right about now) and we end up in two wars, with tax cuts that purposely drain the Treasury, and a prescription plan that openly is a rip off. PLUS everyone is the world both feared us (because there were psycopaths in charge of the guns) and laugh at our inanity.

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. The more frustrated they are, the happier it makes me.

[bluestate10]

9. Why do democrats that are responsible for electing more democrats allow

a republican that is obviously lying to call them liars?

[pacalo]

10. I wonder if voters of Illinois would approve of paying tax dollars for this type of representation..

“I still don’t know my way around the Capitol. I still don’t know how the protocol works on the (House) floor. I could care less,” said Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.). Walsh said his goals were not to legislate; he wants to continue pointing out Obama’s failings. “Of all the 87 Republican freshmen, I’ve probably gotten more media attention than any of them.”

[individual rights]

11. "So why are you guys going to do it anyway?’ ”

If only they had stopped after "Congress shall make no law..."