Originally Posted By wahooskipper You expect more from our citizenry? Have you seen the citizenry? I simply stated that I expect Frank to rise above it, as I would be expected to as an employee in municipal government. Don't you think I don't get asked absolutely stupid questions every single day? I get accused for being racist for closing the soccer fields when it rains. (I must have something against Latins.) I guarantee you that if I responded in kind to some of the aforementioned nutjobs I would be out of a job in less than 24 hours. I'm absolutely certain of it.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan Wahoo, had this been a one-off incident, I would agree that he should rise above it. But this was not a one-off incident. She is part of a deliberate campaign of distraction and intimidation intended to shut down the topic at hand at these meetings. She was employing a tactic, not expressing a legitimate question or concern, and he put her in her place. So she (and those marching to the same [looney] tune got a little push back for a change.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***You expect more from our citizenry? Have you seen the citizenry?*** I've seen and heard more than enough from the right wing citizenry than I'd ever care to, if that's what you meant. Perhaps a few less shouts of "Heil Hitler!" at Jewish people would be nice.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***I guarantee you that if I responded in kind to some of the aforementioned nutjobs I would be out of a job in less than 24 hours. I'm absolutely certain of it.*** Fortunately or not, the elected offices don't work that way though. I, for one, applaud and revere what Barney Frank did here...I hope to see MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH more of it soon from many other elected officials. It's time to tell the dangerous ones to SHUT UP AND GO AWAY, before they cause something very bad to happen.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>I simply stated that I expect Frank to rise above it, as I would be expected to as an employee in municipal government. << Nahh - not when he's a congresscritter on TV. That was pure political theater, saying straight to the face of one of these nuts exactly how The Rest Of Us feel about them, and it's about dang time somebody on the Jedi side did it. THIS is how you get the news coverage, as the wingnuts have already figured out. The fact that the guy running the audio board killed her mike as soon as Barney started talking certainly helped. ;-)
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan By the way, President Obama has tried to rise above some of the extremist rhetoric and patiently explain that no, the government isn't going to have death panels to decide when to pull the plug on grandma. How's that approach been working? Miserably, as a third or more of people seem to think this is all a plot to kill off Americans, if some polls are accurate. At some point, treating an insane point of view as a legitimate concern is counter productive and is, indeed, like arguing with a dining room table. (Although in fairness to furniture, the table might actually be more reasonable.)
Originally Posted By wahooskipper You think it is right, I think it is wrong. (Don't think I don't wish I could dish it back at times.) One of my favorite questions: "Why are our streets flooded. You guys are idiots." My desired answer: "Because your house isn't you knucklehead." But again, how well do you think that would go over? I'd have enought time to pack a couple of boxes in my office.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***Don't think I don't wish I could dish it back at times*** Elections have consequences. And, you aren't Barney Frank. He can, you can't. Not too tough to parse out really, why would you begrudge him his honestly when you wish you could dole it out yourself but can't out of fear for your job?
Originally Posted By mele <<CNN obtained documents showing she was part of a well-orchestrated plan>> Excellent. wahoo, I don't think he really dished it out to this woman. I think he said just enough to put her in her place but didn't go too far. Obviously you disagree but Frank was pretty tame in this situation. I've heard him say a LOT worse and I know I would have said a lot worse.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan So what should he have done, Wahoo? Let her stand there and rant? Stand there and look like he has no response? That only emboldens these nuts, as we've seen for the last few weeks. He is an elected official attempting to have a discussion with his constituents. Maybe she is in his district, maybe she traveled in from Krazytown. She got to wave her Hitler picture around like she planned, what she didn't get to do was heckle Frank into silence. And she seemed rather surprised by that.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper X, I see your point in the last sentence. Would it have been ok for the President to respond the way Frank did? If not, why the difference?
Originally Posted By wahooskipper 2oony...I don't remember the name of the Congresswoman but the one who had the run in last week (a woman who was getting into it out in the audience with another woman) handled it well in my opinion.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***X, I see your point in the last sentence. Would it have been ok for the President to respond the way Frank did? If not, why the difference?*** There is no "if not". I don't see any difference. In fact, I wish the President would do a whole heck of a lot of that...daily if I had my way. He "has to conform" to whatever the media and the opinion polls tell him to apparently. I don't like it one bit. I LOVED the fact that he spoke honestly about police harassment of black folks (you, on the other hand, use it as a political whipping pole). I WANT our politicians to be bold, honest, and frank. Sometimes that doesn't "work", but when someone gets their change, like Congressman Frank did, I'm very happy to see them take it and use it to make a strong point about idiots and their idiocy. I applaud Congressman Frank on this one, very much so.
Originally Posted By barboy Wahooskipper, I don't think it's fair to denounce 'Frank' discourse just because you are not allowed to freely reply at your job. Frank and company should not have to bite their tongues just because your employer stifles retaliatory speech. And Frank did rise above because that idiot really deserved to be knocked upside her melon with an acoustic guitar.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>Would it have been ok for the President to respond the way Frank did?<< YES! Somehow, I can't imagine Teddy Roosevelt standing there and taking it. I think Thomas Jefferson might have had a thing or two to say to someone -- he didn't suffer fools gladly.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper Well, ya'll almost changed my mind. But, alas, it didn't hapeen and I must go get some lunch. Yes, I do expect more from our elected officials but in the age of Oval Office shenanigans, public restroom controversies, long distance affairs and bold faced lying I guess I should just lower my expectations.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***Well, ya'll almost changed my mind. But, alas, it didn't hapeen and I must go get some lunch.*** D'oh! And I was so SURE that you were coming around!!!! (I'll bet on the oceans turning to yogurt before I'd bet on you changing your set ways, brutha...but that's okay)
