by Karen Topakian
It didn’t take long for the House republicans to not get along. With each other. Exactly 36 days from their seating as the 112th Congress. They began fighting. With each other.
The 87 Republican fresh persons arrived with a mandate. And it wasn’t to get along. It was to slash and burn. Take no prisoners. Hold nothing sacred.
What caused their ire? Aid to workers displaced by the new trade agreement and the renewal of the dreaded PATRIOT Act.
Were they opposing these measures because they opposed the displacement of workers? No.
These Young Turk are more interested in reducing government spending than in maintaining jobs.
But didn’t they run on an “Obama’s not doing enough to create more jobs” platform? Some did.
I predict that these fights equal coming attractions. Trailers. Preview sof how they will behave when it’s time for the main event. And there are many: the vote to raise the budget ceiling; appropriations for projects and departments they hate – the E.P.A., Legal Aid, Corporation for Public Broadcasting…
This in fighting and lack of party discipline brings great encouragement. To those of us on the Left. I say “Bring it on.”
The House is all they’ve got. And if they can’t keep themselves in order. They will fail at promoting their Neanderthal* positions on climate-change, immigration, education reform…
*I apologize to any readers who self-identify as Neanderthal.
Tour de Farce 