Great line. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) to Chris Jansing (MSNBC). Today.
Representative Van Hollen summarized his views on the Republican's unprecedented "Contempt of Congress" charges against DOJ Attorney General Eric Holder, with that incisive turn of a phrase:
"That's why the American People are holding Congress in Contempt ..."
the Why?
'with legislative bills due to expire at the end of this month -- Student Loans and the Transportation bills -- Congress has chosen instead to focus its energies on holding the Attorney General in Contempt. ... That's why ...'
"That's why the American People are holding Congress in Contempt ..."
According to Representative Van Hollen.
Congress is about to take yet another much-needed vacation. The business of Congress which they all vowed to do to the best of their abilities, is about to be shelved in favor of a phantom "bait and switch" gun-control story, created primarily under the goading-reporting of so-called Fox News.
Meanwhile the real needs of the American People get placed on the shelf once again, by a GOP-led House who have taken other vows, those that take precedent over their Oath to the Constitution, and by design their oath to the American people too:
[...] the most pressing issue is the [student] loan rates, which will jump from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent on July 1, raising the cost of college for millions of students. That same day, without congressional intervention, a short-term transportation funding measure will also expire, forcing millions of construction workers off the job.
Leaders still cannot agree on how to pay for the nearly $6 billion price tag on student loans. The GOP-controlled House wants to pay for the extension by making cuts to the 2010 health-care reform law. But that proposal is a non-starter in the Senate, where Democrats want to pay for the extension by closing a payroll tax loophole for some wealthier small business executives. On the highway bill, negotiations have stalled amid disagreement over whether any bill would require the White House to approve construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline.
[...]
by Ed O'Keefe,
WashingtonPost Politics -- 06/18/2012
Van Hollen may have a point on how the general public views the "work ethic" of the Tea Party Congress.
In a word, we could easily call their output "Contemptible" ...
Congress Approval at 17% in June
Has averaged 14% so far this year
by Frank Newport, Gallup.com -- June 11, 2012
[...]
Congressional job approval has generally been low for years, with readings as low as 18% in the summer of 2007 and 14% in July 2008. It did improve in 2009, as Barack Obama entered his initial "honeymoon" phase as president, with his own job approval ratings in the 60% range. In March 2009, Congress' job approval reached 39%, the highest it had been since February 2005. But that period of relative positivity did not last, and in 2010, 2011, and so far this year, Congress' approval ratings have routinely been below 20%. Approval of Congress has averaged 14% so far in 2012.
[...]
Sorry America, these Tea Party
leaders anti-government zealots have another extra-constitutional mission they must fall in line with, even if that means letting everything else in America
grind to a halt.
Who needs roads anyways?
Or a college-educated work force, ready to change the world?
Certainly not these congressional wise-guys ... they've got bigger 2nd Amendment "hypothetical fish" to fry:
link to Maddow video -- Jun 20, 2012
How's their theory go again? 'Eric Holder is flooding Drug Dealers with guns, so Obama can clamp down with strict Gun Control laws in the second term.'
Riiiight! Someone really needs to start taking their meds again.
That and then get back to work -- which includes actually DOING the business of the American People -- NOT blocking it.
PSSST! Wingnuts, the American People ARE watching ... Contempt can cut both ways you know.