Texas Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R, as if there was any doubt) kicks off the season of elevating screaming to the most important contribution an American can make to public discourse.
While Americans should honor the legacy of the Sen. Edward Kennedy, Republicans won't allow healthcare reform to proceed in the late senator's honor, Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) said Wednesday.
"Certainly people honor Sen. Ted Kennedy for all of his work," Hensarling, a top House Republican, said during an appearance on CNBC. "But at the end of the day, this is a democracy, and I think the voice of the people have been heard quite loudly in the month of August."
Hensarling has an odd idea of what "democracy" means. Here's a hint, congressman. Democracy is not measured in decibels. The people did speak -- loudly -- not by using shrieks to cut off debate, but by using their votes to elect the man who promised that Ted Kennedy's fight for health care would be his fight. Democracy was exercised in November.
The question before us now is whether the civilized voice of democracy will be drowned by the raucous cry of the (well-funded) mob. Anyone who stands on the side of democracy should raise their voice, by shouting "aye" when it comes time to pass the Kennedy Health Care Bill.