Despise what you do. Despise your whole crew. You're so out of touch.
October 10, 2013 5:48 AM   Subscribe

Fuck You Congress

"The website that shouldn't"—but rightfully, woefully, regretfully, and thankfully does—"exist".
posted by humannaire (79 comments total) 16 users marked this as a favorite
 
A+site, I like it.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 5:52 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


While I agree with the general sentiment, this is more misleading false equivalency. Fuck you Republicans or fuck you Tea Party would be more appropriate.
posted by TedW at 5:54 AM on October 10, 2013 [51 favorites]


While I agree with the general sentiment, this is more misleading false equivalency.

By the URL, yes. Most of the actual messages are on point and accurate in their blame, though. (At least when I flipped through it previously.)
posted by inigo2 at 5:58 AM on October 10, 2013


Is that a Lily Allen reference in the Post Title?
posted by Twain Device at 6:01 AM on October 10, 2013 [6 favorites]


I spent ten minutes on the site clicking the button, then came back here and my eyes told me the Meta background color had changed to purple.

Science.
posted by InsanePenguin at 6:02 AM on October 10, 2013 [3 favorites]


It beggars belief that congressmen are not only being paid, but that amongst the shutdown their gym remains open.

This is the Marie Antoinette Congress.
posted by MuffinMan at 6:04 AM on October 10, 2013 [26 favorites]


This is the Marie Antoinette Congress.

Not really, they've taken all the bread away, but they don't want you to have cake either.

But if you guys guillotine them, I will pin a medal on you all myself.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 6:08 AM on October 10, 2013 [27 favorites]


:slow clap:
posted by zakur at 6:13 AM on October 10, 2013




"Rep. John Culberson recalled the GOP vote to shut down the government thusly: “The whole room [said]: ‘Let’s vote!’ I said, like 9/11, ‘Let’s roll!’"

Christ, what an arsehole.
posted by MartinWisse at 6:19 AM on October 10, 2013 [3 favorites]


Favorited as much for the Lily Allen title as anything else.
posted by Navelgazer at 6:21 AM on October 10, 2013 [2 favorites]




C'mon guys. We're all smart enough to know that this isn't a black and white issue. As an "essential" Federal employee and long-time DC resident, I have serious issues with many of their assumptions.

Yeah, the Tea Party is to blame. A lot. So are the moderate Republicans. So are the Democrats.

But do you understand who we get to blame the most?

YOU.

YOU sent these people to my city to govern you. Please fix that, thanks.
posted by kinsey at 6:25 AM on October 10, 2013 [10 favorites]



As long as the shutdown continues, no new American beers can be approved for sale to the public, hitting the craft beer industry hard.


At this point you can just go suck on raw hops anyways. Which is pretty damn close to the Republican social platform.
posted by srboisvert at 6:26 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


Well that was pretty good -- I learned some stuff (or really, I read some stuff I should follow up on later) -- although I think liberal peppering of the copy with variations of "fuck" is kinda played out by now.
posted by notyou at 6:31 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


But if you guys guillotine them, I will pin a medal on you all myself.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 9:08 AM on October 10


Eponymolutionary!
posted by Strange Interlude at 6:32 AM on October 10, 2013 [5 favorites]


notyou:
although I think liberal peppering of the copy with variations of "fuck" is kinda played out by now.
Screaming 'fuck' is how I feel right now. It isn't trying to be edgy, it's reflecting the feelings of lots of people who just want to scream.
posted by charred husk at 6:34 AM on October 10, 2013 [16 favorites]


History mefites, I have a question for you:

At what point does this get turned around? When do the plutocrats and their lapdogs stop bending us over the sink, and start getting some deserved reversal? What historical precedents exist? How was the influence of the Robber Barons in the late 19th and early 20th century gradually absorbed by populism and unions? What needs to happen, now?
posted by Bathtub Bobsled at 6:35 AM on October 10, 2013 [4 favorites]


And there's this.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 6:37 AM on October 10, 2013


Bathtub Bobsled:
What needs to happen, now?
Things need to get worse. I don't say this lightly as I'm someone who has just finally reached a comfortable spot after years of living on the edge. I finally have something to lose now that people like me losing things will probably be what spurs change.
posted by charred husk at 6:44 AM on October 10, 2013 [4 favorites]


YOU.

YOU sent these people to my city to govern you. Please fix that, thanks.


I voted for a Muslim and still think he's doing a great job.
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 6:46 AM on October 10, 2013 [17 favorites]


I say we just fire all the politicians and rehire the government workers to restore services. Betcha a nickel the country would be better off for it. And we could throw a giant pizza party with all the money left over!
posted by nowhere man at 6:49 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


I voted for the sane and decent person, but Tim "Tough-Guy Talk While Cowering in a Cloak Room" Griffin won. Trying to fix that, guys, but it's tough around here.
posted by middleclasstool at 6:50 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


I have this dream that in 2014, not a single incumbent will be reelected, the entire House and 1/3 of the Senate will all be brand new people in office. It's as close to a ctrl-alt-del reset as we could get for the Legislative branch, and I think it would be welcome.
posted by hippybear at 6:55 AM on October 10, 2013


What needs to happen, now?

Shmarmed Shmevolution
posted by Renoroc at 7:02 AM on October 10, 2013


I have this dream that in 2014, not a single incumbent will be reelected, the entire House and 1/3 of the Senate will all be brand new people in office.

It's a good dream. And you may be right. There may well be new people. But that doesn't mean they'll be less insane. I think a very common theme among challengers in the mid-terms will be "My opponent wasn't conservative enough!" and, given the recent gerrymandering and state voting laws (as well as the unfortunate habit of sane people to stay home for the mid-terms), we may well be in for two more years that make these past two look like granny's afternoon tea.

Bonus points for the first tea-party challenger to run on a single-plank "Impeach Obama" platform.
posted by Thorzdad at 7:03 AM on October 10, 2013 [5 favorites]


The problem with revolutions is that it's always the well-disciplined fanatics that end up taking charge; i.e., the Bolsheviks in Russia, or the Islamists in Iran. Even if there was one in the US now (discounting the extreme unlikelihood of an armed citizenry prevailing against the 21st-century US military in survival mode), chances are it'd be captured by highly disciplined Dominionist theocrats who'd turn the new America into a good facsimile of Margaret Attwood's Republic of Gilead or something.
posted by acb at 7:07 AM on October 10, 2013 [11 favorites]


C'mon guys. We're all smart enough to know that this isn't a black and white issue. As an "essential" Federal employee and long-time DC resident, I have serious issues with many of their assumptions.

FWIW, as another long-time DC resident, I think things are pretty black and white right now with what's currently going on.
posted by inigo2 at 7:17 AM on October 10, 2013 [9 favorites]


Reuters: "U.S. House Republicans weigh 6-week debt limit hike"

Translation: "This was great, let's do this again sometime in November."
posted by kiltedtaco at 7:19 AM on October 10, 2013 [9 favorites]


The problem with revolutions is that it's always the well-disciplined fanatics that end up taking charge; i.e., the Bolsheviks in Russia, or the Islamists in Iran.

But we, as voters, can also be well-disciplined fanatics concerning voting these people out. Hence, linking to a site called Fuck You, Congress.
posted by JHarris at 7:25 AM on October 10, 2013 [2 favorites]


Screaming 'fuck' is how I feel right now. It isn't trying to be edgy, it's reflecting the feelings of lots of people who just want to scream.

Frustrated screaming is kinda played out, too.
posted by notyou at 7:30 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


It might make sense to draft a letter to each of our representatives along the lines of " I like you and all, voted for you etc. but damn it you're not doing enough to keep this country from going to hell in a handbasket, so don't count on my vote again until you do."
It gets said over and over again that we all like our own rep, it's all the others we blame. well now it's time to start blaming the one who counts the most...the one who wants me to re-elect him/her.
posted by OHenryPacey at 7:34 AM on October 10, 2013 [4 favorites]


The floor is open to alternatives. (Directed at notyou)
posted by JHarris at 7:34 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


Hey, I said I liked the site.

My alternative would be that site, minus the fuck yous.
posted by notyou at 7:39 AM on October 10, 2013


Or hey wait.

My alternative would be that site, minus the fuck yous and plus kitten GIFs.
posted by notyou at 7:40 AM on October 10, 2013


congressmen throwing kittens
posted by OHenryPacey at 7:40 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


congressmen throwing kittens

Even if they did, they'd still be undefeatable in their gerrymandered districts.

Those jokes about "It'll take him/her getting caught doing x to a y" are in reality's rear-view mirror, and these fucks are still gonna be re-elected.
posted by tzikeh at 7:46 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


At what point does this get turned around? When do the plutocrats and their lapdogs stop bending us over the sink, and start getting some deserved reversal? What historical precedents exist? How was the influence of the Robber Barons in the late 19th and early 20th century gradually absorbed by populism and unions? What needs to happen, now?

The upper classes need to get scared that they're going to lose all their shit, which is obviously much harder to do in a globalized era where they probably keep all their money in the Bahamas or Switzerland or the Maldives or wherever.

Armed revolution isn't too far from it, sadly. Unions used to have pitched battles with Pinkertons and other enforcers from management (see The Battle of Blair Mountain just as a starting point but the 20s were basically "All strikes all the time") and they were often violent and bloody. And the unions/strikers lost a fair amount of the time. And they died. Like this wasn't scuffling with the cops before they drag you off to act hardcore, in Blair Mountain they had airplanes dropping homemade bombs on people.

And while the Civil Rights movement is often portrayed as "MLK and everyone peacefully being dragged off by racist white cops", there were a ton of race riots and other civil unrest that went along with it. See Detroit in 1967 for an example.

When the ruling classes get scared they may have a full-scale revolution or revolt if they don't act, then they'll accept the lesser medicine of treating the proles like people.

Aside from the wholesale rejection of unions, the problem is people aren't desperate enough. They're cowed. They view management and the rich like powerful gods and they'll sacrifice anything for their blessings. You can even see it on here when people are like "I am OUTRAGED and I want to DO SOMETHING and preferably that'd be after 6 because I work and wouldn't want my boss to get mad at me because, whoo boy, I've got kids to feed and bills to pay."
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 7:49 AM on October 10, 2013 [15 favorites]


Reuters: "U.S. House Republicans weigh 6-week debt limit hike"

Translation: "This was great, let's do this again sometime in November."


From what I've been reading from Costa, Tea Partiers aren't having it.
posted by zabuni at 8:00 AM on October 10, 2013


You can even see it on here when people are like "I am OUTRAGED and I want to DO SOMETHING and preferably that'd be after 6 because I work and wouldn't want my boss to get mad at me because, whoo boy, I've got kids to feed and bills to pay."

Your point isn't a bad one, but I'm never going to fault people for paying their bills or feeding their kids. Maybe that plays into the ruling class's hands, but it also means people's kids don't starve.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 8:00 AM on October 10, 2013 [12 favorites]


a small part of me thinks that this is the right (read: tea party variety of the right, etc) smartly showing that with the government completely shut down, the country is not completely self-destructing - as a way of demonstrating their case for smaller government.

is it possible that they have their shit together enough to have that kind of foresight?
posted by rude.boy at 8:05 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


Congress, you are less popular than head lice, Nickelback, root canals, and Donald Fucking Trump.

Head lice have a fan base? Google found me this guy, but there are others?
posted by Blue Meanie at 8:13 AM on October 10, 2013


Rude.boy, I think it's more that they don't value any of the services they're fucking up because they don't care about poor people, brown people, women, etc. I think they probably think they're making a case for smaller government, but they'd be happy to cut all those services anyway because they are racist, misogynistic shitbags.
posted by NoraReed at 8:15 AM on October 10, 2013 [7 favorites]


So who wants to start an end times nihilistic sex and drugs cult?

I mean, now is good a reason as ever.
posted by The Whelk at 8:18 AM on October 10, 2013 [14 favorites]


Maybe that plays into the ruling class's hands, but it also means people's kids don't starve.

Maybe that means that over the long term, more people's kids starve. Your kid's kids.
posted by five fresh fish at 8:19 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


Your point isn't a bad one, but I'm never going to fault people for paying their bills or feeding their kids. Maybe that plays into the ruling class's hands, but it also means people's kids don't starve.

I don't either, but the question was what has to change. The dictators that got toppled in the Arab Spring, for example, were hated for years and years and years (hack comic: possibly more than I hate Congress, oh!), but it was only when people got desperate enough and were willing to fight even at the risk of great personal loss or death that something changed. (And then the people with something to actually lose, like the Egyptian Army, jumped in).

We're still at the "Oh I'd love to go on general strike and help out, maybe I could bring by doughnuts after work?" stage.
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 8:20 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


see also drunkdialcongress.org (it's a .org so you know they're serious)
posted by exogenous at 8:25 AM on October 10, 2013 [3 favorites]


I guess my problem is with talking about the problem in "could I bring doughnuts" language. People aren't saying that, people are saying "I need my job to keep a roof over my head and food on the table and I'd rather not starve to death in the streets." That doesn't make them spoiled; they're victims of the system as much as anyone, and putting words in the mouths of hypothetical people that make them sound like they're disinterested volunteers at a bake sale doesn't fully acknowledge that.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 8:26 AM on October 10, 2013 [4 favorites]


Sure, but again, what has to change is they have to be desperate and have nothing to lose. They're still concerned about keeping and protecting what they have, which isn't going to be enough to mobilize the masses into the kind of radical action that leads to serious leadership change. They have to be desperate enough to make those sacrifices because it's the only way out that they see. Comfortable people still worried about keeping their jobs do not participate in the kind of violent struggle needed for serious regime change. Things have to be so intolerable they say "Yes, I need to feed my kids and not be homeless, but this is so unbearable I will risk all that I have for it" and we're not there yet.
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 8:39 AM on October 10, 2013 [3 favorites]


"Yeah, the Tea Party is to blame. A lot. So are the moderate Republicans. So are the Democrats.

But do you understand who we get to blame the most?

YOU."


What? No. You're confused. These posts above blaming it on "Congress" or "the House" are confused. In fact, the posts blaming it on "the GOP" are confused.

"When do the plutocrats and their lapdogs stop bending us over the sink, and start getting some deserved reversal?"

And blaming it on the plutocrats and the corporations and their lobbyists is also confused.

"It might make sense to draft a letter to each of our representatives along the lines of 'I like you and all, voted for you etc. but damn it you're not doing enough to keep this country from going to hell in a handbasket, so don't count on my vote again until you do.'"

That, too, is confused.

There's basically one person who is personally responsible for about 80% of this. And that's Boehner. The rest is maybe 4% Ted Cruz, 12% the other hard-line Tea Partiers in the House and Senate (and their voters), and the remaining 4% is Harry Reid and Obama, if we're going to define "responsible" strictly.

And by that I mean that Reid and Obama could end the shutdown and avoid breaching the debt limit if they acquiesced to a key demand such as delaying the implementation of the ACA for a year or even just the individual mandate for a year. Possibly even just eliminating the tax on those medical devices would be enough at this late stage for Boehner to be willing to declare victory.* But in the larger scheme of things, that's not a viable solution for anyone. Whether Boehner and the other conservatives realize this or not, Obama is doing everyone, including them and generally the country, by not negotiating or capitulating on this because it would set a very, very bad precedent and suddenly we'd live in a world where even a minority of a minority party in the lower house can force legislation on the majorities and the president and the public simply by being willing to shut down the government in the absence of a budget resolution or risk a default on the debt by not authorizing a debt limit increase. The first time this was done to GOP President and GOP led-Congress by a minority of Democrats, the GOP will understand how bad this really is.

It can't happen. Putting all rightness or wrongness of the ACA aside, of whether the GOP or the Democrats or Obama or whomever is right or wrong or the "good guys" or the "bad guys", this cannot be allowed to become an acceptable congressional practice because everyone will lose and the country could become truly ungovernable.

Now, that said, let's be clear on what's happening. A lot of informal polling of the House has shown that enough Republicans would vote for a "clean" continuing resolution, one that says nothing about the ACA and funds the government at current (sequestration!) levels, would pass. It's not the case that the House Republicans have shut down the government. It's that Boehner has shut down the government because as Speaker, he controls what legislation is brought to the floor for a vote. The so-called "Hastert Rule", which Dennis Hastert says was really not a rule and which Boehner has not, in fact, scrupulously followed in the past, supposedly is that the Boehner won't bring to the floor for a vote legislation that isn't guaranteed to get a majority of GOP votes. Just GOP votes. So that means that something that would get all the Democratic votes and a minority of the GOP votes — that is, something that would pass — won't be brought to the floor. That's the case right now with a "clean" continuing resolution.

So it's Boehner's decision. The ultimate responsibility for this rests on his shoulders. The majority of the House would pass a bill right now.

It's certainly not the Democrats fault, either all of them or the moderates or the conservatives.

And it's not the plutocrats' fault, either. The Chamber of Commerce — the Chamber of Commerce, for crying out loud — isn't supporting the shutdown and they sure as hell don't want to risk debt default. Big business is not happy about the possibility of breaching the debt limit.

This is right wing populism. The Tea Partiers were useful idiots, but now they're idiots that are no longer under the control of the old guard and business. Business is getting pretty upset that their usual lobbying is not having the effect they're accustomed to. The Tea Partiers don't care. The Tea Partiers are crazy. The Tea Partiers believe that this worry about the debt limit is liberal propaganda and that it actually may be good economically if the debt limit increase isn't authorized. Cruz knows exactly what he's doing. He believes that the time is right for a resurgence of right-wing populism, and he's leading the insurrection.

This isn't the fault of all American voters. It's the fault of the voters who are Tea Partiers.

Finally, it's totally wrong to say that Reid and Obama have been unwilling to compromise, not that I think that very many people here would think this. The fact is that they've been, and are now, willing to accept funding at sequestration levels. That's already a huge compromise for the Democrats. That Boehner and the conservative media machine omit this is a measure of their essential dishonesty.

* None of these things I want. Fuck the idiots fighting against the ACA. I'm thrilled that Obama and Reid are refusing to negotiate about this, even if I think that at least half the reasons for taking the hard-line go beyond the ACA.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 8:44 AM on October 10, 2013 [42 favorites]


How are the democrats to blame in this?
posted by MisantropicPainforest at 8:47 AM on October 10, 2013 [2 favorites]


How are the democrats to blame in this?

Because socialism!
posted by no relation at 8:57 AM on October 10, 2013 [2 favorites]


"Frustrated screaming is kinda played out, too."

You know what? I don't care if my genuine outrage and horror at the madness going on in DC right now isnt EDGY enough for you. I'm going to scream and swear all I want and, really, the hipness, currency, and coolness of my emotion is NOT a problem I give a fuck about.

Sweary strident essays are NOT what's keeping the Tea Party faction from releasing their chokehold on the country's finances.

Blithe, posed apathy IS part of the problem however.
posted by BigLankyBastard at 9:03 AM on October 10, 2013 [12 favorites]


Let’s get this straight: In an effort to repeal a law that grants the poor cheaper health care options, you are shutting down programs that help the poor? You’re seriously doubling down on screwing our country’s impoverished?

That's pretty much the whole point of everything behind the Republican & Tea Party these days. Do whatever it takes to fuck over the poor, as often as possible.
posted by Old'n'Busted at 9:18 AM on October 10, 2013 [6 favorites]


So, with the increasing levels of frustration & disgust now being complimented by increasing levels of feeling helpless, is there ANYTHING us ordinary, sane citizens can do (besides calling/writing our senators & reps at all municipal levels) to un constipate this fucking situation?

I'm one of gazillions of small business owners trying to grow, and am feeling the pinch not unlike that described in this NYT article. It's not far from truth to say my carotid arteries are palpably thickening with each day the bullshit drags.

Are there any sites for organizing mass protests out there?
posted by yoga at 9:50 AM on October 10, 2013 [6 favorites]


is there ANYTHING us ordinary, sane citizens can do (besides calling/writing our senators & reps at all municipal levels) to un constipate this fucking situation?

no.
posted by sonic meat machine at 10:02 AM on October 10, 2013 [2 favorites]


"Rep. John Culberson recalled the GOP vote to shut down the government thusly: “The whole room [said]: ‘Let’s vote!’ I said, like 9/11, ‘Let’s roll!’"

It must be noted that the people who shouted "Let's roll" went on to save the plane they were on by crashing it into the ground. To me, it is the very symbol of suicidal/homocidal 'heroism', only slightly less awful than the highjackers chanting "Alahu Akbar". So it seems perfectly appropriate to me.
posted by oneswellfoop at 10:11 AM on October 10, 2013


InsanePenguin: "I spent ten minutes on the site clicking the button, then came back here and my eyes told me the Meta background color had changed to purple.

Science.
"

But is it Metafilter Blue or Fuck You Congress Blue?
posted by symbioid at 10:20 AM on October 10, 2013 [3 favorites]


How are the democrats to blame in this?

Anybody on the D side who negotiates with these terrorists deserves impeachment (and this is a moral statement and not a legal one, also jail time). Literally any concessions whatsoever are tantamount to rewarding this behavior. Any Democratic concessions will cause more of this.

Any Dem who negotiates or advocates negotiating needs to be cut off from the polity. In self-defense.
posted by Pope Guilty at 10:57 AM on October 10, 2013 [4 favorites]


You know what? I don't care if my genuine outrage and horror at the madness going on in DC right now isnt EDGY enough for you. I'm going to scream and swear all I want and, really, the hipness, currency, and coolness of my emotion is NOT a problem I give a fuck about.

OK. I honestly apologize that my "played out" comment implied that your outrage and horror were not genuine.

Sweary strident essays are NOT what's keeping the Tea Party faction from releasing their chokehold on the country's finances.

I don't think the linked site is all that strident. The tone is mostly matter of fact, with the "fuckyous" tacked on as part of the conceit. But yes, as you imply, strident sweary essays are irrelevant to the folks driving the debate in DC.

Blithe, posed apathy IS part of the problem however.

Is skewering strawmen part of the problem, too?

From the About page of "Cultivated Wit," the marketing company behind that site:
Our company’s name stems from the Roman poet Horace, who wrote: “A cultivated wit, one that badgers less, can persuade all the more. Artful ridicule can address contentious issues more competently and vigorously than can severity alone.” Between that message and a shared vision of global conquest, we feel rather connected to the Romans.
I guess I'm supposed to admire -- or be persuaded by -- such artful use of "fuck!"?

-------------------------
A real Internet cynic would suggest that this website is a clever bit of marketing to boost boost the profile of a clever marketing company. But I'm not an Internet cynic. And anyway, I'm in favor of private interest harnessed to the public good, which this would be an example of, were it an example of clever marketing tied to a noisy newsy political stalemate. I think they set to do some good using the resources at hand -- and they have, by collecting all those damning stories into one, easy-to-read place.
posted by notyou at 11:04 AM on October 10, 2013


How was the influence of the Robber Barons in the late 19th and early 20th century gradually absorbed by populism and unions? What needs to happen, now?

The song was right. You've got to FIGHT for your right to party.

Seems we misheard that lyric. It didn't say You've got to TYPE for your right to party. But oh, we're so good at that!
posted by Twang at 11:23 AM on October 10, 2013


One of the links claims (exaggerated I'd think) that they sent all the border patrol home except for one guy at Canada. How the heck is border patrol not an essential service?
posted by Mitheral at 11:25 AM on October 10, 2013


The Whelk: "So who wants to start an end times nihilistic sex and drugs cult?

I mean, now is good a reason as ever.
"

I'm in.
posted by Samizdata at 12:19 PM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


When do the plutocrats and their lapdogs stop bending us over the sink, and start getting some deserved reversal?

Please make your point without a totally unnecessary rape metaphor.
posted by medusa at 1:44 PM on October 10, 2013 [6 favorites]


I guess I'm supposed to admire -- or be persuaded by -- such artful use of "fuck!"?

==========================|   |
|                  |      |   |
|==================|         /
|                  |        /
|  |    |  /----\  |========
|  |    |  |       |        \
|  |    |  |       |         \
|  \____/  \____/  |          \__/
posted by JHarris at 2:37 PM on October 10, 2013 [5 favorites]


How was the influence of the Robber Barons in the late 19th and early 20th century gradually absorbed by populism and unions? What needs to happen, now?

One thing could happen is that the GOP actually does splinter. If the Teabaggers cause enough pain, enough losses at the polls, some states will actually start reconsidering some of these gerrymandered districts where only the far right can be elected. But that could take years and this country will suffer a lot of damage in the meantime.
posted by Ber at 2:58 PM on October 10, 2013


Everyone hates congress, but many are surprisingly good with their congresscritters. So nothing changes, and nothing will change.
posted by eriko at 4:48 PM on October 10, 2013


And in the long run we're all dead, and the sun will burn the Earth to a crisp in a few billion years, so why should we ever do anything.

(And I'd like to go on the record as hating the term congresscritter. Oh, how cutesy and friendly. To hell with that, I'm sure we could come up with a better term, especially considering the subject of the post.)
posted by JHarris at 5:33 PM on October 10, 2013


Things have to be so intolerable they say "Yes, I need to feed my kids and not be homeless, but this is so unbearable I will risk all that I have for it" and we're not there yet.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing be comfortable.
posted by Sparx at 5:43 PM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


I like "congresscritter" because it's so patronizing.
posted by NoraReed at 6:29 PM on October 10, 2013


Congresscrud instead of congresscritter.
posted by mightshould at 6:41 PM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


When does someone in the MSM (or indy media) simply do a run down of each republican congress members family, name by name and connect them to the government largess or benefits they have gotten and associated dollar amount... one by one til this thing is over, restart the expose the second they try to pull this type of stunt again.
posted by specialk420 at 6:54 PM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


"NBC/WSJ poll: 7 in 10 overall, 8 in 10 independents say Cong Rs playing politics; 27% leading. O: 46% leading/51% politics"

https://twitter.com/lrozen/status/388484391917588481
posted by specialk420 at 7:02 PM on October 10, 2013


So it's Boehner's decision. The ultimate responsibility for this rests on his shoulders. The majority of the House would pass a bill right now.

Frankly, I think the asshole ought to be in jail. Any ordinary citizen who caused 1/1000th of the chaos and pain this dickhead has caused would be hung out to dry.
posted by BlueHorse at 8:13 PM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]




Everyone hates congress, but many are surprisingly good with their congresscritters. So nothing changes, and nothing will change.

What a bunch of clowns
posted by nubs at 7:51 AM on October 11, 2013


I thought congresscritter was invented by right-wing types who balked at saying congressperson (no doubt striking a blow against PC fascism and gender-neutral nouns).

I don't have any firm basis for this belief other than the times I've heard it used, and by whom. It feels weird to see it on Metafilter so much lately.
posted by ryanrs at 11:16 PM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]


So what if it was? It's now used almost exclusively to imply corruption, well sometimes ineptitude too.
posted by jeffburdges at 1:39 AM on October 16, 2013


“It comes from a very ancient democracy, you see ...”

“You mean, it comes from a world of lizards?”

“No,” said Ford, who by this time was a little more rational and coherent than he had been, having finally had the coffee forced down him, “nothing so simple. Nothing anything like so straightforward. On its world, the people are people. The leaders are lizards. The people hate the lizards and the lizards role the people.”

“Odd,” said Arthur, “I thought you said it was a democracy.”

“I did,” said Ford. “It is.”

“So,” said Arthur, hoping he wasn't sounding ridiculously obtuse, “why don't people get rid of the lizards?”

“It honestly doesn't occur to them,” said Ford. “They've all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they've voted in more or less approximates to the government they want.”

“You mean they actually vote for the lizards?”

“Oh yes,” said Ford with a shrug, “of course.”

“But,” said Arthur, going for the big one again, “why?”

“Because if they didn't vote for a lizard,” said Ford, “the wrong lizard might get in. Got any gin?”

posted by jeffburdges at 7:05 AM on October 16, 2013


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