Tea Party is having a big night

[darger]

The sophistication of federal lawmakers' speech patterns is on the decline, with members of Congress now talking, on average, at the level of high school sophomores. According to a new report by the Sunlight Foundation, Congress has fallen by almost a full grade-level since 2005.

The members speaking at the lowest grade levels tend to be freshmen Republicans.

As NPR noted on Monday, "Of the 10 members speaking at the lowest grade level, all but two are freshmen, and every one is a Republican." That measurement is for all speeches since 1996.

"Particularly among the newest members of Congress, as you move out from the center and toward either end of the political spectrum, the grade level goes down, and that pattern is particularly pronounced on the right," said Lee Drutman, a political scientist at Sunlight.

Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) clocks in at the lowest grade-level: 7.9 in this Congress.

[KALM]

Mulvaney attended Georgetown University where he majored in International Economics, Commerce and Finance. At Georgetown, he was an Honors Scholar, the highest level of academic achievement awarded to members of the Georgetown School of Foreign Service, and ultimately graduated with honors in 1989. Mulvaney attended law school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He earned a full scholarship to attend law school, where his focus was on anti-trust law. He graduated with his law degree in 1992.[3]

[VHGisdead]

The sophistication of federal lawmakers' speech patterns is on the decline, with members of Congress now talking, on average, at the level of high school sophomores. According to a new report by the Sunlight Foundation, Congress has fallen by almost a full grade-level since 2005.

The members speaking at the lowest grade levels tend to be freshmen Republicans.

As NPR noted on Monday, "Of the 10 members speaking at the lowest grade level, all but two are freshmen, and every one is a Republican." That measurement is for all speeches since 1996.

"Particularly among the newest members of Congress, as you move out from the center and toward either end of the political spectrum, the grade level goes down, and that pattern is particularly pronounced on the right," said Lee Drutman, a political scientist at Sunlight.

Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) clocks in at the lowest grade-level: 7.9 in this Congress.

back in March

welp, just got back from the Santorum rally

I hope I can find an article quoting one particular line. It was something to the effect of "This president wants to take us back to a time before America, with smart people....educated people.....making our decisions for us and telling us what to do."

[Amblin]

Rand you shit

http://thehill.com/video/senate/234747-reid-rejects-pauls-life-at-conception-amendment-to-flood-bill

Reid vows to block vote on Paul's 'life at conception' amendment to flood bill

An exasperated Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said that he would not allow a vote on an amendment clarifying that life begins at conception, which Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) offered to a flood insurance bill.

Paul has been known to offer unrelated amendments to Senate bills throughout the 112th Congress, often frustrating Reid. On Tuesday morning, Reid indicated he has had enough, and said Republicans need to control Paul or run the risk that the flood bill might not go through as planned.

"I'm told last night that one of our Republican senators wants to offer an amendment — listen to this one — wants to offer an amendment on when life begins," Reid said. "There will not be a vote on that on flood insurance. We'll either do flood insurance with amendments that deal with flood insurance, or we won't do it, we'll have an extension.

"I don't understand what this is all about," Reid added. "But I want everyone to know: This flood insurance is extremely important. The big pushers of this bill are Republicans senators, veteran Republican senators.

"They better work on their side of the aisle, because I am not going to put up with that," he concluded. "If the Republicans won't stand up to that, to the person who's going to that, I'm not going to."

The Senate is working on a bill, S. 1940, that would reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for five years, and reform it to allow the nation's only flood insurer to increase premiums so the program can work its way out of a nearly $18 billion deficit. The program expires at the end of July.

Senators are working on an agreement on which amendments to the bill might come up. Paul's amendment, introduced on Monday, is called the Life at Conception Act, and would "ensure equal protection for right to life of each born and preborn human person."

Paul's language also states that "Congress hereby declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being."

[mcwop23]

Jesus fucking christ

[The Dirty Turtle]

did u guys see rubio on daily show last night

[The Dirty Turtle]

cause they spent a long time specifically talking about shit like that

[delgriffith]

Rand Paul is such a child. Gonna watch the Rubio interview now.

[Amblin]

yeah i put it on too. the clip on the website says it is extended !

[Jeremy]

How is a fetus supposed to afford health insurance.

[worrywort]

the womb is already flooded

[Mr Spaceship]

did u guys see rubio on daily show last night

just watched this on the website, pretty effective takedown of Rubio

[carlperkins]

"We only have a problem with the bad ideas!!"

[deadwolfbones]

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/06/ ... go-decline

[The Dirty Turtle]

[deadwolfbones]

[deadwolfbones]

He looks computer generated in that one.

[Gnarls]

Min Headroom

[WAC]

http://www.theagitator.com/2010/05/16/wayne-allyn-root-bonkers/

[Shalabi]

http://www.theagitator.com/2010/05/16/wayne-allyn-root-bonkers/

Area Newspaper Runs Joke Headline

[The Dirty Turtle]

that 13 yr old conservative kid who spoke at CPAC in 2009 is now liberal: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/78068.html

[The Dirty Turtle]

o son of a bitch

[delgriffith]

C'mon bro, it's right there on the...

Aw, I can't stay mad at you!

[The Dirty Turtle]

so nice we posted it twice!

[darger]

Republican Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL), knocked his Democratic opponent Tammy Duckworth — a veteran who lost both of her legs as a helicopter pilot in Iraq — for talking about her military career too much. Discussing her accomplishments, Walsh suggested, meant that Duckworth was not a “true [hero].”

Walsh said at a town hall meeting on Sunday that unlike Duckworth, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) rarely spoke about his military service during the 2008 presidential election — a claim that ignores the thrust of McCain’s campaign and his entire political career.

“That’s what’s so noble about our heroes. Now I’m running against a woman who — I mean, my God, that’s all she talks about,” said Walsh, in video posted by Think Progress. “Our true heroes, it’s the last thing in the world they talk about. Our true heroes, the men and women who served us, it’s the last thing in the world they talk about. That’s why we are so indebted and in awe of what they have done.”

[orange farmer]

So, if you lose your legs in war and you talk about it, you are no longer a hero, we are not indebted to them, and we are unimpressed with what they have done.

[nefarious]

Min Headroom

great post

[nefarious]

godammit

[badhat]

man i dont get indignant about much in american politics anymore but that walsh thing is just goddamn loathesome.

[Feech La Manna]