Our Learnèd Legislators

Jesse Walker | November 10, 2009

When Julian Sanchez reviewed the transcripts of last week's hearings on renewing the PATRIOT Act, he was struck by "the shameless stupidity of the remarks from grown men who actually get to decide what the law will be. Remember, this isn't what they say to the rubes from the stump; it's how they talk to each other when nobody but the C-SPAN Ocho audience is watching." Examples follow.

Comments

|11.10.09 @ 10:56AM|#

Well.... shit

WWJGD|11.10.09 @ 11:01AM|#

As someone who has watched C-SPAN1/2/3 8 hours a day (at work) for the past almost-2 years, I can confidently say this is dead on. I can also say that watching so much has turned me into a pretty dedicated anarchist.

WWJGD|11.10.09 @ 11:03AM|#

I also want to add that Henry Waxman is the Herald of C'thulu and Rep Donna Edwards lazy eye has become self-aware and is trying to escape from her craziness.

Episiarch|11.10.09 @ 11:55AM|#

Welcome to the club, dude.

And Waxman is C'thulu. Just wait and he will reveal himself. You don't think a real human could be that ugly, do you?

|11.10.09 @ 1:22PM|#

I dont get why these appalling moments on C-span aren't more frequently used in political attack ads.

That footage of Maxine Waters revealing her keen grasp of economics during the auto bailout was pure gold.

Though I suppose the GOPer's said things equally ludicrous...

|11.10.09 @ 11:35AM|#

I also want to say that the accent on 'learnèd' is backwards.

|11.10.09 @ 11:36AM|#

I also just discovered that phony html tags disappear. Must look up how to post fakes. Meant to have tags saying [pedantry] and [/pedantry]. Apparently that's a font style not supported yet.

EscapedWestOfTheBigMuddy|11.10.09 @ 2:21PM|#

Use "&lt;" and "&gt;" for the < and > characters. Or just leave some unnecessary whitespace like < tag > and < /tag >

Jesse Walker|11.10.09 @ 12:01PM|#

Not very learnèd of me. It's fixed now.

Tsu Dho Nihm|11.10.09 @ 12:01PM|#

I'm a little confused. Why is Julian Sanchez surprised?

|11.10.09 @ 12:40PM|#

Something can be predictable but still sort of stunning. On a related note, though, I suggest adding to the Reason Drinking Game a shot for the "why are you surprised?" comment that inevitably seems to appear on posts pointing out something stupid government has done.

Apostate Jew|11.10.09 @ 1:47PM|#

Suggestion approved.

Jesse Walker|11.10.09 @ 2:06PM|#

On a related note, I think the rules should be revised so that everyone takes a drink when a commenter feels the need to use the phrase "this is nothing new." Make it two drinks when the post does not actually claim that anything is new, and three drinks when the post goes out of its way to cite precedents to the story being discussed.

|11.10.09 @ 4:10PM|#

And guzzle the whole bottle when a commenter opines on whether he finds the person in question "do-able".

|11.10.09 @ 12:38PM|#

Learnèd is correct. If you're asking readers to pronounce a normally silent vowel sound (especially with the "ed" ending), you should use the grave accent.

Of course, for coolness, nothing beats the all-mighty umlaut. Learnëd Haņd.

|11.10.09 @ 5:29PM|#

I've never heard anyone pronounce that word "lurnd" when used with that meaning. So I don't see how that's the "normal" spelling.

And everyone knows the past tense and participle of "learn" is "learnt", not "learned".

kc|11.10.09 @ 2:09PM|#

uhhh -- I just assumed that politicians' speeches made on the floor are indeed for the rubes back home, not for each other -- and they all know it -- nod, nod, wink, wink. They're only honest with each other (way, way) off camera.

Death Panelist|11.10.09 @ 4:13PM|#

Ahmed is Not a Terrorist. Pinky Swear. Love, Al Qaeda.

RACIST STEREOTYPER!!! I call political incorrectness on that.