Connecticut Politicians Play Solitaire, Talk Smack
This marvelous photo of the Connecticut legislature is making the rounds, occasionally mislabeled as a photo of the U.S. Congress:
An accompanying article in the New Haven Register tracks the nasty fallout from the discovery that politicians totally get sick of each other yapping all the time. State Republicans—incredibly relieved that the AP photographer was on the Democratic side of the house in the 12th hour of Monday's session—are demanding apologies from their colleagues for playing solitaire and checking ESPN while state Rep. Lawrence F. Cafero Jr. (R-Norwalk) was yammering on:
Voters "expect their elected officials to represent their interests, not be preoccupied with putting the red five on the black six," said Thomas Jagodinski, the Republican Town Committee chairman.
The Dems fought back with a surprising amount of vigor:
Democratic Town Chairman Richard Smith defended Lambert Thursday by lashing out at the Republican Party, calling it "a sad and pathetic little political party."
"Personally, I wouldn't think the Milford Republicans, which is up to their eyeballs in drugs, sex, developer kickback and alcohol scandals, would have the audacity to criticize a Democrat for simply playing solitaire."
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Voters "expect their elected officials to represent their interests, not be preoccupied with putting the red five on the black six
Racist whistle words!
Kind of brings back memories of my schooldays. I sat in the back row, of course, so nobody could see me checking out Internet sites (like this one). But I could see the students ahead of me playing video games, checking entertainment sites, etc.
Kids these days. I made good with just a science fiction paperback.
I just drew porn.
I drew crude pictures of tits. And yes, it was dicey at the bell.
Me too.
Me too. Paperbacks and Archie comics.
There have been studies done about how productive students are who bring laptops to lectures with them...they don't bode well for productivity.
Can a speaker of the house prohibit laptops?
I would hope that our elected officials would have the discipline to pay attention when someone else is speaking, but they apparently don't. It undermines the whole "everybody gets a say", and highlights that our political system isn't about getting together and finding the best solution to an issue but about voting the way your party chairman tells you.
There's no representation involved anymore.
I'd probably be watching porn by the 12th hour.
Sadly, bating in the chamber is probably prohibited.
Only if you're a guy.
Good point.
Good point.
Screwing the taxpayer isn't.
Them playing with themselves is a nice change from screwing the taxpayers.
You mean there's a difference?
When the solitaire photo first made local headlines a month or so ago, a local writer who covers state politics actually wrote in defense of the legislators; apparently the guy who was talking was a repetitive windbag who was ignored for the same reason I ignore preflight lectures about how if my plane plummets down six miles and crashes in some Kansas field I can use my seat cushion as a flotation device.
In a room filled with repetitive windbags, how can you even tell?
Let's be honest, politicians wouldn't be carin' even if the guy speakin was on their side. They'd merely vote accordingly when his bill came through.
America is running out of everything except the ability to proclaim shock at certain behaviors.
Dude, they're in Hartford. There really isn't anything else to do.
Assuming any of us ever were to sink so low as to become politicians, wouldn't we be doing pretty much the same thing?
If I were stuck in a 12 hour meeting with a bunch of yammering politicians, I would be playing solitaire too. Or posting snidery to HitNRun. Or rating porn. Or digging my brain out though my ears with a toothpick.
"Personally, I wouldn't think the Milford Republicans, which is up to their eyeballs in drugs, sex, developer kickback and alcohol scandals...
Well, you should have caught all that in a neat picture.
Hopkins: Wake up, Franklin, you're going to New Brunswick!
Benjamin Franklin: The hell I am! Whatever for?
Hopkins: For the drinking and the whoring.
Benjamin Franklin: Oh...!
"expect their elected officials to represent their interests, not be preoccupied with putting the red five on the black six,"
Red five on black six? Considering the usual cost overruns, defecits, kickbacks and loopholes in the legislation these bunglers produce, I'm impressed that they're playing on computers that won't allow them to cheat. But check their stats on Free Cell. I bet they don't have many wins.
the Milford Republicans, which is up to their eyeballs in drugs, sex, developer kickback and alcohol scandals,
Milford Republican approval ratings and donations just went through the roof. Well played, Dem hack. Well played.
Democratic Town Chairman Richard Smith defended Lambert Thursday by lashing out at the Republican Party,
Let's just tie their tails together and hang 'em over a tree branch. It's the only thing better than gridlock.
Voters "expect their elected officials to represent their interests, not be preoccupied with putting the red five on the black six"
But that is my interest!
I don't mind them playing Solitaire & Freecell.
They could be thinking up new laws instead.
What the Legislature needs is Terry Tate, Office Linebacker. I would pay money to see Calefero taken out with a brutal blindside tackle. If there was a chance this asshole would get leveled, no one would be looking at their laptops.
That looks like Free Cell to me....
I want to know if the legislators playing and goofing off were able to retain their seats last Tuesday? If they did then I'd tell the residents of those town to go to hell next time they are out looking for some form of state relief.
It's my recollection that apologies were ordered by the speaker, and given by the offenders. But in my book those reps have demonstrated that they are unworthy of respect. I'd sooner spit in their hand than give them the time of day. They are supposed to represent their constituents and the State's best interest.
They've not only disgraced themselves but the State legislature and buy extension every citizen of Connecticut.