Congress is the People’s House
[Guest post by DJR]
The Roanoke Times’ blog The Botetourt View published a report of a tour hosted by Bryan Alphin, one of Sen. John Warner’s interns, on his last day as an intern. As he ended his last tour with 21 people in tow, they were surprised by an invitation from Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) to join her on the floor of the House for a GOP sit-in on energy:
“And then we walked up to an area that simple staffers and interns are not allowed, the Speaker’s Gallery. Over there we crossed a security guard who demanded what was going on, questioning the Congresswoman, and she said, “These are my guests.” The security guard replied, “All of these people?”
“Yes, all 22 of them!” and then we entered a room where the few privileged can enter. She exclaimed—“My guests, we’re having a protest today! We’re going to the House chamber and you all are going to sit amongst your Republican friends in the chamber. Because this is not the chamber for Democrats, but the People’s Chamber!”
So it was pretty exciting, we sat on the seats of members of Congress, sitting side-by-side with them on the Republican side of the aisle. And the lights were dim and the microphones were off. The Democratic majority had recessed for the summer, but the GOP was “sitting-in for America” until Congress could settle on an energy policy. Republican representatives including Foxx, Republican Whip Blunt of Missouri and Virginia Congressman Cantor tried to speak at the top of their lungs in a room with terrible acoustics. Republican staffers attempted to turn the microphones on, but the Capitol Police intervened declaring on behalf of Speaker Pelosi’s office, that the microphones and C-Span cameras must remain off.
It was a great experience, there was a lot of clapping and cheers on the House floor, which crosses House decorum. We stayed for about 20 minutes and we decided to go–the tour group asked, “how often does that happen?”
“And truth be told we took part in history as the House has never been held up in a sit-in before, and we were part of it!”
The GOP needs to do more of this and make it known.
— DRJ
My goodness. How could those people leave after only 20 minutes?
I was an intern at C-SPAN back in the day and was given a privileged tour that I have not forgotten. I wanted to just drink in the history. Sitting in members’ seats. Standing in the well. Just awesome.
It took House Republicans to lead the last conservative revolution (1994). It seems history just might repeat. I hope so, anyway.
Ed (841b4a) — 8/9/2008 @ 1:23 pmEd,
You must have had some memorable experiences and it’s refreshing to read how they made you feel.
DRJ (9d1be2) — 8/9/2008 @ 2:12 pmCongress isn’t the house of the People. It’s the house of the Corporations.
David Ehrenstein (21c975) — 8/9/2008 @ 2:49 pmHouse Republicans are the best and worst that the GOP has to offer.
George Washington noted that the House was like a cup of coffee… it stays hot; and the Senate is like a saucer that some coffee has gotten on… it’s never stays warm for long.
The House is the right place to start legal revolutions. And I’m quite proud to have seen this sit-in, even if the media ignored it. The GOP needs to keep it up, and if they ever see power again in congress, they need to preserve it by reforming voter fraud and ethics rules. No more of this ‘Tom Delay seeks close relations with K Street’. I wish we could have term limits and a balanced budget, but both will require constitutional amendments. Why not build a platform around that?
Juan (4cdfb7) — 8/9/2008 @ 3:09 pmDespite the “yawn” of folks who claim to be “above” the political fray, I was pleased to see the House Republicans do this. The “house” will belong to the folks who care enough to be involved in it, rather than those who simply shrug that France does things differently, and that everyone is crooked.
P.J. O’Rourke wrote something that was at once funny and sad. Paraphrasing, he said that the folks who stayed awake the longest got to spend to the tax money.
But there are always folks who actually care about making things better, rather than posturing. I’m glad to see a few of them in the House of Representatives.
Eric Blair (6c5b7e) — 8/9/2008 @ 3:24 pmI think its been a marvelous thing to witness. I liked how NRO mentioned the Republicans finally found their mojo again. The Dems need to be continually reminded that the Republicans are not to be trifled with and their constituents are just as serious and deadset on the issues as the left are.
I hope they don’t lose their mojo and I hope Republicans have emailed and called their reps to encourage them to continue fighting (and doing what they were elected to do). I also emailed Nancy Pelosi. I’m sure she’s writing an informative reply right now as we speak.
Dana (254946) — 8/9/2008 @ 4:28 pmBest to remind the five so-called Republicans from the gang of ten who are ready to compromise on the energy bill, essentially letting Reid and Obama have their way with punting any drilling down the road, leaving it up to that states tod decide if they should drill offshore and imposing a fifty mile limit, with no drilling inside that zone plus the usual ban on ANWR acreage. Ask Lindsey Graham about how it feels to take it up the chute by libs in interest of senate collegiality.
madmax333 (0c6cfc) — 8/9/2008 @ 4:35 pmI didn’t know that Reid and Obama were part of the Gang of Ten.
Icy Truth (a7ead4) — 8/9/2008 @ 6:15 pmPhelps’ world record was sweet.
JD (5f0e11) — 8/9/2008 @ 7:23 pmJD,
I see you are Olympics-watching. Did you see the beach volleyball?
DRJ (9d1be2) — 8/9/2008 @ 7:27 pmDRJ – Does a one-legged duck swim in a circle? Walsh and May are fabulous.
JD (5f0e11) — 8/9/2008 @ 7:49 pmIcy Truth- Gang of ten would give Reid and Obama cover to just go along with the watered down BS energy plan which they could negate in new Congress if big Zero is Potus. Reid and Pelosi are happy to wait on any decisions as they perceive being intransigent now will be rewarded after next election when they can tell pubs to blow it (drilling) out their asses. A small increase in dem senators and a possible switch of a RINO (maybe Specter or Snowe) could give filibuster proof senate.
madmax333 (0c6cfc) — 8/9/2008 @ 8:18 pmAsk Lindsey Graham about how it feels to take it up the chute by libs in interest of senate collegiality.
The conduct of those five senators from ethanol was disgraceful. Graham always seems to be in the center of these idiotic moves. Without them, we might take the Senate back. It takes only two seats. They may have made that impossible. What fools!
MIke K (155601) — 8/9/2008 @ 9:14 pmmadmax333 – 1) The “big Zero” is going to be 0-1 in presidential elections. 2) Neither Spector nor Snowe, both of them not up for reelection, are about to switch parties. 3) A “watered down BS energy plan” is better than a BS windfall-profits tax; and they aren’t going to pass such a plan only to immediately scrap it during the next Congress. Where is the proof of Congress ever changing things that fast on any issue?
Icy Truth (a7ead4) — 8/9/2008 @ 9:47 pmHye, as long as algore’s AGW carbon credit/alternate fuels scams remain intact, the liberals are ecstatic. They prefer shipping energy money and jobs overseas. That much more money for Saudis to support terrorism against imperialist America. Those high oil prices are very good for ImaDamnNutjob and the Monkey Hugo Chavez.
madmax333 (0c6cfc) — 8/9/2008 @ 10:08 pmYeah, I know lower prices would only mean delaying “readily available” solar and wind power…right. Best to let that oil and oil shale remain in ground offshore, in Rockies and ANWR. So the very high perecentage of Americans wanting energy independence mean diddley squat to Reid and Pelosi.
Haw haw, the “sit in” by the Pubs was almost as good as the giant rubber stamp that the Dems pulled out during the rubber stamp congress a couple or so years back…. if you like cheap theater. The best line was how it was the PEOPLE’S Chamber…as a few members of the great unwashed are led into where “people” like themselves are almost never allowed to go.
EdWood (f34cf3) — 8/10/2008 @ 8:55 amViva la Revolucion!!!!
Hand-held webcams, bypassing the “Democrat-controlled national press.” Viral marketing, etc.
Kevin Murphy (0b2493) — 8/10/2008 @ 10:04 am