Republicans Seeking to Condemn Rep. Stark's Remark

In remarks on the House floor this week, Congressman Pete Stark (D-Fremont, Calif.) blasted President Bush for his veto of the SCHIP reauthorization, citing the continued war in Iraq, that sparked a chorus of outrage from Republicans and may land the 18-term congressman in hot water come Monday.

Stark said:

First of all, I'm just amazed that the Republicans are worried that we can't pay for insuring an additional 10 million children. They sure don't care about finding $200 billion to fight the illegal war in Iraq. Where are you going to get that money? You are going to tell us lies like you're telling us today? Is that how you're going to fund the war?

You don't have money to fund the war or children. But you're going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the president's amusement.

The remarks set off a firestorm of outrage from Republicans. House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-West Chester, Ohio) immediately demanded that Rep. Stark apologize for his comments as other Republicans issued statements of rage to the press. If you happen to be a FOX News viewer, you probably have the inflections of Stark's voice memorized by now.

Republicans weren't alone, however. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco, Calif.), stopping short of seeking an apology from Rep. Stark, called his comments "inappropriate."

But as the conservative cable programs find yet another reason not to cover actual news, sources say Republicans are gearing up for a resolution on Monday condemning Rep. Stark's comments.

Now, I don't agree with Rep. Stark's comment, but wasting the time to draft, debate and vote on resolutions condemning what boils down to free speech is, to me, a much more serious transgression. It was dumb when they did it to MoveOn.org and would have been no better to do it to Rush Limbaugh over his "phony soldiers" nonsense.

Plus, didn't you hear? We're in a war. Two, in fact. And we're not winning either of them. Nearly 50 million Americans are without health coverage. And we've got bridges and roads collapsing all over the place. New Orleans is still a mess. But hey, let's forget the First Amendment exists. Then, all of our problems are solved.

What happened to the Party of Eisenhower? It is fascinating how Republicans enjoy parading around as tough on crime and strong on national defense and rail against "political correctness" but become unglued and turn into a bunch of seven-year olds demanding their political enemies "take it back!"

It is the only card the Republicans have to play. A desperate effort to change the story from the GOP's relentless smearing of a 12-year old kid, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell blatantly lying about his office's involvement in the smear campaign, and outright lies about the SCHIP program from cover to cover.

Comments

[VideoRadio]

Sorry, losers! Burn your 'Pete Stark for Prez'
t-shirts...

HE APOLOGIZED.

Anyone else wanna eat crow?

[research]

Pete Stark is a hero! Please contact him and show your support!

http://www.house.gov/stark/contact/index.htm

[TheDriftingMind]

I'm with you Matt (I wrote a similiar blog on my site) and I stand with Rep Stark. Do we keep forgetting that we have a right to free speech? Why do we continue to allow our elected representatives to waste time with writing, debating and voting on ridiculous resolutions instead of doing what they were elected to do. Things like maybe defending and protecting The Constitution!!

[Lemeritus]

Mr. Boehner, you and your fellow Republicans should keep your powder dry on this topic. Speaker Pelosi already fired her handy musket at Rep. Stark -- I don't know if she wounded her target, but she did make a big noise and get a lot of attention.

Let's take a little walk through the dictionary:

Truth is defined as "the state of being the case". Many of us agree that Rep. Stark was not only being 'truthy' but actually 'truthful'. There's an old saying -- the truth hurts (one of my mom's favorites) -- but it's truth nevertheless.

To be inappropriate indicates a lack of "conformity to what is socially acceptable in conduct or speech; specifically, fear of offending against conventional rules". It seems to me that telling the truth on the floor of the House (or Senate) should always be acceptable.

You say it was insulting? To insult, Mr. Boehner, is "to treat with insolence, indignity, or contempt". And that is what the Republicans have been doing to the American people for far, far too long.

[MikeDu]

Talk about the president's amusement, did you catch him last week chuckling over the prospect of starting WWIII?

This Republican faux outrage act is getting really really old. The point of the act is to get the press to focus on the theater surrounding their exaggerated reactions instead of the substance of the original statement. And it works every time.

[DudeE]

Enough with playing the "I'm more outraged than you" game - f*cking flag pins and newspaper ads and radio talk shows. This is really and truly a circus. Someone please show Congress the door and let's start over.

[levibatgirl]

Attack a small 12 year old boy and rush to protect and defend a "man" who's over 60 and has been nothing but a selfish, dishonest jerk.

Could republicans be more pathetic?

[ElkoJohn]

"Now, I don't agree with Rep. Stark's comment" - WELL I DO, STARK SPEAKS FOR ME. I think Bush is amused and delighted with his unchecked power to do whatever he wants, including the slaughter of Iraqis, Afghans & Americans.

[DudeE]

Indeed he speaks what a lot of people - including those in Congress - believe but are AFRAID to say.

We are AFRAID in this country. The patriot police are slowly stifling discourse. WAKE UP and quit caving into the intimidation tactics.

[rextrek]

I Called Stark's ofc and told him I totally agreed with his stance on this BS that is Congress! Emailed Pelosi's ofc and told her to get a SPINE and back STARK 100%

[captnEarl]

I think it's about time to get out the pitchforks and corn cutters and march on washington. I don't know about anyone else but I'm sick and tired of this bull shit government and a whole lot of the so called democrats who enable this shit to keep going on.
A really pissed off american!!!!
You go congressman Stark!!!!

[SonnyBono]

Note to Ms Pelosi - get some backbone and stand up for yourself if not for the people that elected you and enough Democrats to become Speaker - Rep. Stark only said what millions of Americans are thinking - billions to continue the disaster in Iraq but not a couple of millions to insure American kids. Well, you can't do that, I mean it's, it's socialized (gasp) medicine.

Enough of this phony crap about not respecting the office of president - news flash, respect is not given - it is earned and this sorry sack of manure in the White House has not earned anything remotely resembling respect.

Rep. Stark should NOT apologize - W should apologize for making it necessary for Mr. Stark to speak out with the truth.

[weslenforever]

Well said. Rep. Stark has nothing to apologize for and any democrat who votes yes on any censure bill the repubs come up with should be voted out in '08. Bush laughs like a loon when he talks about WWIII and gets downright GIDDY when he mentions the MUSHROOM CLOUD. He EVEN laughed when he talked about encounters with widows, children, or other family members of dead soldiers. He laughs when he talks about torture. And if he and the organ grinder think their toy Star Wars missile defense system will handle 1000 war heads all headed our way from Russia after he attacks Iran, then he is CERTIFIABLY CRAZY. We already KNOW Cheney is.

[MikeDu]

"Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi... stopping short of seeking an apology from Rep. Stark, called his comments "inappropriate."

That was the most disheartening line of the whole article. Time to start looking for a Democrat *who isn't a doormat* to fill the post she presently occupies.

[Independent voter]

Totally agree.

[BinBaldwin]

No Mention of the Dem Senate wasting time with the Limbaugh BS?

[blackjack]

This person we call PRESIDENT as young boy use to put FIRE CRAKERS up FROGS butt and light the them off. So I say Stark is right on the money.

[newunderground]

I can't wait until the media start publicising McConnell and his GAYNESS. Why in the world would any librul condemn Pete Stark. He's right on the money. Hope that cu$t Pelosi doesn't let thiss come to a vote.With friends like her and Steny, we don't need enemies.

[mikeeforthetruth]

No and hell no. -- Repubs get a life, Bush enjoys it all- pain and suffering.
Truthseekerforum.com

[flanardiente]

Last year we voted this Congress in because we wanted someone to stand up to Bush, to call him out for what he is and make him answer for what he does. This year, I'd be happy just to find someone who would stand up to Pelosi and Reid and make them answer for what they're NOT doing. As far as Pete Stark goes, I'd bet he has the support of millions of more people all over the country than knew who he was last week. And he has nothing to apologize for.