A Rare Sighting in Congress: Vertebrae

No you aren't hallucinating. “Congress” and “vertebrae” in the same sentence — for this brief moment anyway — is not an oxymoron.

There have actually been two — TWO! — spinal sightings in Congress in the past two days. Enjoy the moment. The one that’s really gotten the wingnuts’ panties in a bunch is Pete Stark’s comment:

“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.”

Pow!! You Go Pete! And that’s not all:

“I have nothing but respect for our brave men and women in uniform and wish them the very best. But I respect neither the commander-in-chief who keeps them in harms way nor the chicken-hawks in Congress who vote to deny children health care.”

John Boehner whined: “I’m just a pitiful chickenhawk but I’m supposed to sound manly and come up with a soundbite about ‘our troops’ and ‘al Qaeda’ Our troops in Iraq are fighting against Al Qaeda and other radical jihadists hell-bent on killing the people we are sent here to represent.”

Technically, Boehner isn't a chickenhawk. He spent eight weeks in Navy boot camp and then got released for a “bad back.” How conveeeenient. Pete Stark served in the Air Force from 1955-57.

Mother Superior Nancy Pelosi had to spoil the fun by reprimanding Stark for his outburst. But Stark so far hasn’t apologized, and according to an online poll (not scientific), 88% say he should stand his ground and not apologize.

And now, the other spinal sighting: Sen. Chris Dodd has put a hold on that Godawful bill that pretty much says large telecom companies are above the law. The bill seemed like an unstoppable force plowing through a sea of invertebrates until Dodd put a hold on it. He says he's prepared to filibuster the bill if his hold is not honored.