'I pay your salary,' snaps historian to lawmaker in tense House hearing

[randel]

NBC Politics - 'I pay your salary,' snaps historian to lawmaker in tense House hearing


From NBC News and msnbc.com:
Heated discussions are commonplace on Capitol Hill, but it's rare form for a witness and a legislator to have at it.
But it happened on Friday when Alaska Republican Rep. Don Young sparred (intensely) with historian Douglas Brinkley at a hearing of the House Natural Resources Committee.

snip

Then, he called Brinkley "Dr. Rice," confusing him with the university where he teaches.
And that's when the fireworks began (note the expression on the face of the aide sitting behind Young).
"Rice is a university ... I know you went to Yuba College and you couldn't graduate," snapped Brinkley.
Young retorted, “I'll call you anything I want to call you when you sit in that chair. You just be quiet.”
"You don't own me! I pay your salary," Brinkley replied. "I work for the private sector, you work for the taxpayers."


:bravo: something all our reps should be reminded of every now and then.

 

[Xerographica]

Why not remind them of this all the time by allowing taxpayers to directly allocate their taxes?

 

[Boring Bob]

Young retorted, “I'll call you anything I want to call you when you sit in that chair. You just be quiet.”

This stuck out for me more so than Brinkley's statement. Such ignorance and arrogance from an elected official should not be acceptable. He was at an official hearing, forgot the name of the man he was interviewing, and got schooled for it. He'd have looked like less of an idiot of he'd just said "My apologies Mr. Brinkley."

 

[poweRob]

This stuck out for me more so than Brinkley's statement. Such ignorance and arrogance from an elected official should not be acceptable. He was at an official hearing, forgot the name of the man he was interviewing, and got schooled for it. He'd have looked like less of an idiot of he'd just said "My apologies Mr. Brinkley."

Young is from Alaska. And I'll assure you that you'll be hard pressed to find a politician more in the pocket of big oil than that guy. He's a corporate puppet if you've ever seen one.

 

[Neomalthusian]

Young is from Alaska. And I'll assure you that you'll be hard pressed to find a politician more in the pocket of big oil than that guy. He's a corporate puppet if you've ever seen one.

Most of our politicians up here are in the pockets of big oil, but let's not pretend that the Federal Government isn't rife with similar examples across virtually all other industries.

 

[poweRob]

Most of our politicians up here are in the pockets of big oil, but let's not pretend that the Federal Government isn't rife with similar examples across virtually all other industries.

Wasn't pretending anything. It was a hearing on drilling with Young doing what they pay him to do. Defend oil and attack environmental scientists and that is what this spat was about.

 

[1Perry]

Hehe, I loved this. I didn't care whether I agreed with the position of the guy or not this is how the arrogance of those holding these type's of things should be handled.

Bravo.

 

[haymarket]

Brinkley would have been justified to give him the Italian salute and a two word response.

 

[poweRob]

Hehe, I loved this. I didn't care whether I agreed with the position of the guy or not this is how the arrogance of those holding these type's of things should be handled.

Bravo.

I'll venture to hypothesis that I think such arrogance is worse in the olde-tymer incumbents because of getting that "untouchable" attitude.

 

[1Perry]

I'll venture to hypothesis that I think such arrogance is worse in the olde-tymer incumbents because of getting that "untouchable" attitude.

I wouldn't argue that point.

 

[Dittohead not!]

NBC Politics - 'I pay your salary,' snaps historian to lawmaker in tense House hearing


From NBC News and msnbc.com:
Heated discussions are commonplace on Capitol Hill, but it's rare form for a witness and a legislator to have at it.
But it happened on Friday when Alaska Republican Rep. Don Young sparred (intensely) with historian Douglas Brinkley at a hearing of the House Natural Resources Committee.

snip

Then, he called Brinkley "Dr. Rice," confusing him with the university where he teaches.
And that's when the fireworks began (note the expression on the face of the aide sitting behind Young).
"Rice is a university ... I know you went to Yuba College and you couldn't graduate," snapped Brinkley.
Young retorted, “I'll call you anything I want to call you when you sit in that chair. You just be quiet.”
"You don't own me! I pay your salary," Brinkley replied. "I work for the private sector, you work for the taxpayers."


:bravo: something all our reps should be reminded of every now and then.

Good for him. Lawmakers need to be reminded that they work for us, they are not our bosses. They are our servants, and we can fire them.

and we should fire most of them ASAP.

 

[jamesrage]

This stuck out for me more so than Brinkley's statement. Such ignorance and arrogance from an elected official should not be acceptable. He was at an official hearing, forgot the name of the man he was interviewing, and got schooled for it. He'd have looked like less of an idiot of he'd just said "My apologies Mr. Brinkley."

This is something every tax payer should remind every elected and appointed official as well as other tax payer funded employees.

 

[Cephus]

Why not remind them of this all the time by allowing taxpayers to directly allocate their taxes?

Because it's still a ridiculous idea.

 

[DiAnna]

Bravo, to Mr. Brinkley. It's about time someone stood up to the arrogance of those who are supposed to serve the people rather than themselves. I wanted to applaud the guy.

 

[KevinKohler]

Why not remind them of this all the time by allowing taxpayers to directly allocate their taxes?

Because people are tragically short sighted, and would cut things they need and use, and only realize how important the things are they cut until they are gone, and the group suffers for it as a result.

 

[KevinKohler]

This stuck out for me more so than Brinkley's statement. Such ignorance and arrogance from an elected official should not be acceptable. He was at an official hearing, forgot the name of the man he was interviewing, and got schooled for it. He'd have looked like less of an idiot of he'd just said "My apologies Mr. Brinkley."

An apology implies an error was made, and not unlike the catholic church, it is standard policy to never admit wrong for political officials.

 

[Cephus]

Because people are tragically short sighted, and would cut things they need and use, and only realize how important the things are they cut until they are gone, and the group suffers for it as a result.

Not only that, but people will vote to fund things that will directly benefit them and not things that will benefit the community. It's the same crap going on with the OWS crowd. You've got something I want? Give it to me!

 

[Xerographica]

Because people are tragically short sighted, and would cut things they need and use, and only realize how important the things are they cut until they are gone, and the group suffers for it as a result.

So congresspeople aren't people? Or do you believe that the tax allocation disparity is divine?

Apparently, then, the legislators and the organizers have received from Heaven an intelligence and virtue that place them beyond and above mankind; if so, let them show their titles to this superiority. - Frédéric Bastiat, The Law (1850)

 

[Xerographica]

Not only that, but people will vote to fund things that will directly benefit them and not things that will benefit the community. It's the same crap going on with the OWS crowd. You've got something I want? Give it to me!

What public goods would taxpayers "purchase" that wouldn't benefit the community?

 

[PeteEU]

Not only that, but people will vote to fund things that will directly benefit them and not things that will benefit the community. It's the same crap going on with the Tea Party crowd. You've got something I want? Give it to me!

Fixed it for you.

 

[Misterveritis]

Young is from Alaska. And I'll assure you that you'll be hard pressed to find a politician more in the pocket of big oil than that guy. He's a corporate puppet if you've ever seen one.

I love big oil. They provide me with a good I actually use.

I hate big government. They actually steal more wealth from me every year.
I do not like Big Education. They enrich themselves. They provide very little in return for the money. Big Education is tightly tied to Big Government. Both are tied to the Democratic Party.

Politeness counts. Our representatives, all of them, should be polite as often as possible.

 

[Cephus]

What public goods would taxpayers "purchase" that wouldn't benefit the community?

Way to change things after the fact. You said people could choose how their taxes were spent, now you change it to only being able to choose a specific range of things they can spend it on. Make up your mind.

 

[Zyphlin]

"Rice is a university ... I know you went to Yuba College and you couldn't graduate," snapped Brinkley.
Young retorted, “I'll call you anything I want to call you when you sit in that chair. You just be quiet.”

Wow. Tactless asshole one, please meet tactless asshole two. Enjoy your time together.

 

[hazlnut]

NBC Politics - 'I pay your salary,' snaps historian to lawmaker in tense House hearing


From NBC News and msnbc.com:
Heated discussions are commonplace on Capitol Hill, but it's rare form for a witness and a legislator to have at it.
But it happened on Friday when Alaska Republican Rep. Don Young sparred (intensely) with historian Douglas Brinkley at a hearing of the House Natural Resources Committee.

snip

Then, he called Brinkley "Dr. Rice," confusing him with the university where he teaches.
And that's when the fireworks began (note the expression on the face of the aide sitting behind Young).
"Rice is a university ... I know you went to Yuba College and you couldn't graduate," snapped Brinkley.
Young retorted, “I'll call you anything I want to call you when you sit in that chair. You just be quiet.”
"You don't own me! I pay your salary," Brinkley replied. "I work for the private sector, you work for the taxpayers."


:bravo: something all our reps should be reminded of every now and then.

Great story, thanks for posting.

 

[hazlnut]

NBC Politics - 'I pay your salary,' snaps historian to lawmaker in tense House hearing


From NBC News and msnbc.com:
Heated discussions are commonplace on Capitol Hill, but it's rare form for a witness and a legislator to have at it.
But it happened on Friday when Alaska Republican Rep. Don Young sparred (intensely) with historian Douglas Brinkley at a hearing of the House Natural Resources Committee.

snip

Then, he called Brinkley "Dr. Rice," confusing him with the university where he teaches.
And that's when the fireworks began (note the expression on the face of the aide sitting behind Young).
"Rice is a university ... I know you went to Yuba College and you couldn't graduate," snapped Brinkley.
Young retorted, “I'll call you anything I want to call you when you sit in that chair. You just be quiet.”
"You don't own me! I pay your salary," Brinkley replied. "I work for the private sector, you work for the taxpayers."


:bravo: something all our reps should be reminded of every now and then.

That GOP old fart needs to be reminded that he works FOR us. He went to Yuba college and couldn't graduate?? So much for the best and the brightest.