When Sheila Jackson Lee speaks, does Sheila Jackson Lee listen?
We are all aware of her rude cell phone routine during a recovering cancer patient's questioning of health care reform at a Houston town hall meeting. But it gets even better. On Thursday night, Greta Van Susteren attempted to interview the Democratic congresswoman. I say "attempted", because Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee never heard a word. She talked right over every question. It would be downright embarrassing if it wasn't so hilarious. Saturday Night Live's weekend news parodies have rarely been this funny. Sheila Jackson Lee went on TV to prove that she wasn't an elitist with a tin ear, and yet she proved undoubtedly just that. She is indeed phone-y.
Delusions of grandeur? Check. I wouldn't say she's as bad as former representative Cynthia McKinney, but give her time. She's certainly as vocal. And worse she's from Texas, so I feel obliged to apologize to the nation for sending her to Washington. It's clear Sheila Jackson Lee doesn't represent the interests of her constituents. She represents the interests of Sheila Jackson Lee. But who knows? Because she speaks about herself in third person, she just might be convinced she is representing an outside party.
Here's the million dollar question, which Greta touches on briefly: why do legislators who support health care reform have to call a hotline to get answers about a bill that they wrote? Don't they know? If they've read it (as they claim) and still don't understand it, isn't that evidence that their health care reforms cause more problems than they solve? Isn't that evidence that the bill is too invasive and complicated? How do you accuse your opponents of intentionally misconstruing what's in the bill when you can't say yourself without calling a hotline?
Jackson Lee, however, dodged anything close to answering. Instead, she complained that the video of her at the town hall "looked strange." As if it were footage of Bigfoot or something. Greta, quick on her toes, shot back, "It looked bad. This behavior looks bad."
We are being governed by spoiled children who would rather whine and demonize their critics than do their homework. They don't like the status quo, they can vilify insurance companies for cheap political points, and their messiah is in favor of a single-payer system. Case closed. Any reform that strips power from the free market will do, making them heroes in their own twisted minds. They're not reading, they're not listening, and they sure as heck aren't leading. This is why people are infuriated.
Can you hear us now, Democrats?
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