Voters do care about the personal conduct of their individual members, but the level of that concern rises with the unemployment numbers. No one wants their elected officials to be caught up in these scandals, but it is more egregious when jobs are lost, homes are foreclosed on, and (just like pre-WWII) college is becoming something that only the most affluent will be able to afford.
I have seen many commentators mention the salary of House members while covering this story. This number is tattooing itself into the mind of voters. While college educated citizens are fighting for minimum wage jobs, a congressman making more than $170,000, with a staff in Washington and in his district doing the heavy lifting of governing, has time to fool around on a computer like a teenager.
To the members of Congress who want to keep this up, those of us out here hunting for work will save a copy of the want ads for you ... because you, too, will soon be a college-educated person looking for work.
Showing posts with label Anthony Weiner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anthony Weiner. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Thursday, June 2, 2011
The Weiner Media Blitz: From Mad-as-Hell to Affability
Why the Weiner Media Blitz?
During my limited experience on Capitol Hill, one thing was blaringly clear from the jump: the Hill is high school, but with no cool people (there are no Jake Ryans ... hell, there aren't any Lloyd Doblers).
What happened to Rep. Weiner was not only embarrassing, but surely frightening as well. We Democrats are still celebrating the win in NY-26, which would have not occurred had Chris Lee decided to leave the camera phone in his briefcase. Mr. Weiner and his circle of advisers could see his congressional agenda being damaged, as well as his plans to occupy Gracie Mansion in New York in the future.
The affable approach that Rep. Weiner took with the press yesterday was a much better strategy than the mad-as-hell angle earlier in the week. I am sure that time, distance and his friend Jon Stewart's amusing take helped him to relax a bit on it.
The congressman is one of our best on the Democratic side when it comes to fighting for issues close to our platforms and heart: it is the work he does. Now he just needs to go back to work.
During my limited experience on Capitol Hill, one thing was blaringly clear from the jump: the Hill is high school, but with no cool people (there are no Jake Ryans ... hell, there aren't any Lloyd Doblers).
What happened to Rep. Weiner was not only embarrassing, but surely frightening as well. We Democrats are still celebrating the win in NY-26, which would have not occurred had Chris Lee decided to leave the camera phone in his briefcase. Mr. Weiner and his circle of advisers could see his congressional agenda being damaged, as well as his plans to occupy Gracie Mansion in New York in the future.
The affable approach that Rep. Weiner took with the press yesterday was a much better strategy than the mad-as-hell angle earlier in the week. I am sure that time, distance and his friend Jon Stewart's amusing take helped him to relax a bit on it.
The congressman is one of our best on the Democratic side when it comes to fighting for issues close to our platforms and heart: it is the work he does. Now he just needs to go back to work.
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