Smokey Joe Smokes It
Texas Republican Congressmess Smokey Joe Barton had himself a time at his his town hall. One thing you will learn right here is that one does not question Joe ByGawd Barton.
Some of his constituents were hacked off that Smokey Joe voted against the Violence Against Women Act.
If you can’t hear it, here is a transcript.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Now given your voting record opposing legislation protecting women from violence, will you make a commitment to us today, make a promise, that you will reach out to Congresswoman Jackie Speier and work with her to see this bill successfully through Congress?
BARTON: Let me comment on a number of things that you’re – on the first bill that I voted against, that’s a true statement, and I voted against it because I think that’s a state issue not a federal issue, there are –
AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Boo! No!
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Civil rights don’t go to states.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: It’s violence against women, that’s a national issue. That is an issue that impacts everyone everywhere, not only in this country but everywhere.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Civil rights.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: You represent Texas first.
BARTON: You, you sir shut up.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: [jeers] You don’t tell anybody to shut up, you work for us.
Do not question The Joe.
I love seeing this. These jerks are being confronted all over the country.
RESIST!
1Dems in congress aren’t getting the resist message. So far they are skating on Scotus nominee Gosuck. Sounds like they want to surrender the court already. They are afraid of being primaried is my best guess.
2Since I don’t know anything about recalling a Texas politico, would someone that does know tell me and the other Texans hereabouts if it is possible to re-call this miserable excuse for a human being before November 2018???
3😀 You’ve seen us mention him on occasion. Dean aptly named Heller is taking on water in NV. That’s a Senate seat. We’ll take it. Make that 4 on our list now. He’s come to the attention of MSNBC; forget which host. We’re just happy the media cockroach spotlight is on his sorry record.
e platypus onion, we’ve been busy trying to find a few (R) votes to give the nyet to Gorsuch. But with your heads up, we’ll do what we can to keep the Democrats unified against Prince Hobby Lobby the Forced Birther. #NoHeilToNeil
Micr, feeling your pain good friend. But if WI couldn’t recall Snotty Wanker, odds are not good for TX to recall Barton. However, you sure as hell can organize and run a candidate to oust his miserable carcass in 2018. Make it 5 Micr, you have our support.
4texas does not have recall for federal candidates and I don’t think for state, either. Maybe only city.
5Bubba will know
AUDIENCE MEMBER: “…you work for us!”.
Damn right.
6epo, the explanation I’ve seen on Gorsuch is that the Dems are concerned that, if they try to block him, the GOP will shove through the nuclear option so that only a simple majority is needed to confirm SCOTUS nominees. Then nobody can filibuster anybody’s SCOTUS nominees, which the Dems will want to do later. Gorsuch is replacing Scalia, so he wouldn’t change the tilt of the court; we’ll need the filibuster if they put up a right-winger to replace RBG, Kennedy, or anyone who isn’t a right-winger.
It should have been Obama’s nominee, but we can’t fix that now.
7It goes without saying that Smokey Joe ought to go. But how do you convince his right-wing constituents to fire him?
I’m not sure of the answer, but I think it’s time and past that someone recycles a Reagan-era meme that was used on Team Donkey with all too much success: remind Smokey Joe’s constituents that he’s been in Washington too long. I don’t thin that this ought to be the principal theme that a a Democrat running against Barton ought to use, but it is something that ought to be mentioned early and often.
8This is a matter of long term pressure. If Rep. Shut Up doesn’t hear anything but criticism, will he want to hang around? It’s easier to live in an echo chamber than a debate hall…
Unless you enjoy debate, but obviously this Rep. likes adoration.
9Oh gawd, do I remember Smokey Joe, especially when he apologized profoundly to some crook of a banker that had just been hassled in a committee hearing! I can smell Smokey Joe from here (just outside D.C.) and it ain’t smoke I smell!
10@Maggie
11Joe Barton apologized to BP’s Tony Hayward for the White House “shakedown” over the Deepwater Horizon explosion. He caught a lot of crap over that, as he well-deserved. Joe loves oil companies.
I give him 1 point for actually holding a townhall. But he loses 25 for telling his one of his bosses to shut up. Anyone with Real knowledge about business knows that’s Very Bad form. So Joe Jerkoff finishes at -24. (I have a math disability but I can still do better than the best snacilbupeR.)
My representative, Jason Loser, is at -48 because he’s such a delicate little flower a disagreement at a town hall would cause him to wilt, like a pansy in Death Valley.
12Joe B. has aged kind of like Burl Ives or that guy who used to sell oatmeal.
13And seniority has served him well. You spell Joe’s tenure thusly:
“gerrymandered Joe.”
Gerry Joe?