Is there such a thing as irony-deafness?
Republican lawmakers held a press conference today to continue their push for a “Minority Bill of Rights” in the new Congress.
“The Minority Bill of Rights gives [Speaker Nancy Pelosi (R-CA)] a chance to lead with integrity instead of rule by force,” Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) said, ignoring the Republican-controlled 109th Congress’ reputation for strong-arm tactics.
“Washington, D.C. has just enacted a smoking ban, yet somehow Nancy Pelosi and her liberal colleagues have found a way to lock themselves in a smoky backroom in the Capitol to make deals for the next two years,”
Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) added.
Even House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO), who as one of the top Republican leaders in the past two congresses was as responsible as anyone for the Republican majority’s penchant for backroom deals and hard-nosed legislating, got in on the act, issuing a separate statement on the Democrats’ diabolical intent:
In their first one hundred hours of governance, House Democrats will renege on a pledge to fully debate policy alternatives, denying the citizens of this country an open, honest discussion of the issues.