27 percent of U.S. Senate press releases labeled ‘taunting’
With all this talk of a government shutdown, you may wonder what your favorite U.S. Senator will do with all the spare time.
Well, if it’s anything like business as usual, he’ll spend much of it “taunting” his colleagues.
"Independent? Like you never ask your wife for money?"
According to a Harvard professor who may have way too much spare time on his hands, about 27 percent of communications sent out by U.S. senators during 2005-2007 were used to insult another elected official.
Little wonder there’s no budget agreement.
“It’s jarring and surprising,” said Prof. Gary King, who, along with two students, analyzed 64,033 press releases.
A Washington Post reporter asked King to analyze more recent memos. Curiously, only 20 percent of those press releases were considered taunting.
An example: Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said, “Republicans have shown they couldn’t care less about those who have the least.”
Yep, business as usual.
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25 comments Add your comment
Old Geezer
April 7th, 2011
4:35 pm
This ain’t surprising, you get a bunch of men together it always turns into a pissing contest and the old guys are all huffing Flomax.
Honey, please!
April 7th, 2011
7:19 pm
“With all this talk of a government shutdown, you may wonder what you’re favorite U.S. Senator will do with all the spare time.”
Would you correct your statement from “you’re” to “your.” I think you wanted the possessive instead of the “you are” contraction.
Bless your heart and thank you very much.
shrimp po' boy
April 7th, 2011
10:19 pm
“An example: Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said, ‘Republicans have shown they couldn’t care less about those who have the least.’”
This is not a taunt. It is a statement of fact. The reason nothing seems to get done in D.C. is that the truth is the last thing the public or elected officials want to hear. There is not a more pleasant way to state that the Republicans continually marginalise the lower and middle classes for their own benefit. Conversely, there is not a polite way to say that Democrats have absolutely no backbone and continually fail in their duty of protecting the lower and middle classes. An observable fact is an observable fact.
George Mathis
April 7th, 2011
10:20 pm
Good catch Honey, please! I shall fire my editor first thing in the morning.
OedipusTax
April 7th, 2011
10:35 pm
@shrimp po’ boy – on what planet do you live? How many taxes do you pay? Probably unemployed, or unemployable, or if employed, some union wannabe? Maybe NEA? Or SEIU?
The Obama budget for 2012 wants to spent $12,000 for every man, woman, and child in the country. $48,000 for a family of four. this spending spree is insane, not sustainable, and the borrowing required will lead us all to disaster by imposing huge interest costs on our future, and the future of our children and their children. $5,000 or the $12,000 will have to be borrowed. No tax increase of any kind will dent the debt.
But Democratic spending addicts always want to spend more. Compulisively. Through fear. And also through ignorance, which you more than adequately display by your ludicrous opinions. Try some fact. But I won’t expect it.
dagnabit
April 7th, 2011
11:13 pm
oedipus: what planet. You have proven shrimp’s point.
Believe it or Not
April 8th, 2011
1:29 am
OedipusTax,
You are amazingly ignorant. here I sit in Afghanistan for a fourth time and previously spent time in Iraq for three years…watching our soldiers die while building bridges, roads, schools, hospitals, and the like for people who would otherwise cut your throat. And you have the balls or lack thereof to talk about President Obama’s repayment to the American tax payer. You have got to be kidding me. On what planet do you want to live?
Road Scholar
April 8th, 2011
6:09 am
Believe it Or Not: Thank you for your service . Take care!
DW
April 8th, 2011
8:48 am
well DO republicans care about the poor? Didnt think so
The Truth Hurts
April 8th, 2011
10:19 am
It’s a nice distraction to indicate the republicans don’t care about the poor. If the US government becomes insolvent, I can assure you the poor will not have the support they currently receive, and government employees, unionized or not, will be working for allot less than their current salary less 1-4% contribution for health care or retirement proposed by NJ and WI. Try to understand the big picture, and tell the truth. If you don’t understand the big picture DW (and others), read more and stop watching DWTS.