Shakin' in their boots.

I am sitting here watching a press conference that a number of Republican members of the House of Representatives gave last night. I am shocked by how truly scared they look. The debate is on Nancy Pelosi's proposed minority bill of rights and it's specific tenets. The Republicans, in true fashion, have argued that there are a number of good proposals in it but that the Democrats are going to strong arm the Republicans out of the debate. It is so easy to see through the facades put up by these white haired southern men who are scared shitless that a Democrat might get a seat at the shoe shiner before they do.

Basically the Republicans are claiming that the Democrats, who were elected on a promise to build bridges between the parties and ensure fairness and cooperation, are already showing signs of avoiding these promises in the first 100 hours of Congress. To me, it seems fair that the Democrats would take some steps to ensure that some of their proposals get passed in their grace period. I see the fear in the eyes of the junior congressmen and women who are so disappointed that they will have nothing to report to their constituencies. Look, it is easy to get legislation passed when you have a decent idea and the majority power behind you. It is not so easy when you have to fight desperately to bring members of the opposite party on your side.

Patrick McHenry, member from the 10th district of North Carolina, got called out on the fact that Republicans have done everything they are now complaining about in the past few years. He stumbled all over himself in the response. He didn't seem to have a clue what he was talking about. This is my prediction of what happened: Representative McHenry received an email before the press conference with a list of rhetoric hot points. He tried to use one of them to get a pat on the back from ranking members in his party, but never stopped to think about the fact that his party has committed the same offenses numerous times. When called on it, what is his response... "Well, I am a JUNIOR member."

Come on sir! If you are going to wear the daddy pants, put them on and at least try to look comfortable.

The other point that I would like to touch on is this. Almost every Republican that came up to the podium made some comment about how historic of a moment it is for the nation. They all tried to play it off that they were so excited that a WOMAN is going to be Speaker of the House. Mind you, I am very excited about this and I think it is fantastic. However, every time someone would say something about it, you could see how truly disgusted the men were with it. Mostly in the way they said the word woman. I could tell their mouths were infected with a vomit-like taste every time it was repeated.

I am disappointed at the stubbornness and bluntness of the Republicans in the hour before the 110th Congress is set to convene. The obvious question is, however, why would anyone expect anything else?