GOP Congressman on Government shutdown: “This is my idea of fun”.

[riqster]

http://bluntandcranky.wordpress.com/2013/10/01/gop-congressman-on-government-shutdown-this-is-my-idea-of-fun/

I heard him say it on Morning Edition. Christ on a raft.

You can hear him say it right here: http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=228074814&m=228074430 The very last thing said during the interview with Congressional “Republican” David Schweiekert was him saying “this is my idea of fun”. Listen to him for yourself, get it right from the horse’s ass.

That is everything you need to know, peeps. Millions of people out of work, government services taken away, billions of dollars added to the national debt…this, to “Republicans”, is considered “fun”. It is amusing to them, no doubt, because they will not suffer the consequences of their actions: their salaries and health care will not be cut, and they will continue to live high on the hog, their porcine snouts buried in the public trough.

In the specific case of Rep. Schweikert, he is a multimillionaire, and so REALLY doesn’t give a s*** about what happens to the rest of we little people: http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2011/12/arizonas_10-member_congression.php

Remember this when next you vote. Anyone who thinks that crashing the economy is “fun” really, really, REALLY, needs to voted the f***ing f*** out of office, and that soon.

[G_j]

1. I heard that

what an awful way to start the day.
I felt literally sick listening to that goul.

[riqster]

4. Absolutely revolting

I went to NPR and listened after I got to a computer, just to make sure I wasn't mistaken.

[G_j]

6. he also finds the whole thing

"fascinating"

[riqster]

9. He can afford to be detached, with a net worth of over 6 million.

[G_j]

13. What really disturbs me

is that I do not want to hate anyone in this world. But it becomes quite a challenge when listening to these monsters.
I need to meditate with the Dali Llama for a spell...

[riqster]

29. Yeah, there is a karmic price to be paid for the anger I feel.

Thanks for the reminder.

[Downtown Hound]

59. My personal opinion of that is, "screw that."

You have every right to feel angry, and any religion that tells you otherwise is only assisting the wealthy in exploiting the masses.

People need to start bearing their teeth.

[riqster]

62. Anger is a good servant, but a bad master.

I agree that it is justified, but if I get too angry, it isn't healthy.

[fasttense]

52. I was in the military when the last RepubliCON shutdown happened

and it causes a lot of problems for the military despite what the GOP would like you to believe.

First, delayed paychecks mean you can't pay your rent, or other bills. Not every military person lives on base or on ship. Many military members live off base and have to meet bill deadlines just like everyone else. Many military families will be falling behind on rent soon.

I fell behind in my rent but my landlord worked with us and I was able to catch up with only a $20 late fee. We had enough money saved for food and electricity and our other bills but not everyone does. If you are E-5 or below, you qualify for food stamps and those families will really be suffering.

Then there was all that work that didn't get done. We had to really play catch up when we went back to work.

There was a lot of talk about just not working if you didn't get paid, just walking away from the military base or station. But though, it hurt morale, it never amounted to anyone being AWOL or UA.

[Blue_Tires]

70. Sadly, it's nothing more than a "game" for most congresscritters

and many of them over the years have admitted as much....

[starroute]

55. Here's an interesting tidbit from his Wikipedia entry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Schweikert#Committee_assignments

In December 2012, Schweikert learned from news reports that he was going to lose his seat on the Committee on Financial Services for the 113th United States Congress; he joined Justin Amash of Michigan and Tim Huelskamp of Kansas in a letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner, demanding to know why they had lost their "plum" committee posts. Politico quoted a Republican Steering Committee member as saying that Schweikert, along with colleagues Huelskamp and Amash, who were also stripped of committee assignments, were "the most egregious assholes" in the House Republican Conference.

[G_j]

57. Ha ha!

that's funny..

[malaise]

2. They planned this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023757396

[riqster]

5. Interesting, thanks!

[tanyev]

3. And on the weekends he amuses himself by taking candy away from little children.

[Ikonoklast]

23. After he punches old ladies in the face, and steals change from the blind guy selling newspapers.

Republican Family Values, I got mine, so fuck you.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

45. Don't forget lighting kittens on fire while kicking homeless people in the face.

[MindPilot]

7. There are only two possibilities

One: They have no concept that their actions hurt a lot of people.

Two: They find exercising the the power to hurt a lot of people a pleasurable experience.

Either way they are despicable.

[starroute]

49. So some are clueless and the rest are psychopaths

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/24/psychopaths-empathy-neurological-basis-brain_n_3984515.html

Researchers scanned the brains of the participants while showing them images depicting physical pain, such as a finger getting caught in a door or a toe caught under a heavy object. The participants were told to imagine the accident happening to themselves or to someone else. They were also shown images of neutral ojects, such as a hand on a doorknob.

When the highly psychopathic individuals imagined the accidents happening to themselves, their brains lit up in the anterior insula, the anterior midcingulate cortex, the somatosensory cortex and the right amygdala -- all areas involved in empathy. The response was quite pronounced, suggesting psychopathic individuals were sensitive to thoughts of pain.

But when the highly psychopathic inmates imagined the accident happening to others, their brains failed to light up in the regions associated with empathy. In fact, an area involved in pleasure, the ventral striatum, lit up instead. Furthermore, these individuals showed abnormal connectivity between the insula and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, an area important for empathetic decision-making. ...

The strange patterns of brain activation and connectivity in highly psychopathic individuals suggest they did not experience empathy when imagining the pain of others, and possibly took pleasure in it.

[Caretha]

79. Three:

They are lizards with reptilians brains that really really hate humans.

Pause...now which scenario makes the most sense?

[Stinky The Clown]

8. He is reflective of his constituents. They're cheering him on

This is what he needs to do to stay in office.

[riqster]

10. And "staying in office" so he can keep having "fun" is the most important thing to him. nt

[Stinky The Clown]

16. And all he has to do is keep having fun. And grow ever crazier. Ever more hateful.

[FSogol]

11. Perfect ammunition for whoever runs against him. n/t

[handmade34]

12. to be fair

“This is my idea of fun” is in response to taking time to be interviewed...

[riqster]

17. I like playing guitar. I also like talking about playing guitar.

I'd say the fact that he was enjoying the conversation meant he likewise enjoyed the topic. Certainly the impression I got, hearing the whole thing twice.

[handmade34]

20. yes, understood

but it never helps our cause to exaggerate... I trust the real facts will take us further than name calling and hyperbole...

[G_j]

21. As a listener, I took it at face value

he thought it fun to talk about their government shutdown.

[riqster]

26. I don't feel it was exaggeration.

I listened to the interview twice- once in the car this morning, and once online to validate my impression.

I got the sense that Rep. Schweikert was having fun at several times during the segment. And that is wholly inappropriate for a man in his position.

[mac56]

30. Are we to believe

that he finds the idea of government shutdown abhorrent.. BUT.. he still finds it fun to merely talk about it?!

Now that's a stretch.

[riqster]

31. Well put and a nice way of looking at it. Thanks.

[handmade34]

33. no stretch...

we all know Rep. Schweikert is a serious TeaBagger and is all in on this one... my point is that he did not say
“shutting down the government is my idea of fun” (even if it is)...

the “this is my idea of fun” statement was a direct response to a thank you for being interviewed...

this is all nuance but I don't think it serves us well to play the same games the TP does

[G_j]

34. splitting hairs

and the use of he word "hyperbole" is well..hyperbole.

[handmade34]

42. everything in moderation...

including moderation... irony as my brother used to put it

Yes, splitting hairs but I still like the word 'hyperbole'

[Caretha]

80. There is no excuse

but if you wish, you as obviously have made one for this cretin. And well.....it makes you even lower than him. Welcome to being a "sub". Hope you enjoy.

[mac56]

39. I understand your point.

But there's justification to believe that he meant that BOTH are fun.

He could have chosen to say, "I enjoyed the interview," if that's what he meant to express.

And I don't consider it playing the TP game to suggest that he meant something by his words that's consistent with the rest of his behavior. I've seen "bending words," and this ain't it. YMMV.

[riqster]

48. I don't like the games either, and I stand by my interpretation.

He started off in a very good humor, joking about how much caffeine he had or had not consumed yet. Pretty jocular for a man who just took away the paychecks from hundreds of thousands of workers.

He clearly WAS having fun.

[handmade34]

53. ...

your point is correct...

[riqster]

56. I can see your point as well.

ordinarily I would err on the side of assuming the most beneficient interpretation, just so I didn't look like a bagger. I agree that we need to watch out for that.

In this case, I felt OK with what I wrote.

[G_j]

61. I suppose it's somewhat a matter of perception

I took the same meaning from listening, as I imagine many listeners did.

[Laelth]

19. Thank you for that useful clarification.

I come here for the truth (with liberal commentary and analysis) and not for Democratic party spin.

-Laelth

[Richardo]

50. Thanks for that bit o' sanity

I heard the piece and I thought he was talking about nothing but being on the interview. Kind of a weird way to put it, I thought he was being a bit sarcastic.

OVerall, he was a condescending simpleton, if such a thing is possible.

[jeff47]

58. So your argument is he's only a sociopath.

As in the pain he's inflicting on others doesn't matter. He gets to have a good time chatting with a reporter.

[ProSense]

71. Yeah, but then there is this:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/09/30/1242666/-Republicans-were-dead-enders-then-they-re-dead-enders-now

[handmade34]

72. yes and I

find it repulsive...





conservative's are using this cartoon to disparage Reid but all I see is the Republicans being represented as untrained dogs!

[cyberswede]

78. Yep. Like when guests thank the hosts for having them on the show.

His blather about how the shutdown thing was not unusual was total BS, though.

[DinahMoeHum]

14. Remember what happened 17 years ago. . .

Schweikert better look over his shoulder from here on out. Gingrich resigned his office in January 1999, four years after.

[City Lights]

15. Republicanism is clearly a disease. nt

[northoftheborder]

18. SICK SICK SICK SICK SICK SICK

[Skidmore]

22. Want to help him have fun?

Congressman David Schweiekert (R-AZ)

Contact his offices directly, or https://schweikert.house.gov/contact-form to send an email.

Washington, DC Office

1205 Longworth House Office Building
Washington DC, 20515

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Scottsdale District Office

10603 North Hayden Rd, Ste 108
Scottsdale, AZ 85260

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

[G_j]

24. thank you, nt

[niyad]

83. last night, all his voicemails were full. this morning, his staffer in DC was insisting that he

meant the interview was fun, and I replied that him having fun, even if only an interview, while screwing the american people is sick. she did not like that.

[B Calm]

25. They need to keep replaying the video. So they think it's fun.

I guess when they actually do something, like destroy our government, it beats not doing anything.

[riqster]

27. It's an audio file, actually.

NPR this morning.

[tblue37]

28. Dems need to be collecting all these Repub statements for campaign ads. nt

[DemoTex]

32. As we used to say in the 'Nam: "Hymn, hymn .."

"Fuck Hymn!"

[redstatebluegirl]

35. I wonder how Fox News will spin this for the faithful....

[madville]

36. The Repug base is ecstatic

I held my nose and looked at a couple of right wing forums, they are celebrating.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

37. Money for nothing and your chicks for free. nt

[riqster]

40. And that ain't workin'!

[Xyzse]

38. I heard that.

I kept thinking, the guy had a lot of nerve.

[mountain grammy]

41. Typical.. the reality of a plutocracy!

[proReality]

43. I've learned to hate Republicans and

I'm sickened by how excited he sounded about all of this, but him saying "It's my idea of fun" was in response to being thanked for coming on the show. It was not about what's implied in your post. You're right about him and his ilk being voted out though. The sooner, the better.

[riqster]

44. I stand by my interpretation.

In context, I think he was talking about the entire situation, not just being interviewed. He was plainly in a jocular frame of mind throughout the interview.

[Berlum]

46. Further proof - Republicans hate America and Americans

and all of the American values.

They are out to "starve the beast" and then construct a god-forsaken, control-freak krypto-kristo-fascist Theocracy, Inc. upon the ashes. The hour of Republicon deceit and SKULLduggery is upon America.

?w=150&h=150

[abelenkpe]

47. Bet all those happy republicans are invested in companies

Perhaps workers should stand in solidarity with gov employees, not go into work a few days and kick the fat cats in the wallet?


Never happen I know. But money is all they understand

[Courtesy Flush]

51. Let's not play the You-Didn't-Build-That game!

He was commenting on how much he enjoyed being interviewed. I'd hate to see us play the stupidity game. Leave that to the Baggers.

[riqster]

60. Please see posts 44 and 48.

[Javaman]

54. so is moron david schweiekert up for reelection? if not, when?

we need to make sure he has a strong challenger.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

63. This guy was a moron all through that interview, and not just at the end.

He mentioned that government has been shut down 17 times that he can remember. It has not. Idiot boy confused the number of years it's been since the Republicans last shut down government. He also made the claim that settled law is hijacked all the time. Those weren't the words he used, but it's what he was trying to convey. It became clear that he was going for "intelligent and reasonable". He failed on both counts.

[riqster]

65. Parroting Bagger talking points throughout.

And doing so very cheerfully as well.

[niyad]

84. actually, there have been about that many--most of them were partial, and, with only a few

exceptions, lasted only a couple of days. still enough to cause a lot of damage. read yesterday that closing grand canyon national park is costing the local area about half a million a day.

[GoCubsGo]

64. To be expected from a sociopath.

I will not cry when the fellow sociopaths who elected this asshole get screwed by all the "fun" he's having at their expense, but I feel really bad for the rest of us.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

66. They think they just stopped Obama's Welfare State.

[riqster]

67. Yup, they done whupped all them thar taker-types, yup they done did.

Yup.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

68. Yeaup,...and day done did it on da first too when da welfare checks come out.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

69. This should be played over and over in political ads

Run these little shits out of DC.

[Cha]

73. David Schweiekert is the face of the fascist Koch puppets.

thanks for bringing it to our attention, riqster.

[Rex]

74. Of course it is you POS, your party is the Party of Destruction and Ignorance.

Can't wait for the GOP to go the way of the dodo bird.

[red dog 1]

75. Thanks riqster for posting

Why doesn't the Republican Party just change it's name to the Tea Party?

[gopiscrap]

76. what a fucking asshole

if I said it was fun not doing my job..I would be unemployed two minutes later.

[BeyondGeography]

77. Burn baby burn!

And may your political fortunes follow.

[IronLionZion]

81. The Saddest Paragraph You'll Read About the Government Shutdown Today

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/10/the-saddest-paragraph-youll-read-about-the-government-shutdown-today/280174/

Some of these "pro-lifers" will burn in hell for all eternity.

[riqster]

82. Dear God.

Fuck them all.