PENSITO REVIEW: MICA THROWS ANOTHER HISSY FIT -- CHAIR ENVY?

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Somebody Missed Snack Time: GOoPer Mica Throws Another Hissy Fit
Trish | Feb. 18, 2007
The first time my representative, John Mica (R-Winter Park, Fla.), pitched a tantrum against the new Democratic leadership in Congress, everyone figured he hadn’t had his nappie.

The story made national headlines as an embarrassing illustration of how badly the new minority party was adapting to its more humble status. Mica, the former head of the transportation committee, threw a hissy fit when he discovered the comfy chair in which his large GOP ass was formerly housed was reassigned.

Mica arrived for the roundtable and discovered that he did not have one of the nice, cushy chairs at the head of the table that were occupied by Oberstar, Shuster and other speakers…

According to sources, none of whom wanted to be anywhere near this story, Mica threw a fit and demanded to know from staff why he didn’t have a special chair of his own next to Oberstar and the others.

But before staff could rectify the situation, and as startled members looked on, a furious Mica stormed out of the room and ordered the other Republican members to leave. Among the uncomfortable departees was Shuster’s own son and successor, Rep. Bill Shuster.

Everyone gave him that one, especially after his staff said it was all just a big ol’ misunderstanding. But his comments when he got to speak on the Iraq resolution show Johnny’s scorn for Democrats knows no bounds. Hey John, sneer much?


The people should know that this is not a true debate. In fact, this exercise is a 3-day politically hatched farce. In fact, this exercise is absent of any legitimate legislative process. It is also, in fact, vacant of the two options provided Congress under our Constitution: first, to declare war or, second, to appropriate funds for the conduct of war. In fact, this is a stealth resolution brought to the floor absolutely void of the democratic process; that our men and women are fighting, as we are here tonight, to preserve our freedoms at home and the rights at home and extend those rights to oppressed people abroad.

This is not Cuba. This isn’t Venezuela. This is not North Korea or some Third World country. This is the Congress of the United States.

But let me congratulate the authors of what history will surely record as a very dark chapter in the conduct of the House leadership and the House of Representatives, leadership, in fact, entrusted to them by the American people.

Let me congratulate the authors on the clever wording of a resolution to praise our Armed Forces and at the same time undermine our Commander in Chief [see note that follows]. Very clever.

I also want to congratulate the very clever timing of the floor discussion of this worthless measure that disregards the fact that American troops have already been deployed for this mission.

Congratulations are also in order for duping the public and the media into creating the illusion that Congress is really doing something about the conflict in Iraq.

And again congratulations on making people think that this is bipartisan support, that this is going to be bipartisan support for a resolution that, in fact, achieves nothing but the discrediting of a President of the United States in a time of war. So I also want to extend congratulations to the crafters of this illegitimately drafted nonbinding resolution. Your accomplishments will be lauded by Hamas, al Qaeda, touted by Al Jazeera, and highly praised by America and Bush haters throughout the world.

Ironically, I pulled this up. Google it yourself. This is tomorrow, 8:17 Mecca time, Al Jazeera: “Democrats Attack Bush War Policy,” and the lead quote is from Speaker Pelosi.

First of all, Bush is not our commander in chief and we all need to stop buying into that idea.

Second, Mica complains that the House is holding its debate after “surge” troops have already been sent in, but whose fault is that? Bush rushed those service members over to stay ahead of Congress, which was unlikely to authorize it. So who’s cheating at this game, Johnny, our team or yours?

Finally, the claim that “discrediting of a President of the United States in a time of war” (again, whose fault is it he’s in a war?) will be lauded by terrorists is endemic of the false patriotism that says loyal opposition is traitorous but blind obedience is noble.

Mica is an entrenched career politician with a face like bulldog who almost (but not quite) makes me support term limits. He is on his own here, responding to his own agenda, not his constituents’.