Can't Have Small Government When Big Weiners Are In Charge

IBD ^ | June 3, 2011 | by Mark Steyn

[library user]

~ EXCERPT ~

After the tumult of the First World War, noted Winston Churchill, only the intractability of the Irish Question had emerged unscathed:

"Great Empires have been overturned. The whole map of Europe has been changed," he told the House of Commons. "But as the deluge subsides and the waters fall short, we see the dreary steeples of Fermanagh and Tyrone emerging once again."

And so it goes after another tumultuous week in American politics. Nearly a third of homeowners are "underwater" — that's to say, they owe more on their mortgages than the property is worth. Private-sector job growth has all but vanished. The House of Representatives voted not to raise the debt ceiling.

But as the debt ceiling subside — or, at any rate, stays put — we see the dreary steeple of Anthony Weiner emerging from his Twitpic crotch shot.

For the benefit of the few remaining American coeds Weiner isn't following on Twitter, the congressman's initial position when his groin Tweet went viral was that his Twitter had been hacked. Could happen to anyone. From last Thursday's edition of The Daily Telegraph:

"British intelligence has hacked into an al-Qaida online magazine and replaced bomb making instructions with a recipe for cupcakes."

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNZNZGmi5mc

[Tax-chick]

So, if it's a choice between politicians getting back to work for the American people or Tweeting their privates round the planet, I say, Tweet on, MacDuff. Tough on our young college ladies. But, as Queen Victoria advised her daughter on her wedding night, lie back and think of England. Download and think of America.

It's a tossup between Steyn and Ann Coulter for who's the most ruthless.

[OldNewYork]

New York should be thankful for this, as it should, in any sane politician’s mind, put the kaibosh on his goal of being the mayor.

[mojito]

For the sake of argument, let us take it as read that American men are emailing their genitals across the fruited plain all day long, and that in the nature of these things one or two attachments go awry and wind up in the in-box of the elderly spinster who runs the quilting bee and you have to make a rather sheepish apology. Congressmen are among the few in this land who, in such a situation, can breezily say, as Weiner did to CNN’s Dana Bash, “You have statements that my office has put out ...”

Herein lies the full horror of American politics in the death throes of the republic: A congressman has nothing better to do of an evening than Tweet his crotch to coeds, but he requires an “office” with “staffers” to “put out” “statements” on the subject.

The truth hurts from laughing.

[Slings and Arrows]

Ping!

[rhema]

[Emmett McCarthy]

Title should read “You Can’t Have Big Government When SMALL Weiners Are In Charge”

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks library user.

From last Thursday's edition of The Daily Telegraph: "British intelligence has hacked into an al-Qaida online magazine and replaced bomb making instructions with a recipe for cupcakes."

Great idea. I mean, why would anyone in their right mind hack into an al-Qaida online magazine and alter the bomb making instructions so that anyone who tries 'em blows themselves up during assembly? That wouldn't make any sense at all.

[JLS]

Mark Steyn ping.

Freepmail me, if you want on or off the Mark Steyn ping list.

Thanks for the pings Slings and Arrows and Passionfruit.

[Rummyfan]

When Weiners have staffers, it's very difficult to have limited government: You cannot have a small state run by big Weiners. If you require an "office" to issue "statements" about your Tweets, it's hardly surprising you're indifferent to statist bloat elsewhere.

[Rummyfan]

When Weiners have staffers, it's very difficult to have limited government: You cannot have a small state run by big Weiners. If you require an "office" to issue "statements" about your Tweets, it's hardly surprising you're indifferent to statist bloat elsewhere.

[Lurker]

I’m going with Steyn simply because of his command of the English language.

[Gritty]

The republic's "citizen-legislators" do hardly anything for themselves these days, starting with reading the thousand-page legislation they cheerily pass, but if they can't even perform their own sex scandals there really is no point to them.

...

Herein lies the full horror of American politics in the death throes of the republic: A congressman has nothing better to do of an evening than Tweet his crotch to coeds, but he requires an "office" with "staffers" to "put out" "statements" on the subject.

Steyn is so spot on, I just simply had to reproduce two of his paragraphs.

Where does Steyn get such insight and talent...?

[Tax-chick]

Yes, I think Steyn is a little more subtle, a little more surprising. But Ann has better hair ;-).

[metesky]

Download and think of America.

LOL!