Politico is reporting that the House of Representatives is now outlining how exactly members can and cannot insult the President:
House Rules Committee Chairwoman Louise Slaughter (D-NY) has released a helpful, updated primer for members regarding their conduct on the floor and in committees.
Especially useful: The section on how to properly insult the executive branch in the in the chamber.
"Disgrace" and "nitwits" -- okay.
"Liar" or "sexual misconduct" -- ixnay.
Under section 370 of the House Rules and Manual it has been held that a Member could:
• refer to the government as “something hated, something oppressive.”
• refer to the President as “using legislative or judicial pork.”
• refer to a Presidential message as a “disgrace to the country.”
• refer to unnamed officials as “our half-baked nitwits handling foreign affairs.”
Likewise, it has been held that a member could not:
• call the President a “liar.”
• call the President a “hypocrite.”
• describe the President’s veto of a bill as “cowardly.”
• charge that the President has been “intellectually dishonest.”
• refer to the President as “giving aid and comfort to the enemy.”
• refer to alleged “sexual misconduct on the President’s part.”
Geez.
1 comment:
Yeah, isn't it great what they get up to, instead of, oh, representing the people and doing actual work. Short-term memories for the lot of them, too - Harry Reid loved to call President Bush a liar and even said once in an interview that he would never apologize for it.
Blah.
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