The right thinks the “war on Christmas” meme works so well that it gets trotted out now for just about everything. Today U.S. Senator John Kyl, R-Arizona, whined that plans by the Democratic majority to work through the holidays is somehow disrespectful of Christmas:
“It is impossible to do all of the things that the majority leader laid out without doing — frankly, without disrespecting the institution and without disrespecting one of the two holiest of holidays for Christians and the families of all of the Senate, not just the senators themselves but all of the staff.”
News flash for Sen. Kyl: millions of Americans will be working through the holidays this year in jobs far harder than anything facing you and your colleagues. Are their employers not respectful of Christmas? Or of their employees’ families? And maybe our terribly (boo-hoo) overworked senators wouldn’t have to work through Christmas if some of them stopped obstructing work on just about every bill. Just sayin’.
UPDATE: Now Senate Republicans are refusing to support a budget bill for 2011 that would keep the federal government open after this Saturday. Why? The bill includes earmarks for pet projects senators have in their own states. Says Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas:
“Part of the reason we’re doing this is to raise the attention of the American people and let them know what’s happening so they can express their outrage.”
But Sen. Cornyn is having trouble explaining why he put some of his own earmarks into the bill he’s now complaining about. Hmmm…
Look, the problem in Congress right now isn’t a “war on Christmas” or disrespect for Christian holidays. The real problems are a war on common sense and a lack of respect for voters. Congress isn’t getting its work done because too many of its members are grandstanding and obstructing progress on just about everything.
