Brain Freeze(?)!
It seems that the older some congressmen get, especially from colder climes, the more ornery and arrogant they become. Case in point – Rep. Don Young (Teabag-AK), who’s been in Congress since 1973.
During a hearing on Friday, Young went head-to-head with a witness before the House Natural Resources Committee, which Young used to chair. He was one of the sponsors of the Bridge to Nowhere.
How exactly did Rep. Don Young and Douglas Brinkley get off on the wrong foot in the House Natural Resources Committee hearing Friday?
Was it when the Alaska Republican called the historian’s testimony “garbage?” Or was it when Brinkley talked back? From that point, it was on — a verbal smackdown that startled the most jaded staffers. [See the amazing C-SPAN video, below]
Backdrop: Brinkley, a Rice University professor, wants President Obama to grant the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge national monument status, which would block efforts to drill for oil and gas there. Young supports drilling.
You have to watch the video that’s linked in the WaPo article. I’d love to see more witnesses go up to The Hill and give these Rethugs a piece of their mind. My guess is Dr. Brinkley will not be called back to testify any time soon.
Tags: alaska, Republican Crazy, Teabaggers
Rep. Young made his point well. That was passion not being arrogant. The people of Alaska are sitting on big time oil. Alaska considers the oil property of all the people of Alaska. Every resident gets a royalty check every year from oil. The wealth sharing embedded Alaska’s Constitution earned Alaska the nickname the Socialist State Of Alaska. I often wondered why Sarah Palin never got questioned about that. They should be drilling in the reserve areas. It’s ridiculous to say no drilling in areas set aside long ago for that very purpose. It means a lot of money to a lot of people outside of big oil. Plus, it’s good energy policy for us.
“Alaska considers the oil property of all the people of Alaska.”
And I should give a fuck what the people of Alaska think because…?
Here: I consider the Delaware beaches the property of all the people of Delaware. Does that make it so?
Young is an asshat. He’s still under investigation for his role in the VECO scandal.
Drilling isn’t the issue in the video – it’s the arrogance and disrespect on Young’s part (“garbage” and “YOU WILL BE QUIET” or whatever).
Brinkley’s initial shots were well placed and appropriate, but his continued murmuring over Young was off-putting.