America’s collective sigh of disgust was interrupted during the House vote on the debt ceiling bill (it passed 269-161) last night when Congresswoman Gabby Giffords made her first appearance back in Congress since being shot through the head in January. It is excellent to see Giffords waving to the chamber’s wild applause as she casts her vote, but we cannot help feeling ashamed on behalf of Congress/everybody. The nice lady who had a bullet fired into her brain by a lunatic felt so bad for Washington and its latest boondoggle that she interrupted her recovery process to fly back to work just so she could vote for a deeply flawed, high-stakes debt ceiling bill everybody hates in order to solve what was a completely made-up crisis. Maybe America could try a bill to save some wetlands next time or something?
Giffords released a statement noting that she felt it was imperative she come for the vote, saying, “I have closely followed the debate over our debt ceiling and have been deeply disappointed at what’s going on in Washington.” Seriously, we are very sorry, Gabby Giffords.
From the WaPo:
When she arrived, Giffords met briefly with House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) outside the chamber. Then the doors on the Democratic side opened to wild applause at something the rest of the House couldn’t see.
“I did something that was not too congressional,” said Rep. James E. Clyburn (S.C.), the No. 3 Democrat. “I stood up in the seat to see what it was about.”
Word spread. Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) called it “the best experience I’ve had in Congress.”
Giffords walked a few yards through the crowd to a voting machine and punched the button. Heads turned toward the back wall, where a green “Y” appeared next to her name.
It read like an existential declaration. Giffords: Yes.
[WaPo]
{ 178 comments }
Go Gabby, go. Lotsa hugs from your libtarded friends.
Mrs. weejee & I got all misty watchin' you get your standing O on the floor last night.
this is obviously a huge vindication for sarah palin.
It proves that surveryors' marks are harmless after all.
I vote Giffords: Yes, too. What a story. Lifetime, forget that battered wife movie of the week and get on this, stat.
By battered wife do you mean everyone who loves that Hopey fellow?
Sounds like a much better read than Twats from the Tundra, or whatever the Palin books were called.
Why Lifetime? Why not get Gus van Sant to shoot a feature-length film?
Too bad the Alaska Grifter stole the title Undefeated. It's much more appropriate to this representative of The People who still has a real government job.
Inspiring story – brings a tear to my eye. Makes me want to work until I'm 95 until I retire… Really…
Congress, the Senate, Republicans, Democrats, President Obama – and of course the Media – you all deserve the thanks of a nation for maintaining the world's longest non-stop circle jerk in history.
Republiklans/Tea Baggers have their way, you won't have the choice of wanting to work until your 95. It will be a fact of life.
sweet holy jeebus, if Gabby's return doesn't bring a tear to the eye at her amazing survival/ comeback then one would have to be a stone cold heartless Repig asshole (I'm Lookin' at YOU Mr. Boner [R-Douchebag], where the fuck are your crocodile tears now, or haven't you had time to drink yet?)
Reminding us all that there are reasons we pay attention to this stuff other than snark and untreated obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Hooray for the human spirit and government-funded top grade health insurance!
Reminding us all that there are reasons we pay attention to this stuff other than snark and untreated obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Speaking for yourself, I reckon.
Yeah, AMAZING story of survival – what with all the government interference getting between her and and her doctors. All these people with gov-funded health care keep making it through the most horrific medical crises (ie Dick Cheney's garden hose circulatory system) in spite of the inferior care no American would possibly want themselves. Simply Amazing.
"Dick Cheney's garden hose circulatory system"
LOL.
Is it a series of tubes?
Your OCD is untreated? I find this is all better when mine is turned down just a wee notch.
And hooray for government funded top grade health insurance! (Which I long to have.)
McConnell: "Oh great, another drain on the system. We're never going to get out of debt if these leeches keep getting shot in the head."
Oh, had it but been an existential declaration … something like, We don't negotiate with terrorists.
For the first time in a long while, the sentence "Never in a million years would I have thought…" is a declaration I can complete with something positive. And also something that I don't expect will dim from memory anytime soon.
Is it time to go back to invading countries for oil now?
Sorry, no money for full scale invasions, but I think we can still afford to indiscriminately take out an Afghan wedding here or there.
Think of all the poor Daddy Warbucks please.
These bombs aren't going to blow themselves up. (At least I hope they won't.)
Oh, hush. All that silly military cuts part of the bill will be ignored. We will be in four wars before you know it.
"Sorry, no money for full scale invasions"
That didn't stop Bush.
Did we stop?
"Take that, NPR," Giffords added after the vote.
More like, "take that, NRA."
More like, "ha ha, I only got shot. You guys had to listen to Louis Goehmert and Joe Walsh for the past six months."
Gabby Giffords shot in the head, proved that she has more common sense than Louie Gohmert.
But the same could be said of an earthworm.
"Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) called it 'the best experience I’ve had in Congress.'"
Well, that pretty much says it all.
Ah, the soft bigotry of low expectations.
Ah, the soft bigots.
Pete needs to meet more interns
Or, at least a Twitter account.
Inspiring, even to my cold, dead, black heart.
This is just like when Christ rose from the dead and kicked the leper.
[It is fucking depressing, is what I mean.]
I read that as "licked" the leper… which is just grody.
Is this the relish on the sugar coated satan sandwich?
Mmmmm.
I looooove Gabby relish on my sandwiches.
How long before a Republican say something really stupid about Gabbys return?
I guess we'll have to listen to Rush and Glenn today.
I tried to listen to Rush one day on the drive home (bad traffic) and Wow who actually listens to this shit everyday. Never ever again.
I am pleased that every button on my radio leads to NPR. My drives are calm.
I would have to imagine they're already making remarks over at Red State, but I get too nauseated visiting there to check.
Just go to Yahoo News comments .
Egad, but they are a deranged little community. Like Freepers who got banned for being TOO angry.
3..2..1..
I told you that trip she took in the Space Shuttle was just what the doctor ordered.
No snark here. Welcome back, Rep. Giffords! On a side note, this would probably be a good time for Sarah Palin to disappear forever…
Well, since her brain is missing, we have a start. Did a CERN tiny blackhole get loose???
Sheesh… one miracle at a time… you crazy or somethin'?
And a whole crew of armchair physicians declared without shame that she didn't really do anything but was simply a puppet of the Democratic machine.
Too bad she couldn't have been more like Ronald Reagan. Got shot and still went back to work. Oh wait. Or Theodore Roosevelt: Got shot while campaigning and finished the fucking speech. He had an entire titanium body. They don't make politicians like that anymore. Now they just put in a titanium spine* and call it good.
______________________
* except Obama = mercury spine
You are just plain horrible. I regret the lack of downfists.
Heart warming….BUT SHE VOTED FOR THAT PIECE OF SHIT.
Always look on the sunny side of the turd. It could have been worse. Had the Republicans demanded it, I am sure it would have been worse, actually.
I know, right! And the argument no doubt coming from most Democrats (including our Gabby) – that they were merely opting for the least-smelliest turd in the toilet bowl – still comes nowhere close to excusing it.
I'd be happier if the toughest women in Congress had come back and said "I didn't survive a bullet in the brain just so I could play handmaiden to the Republican raping of America. I'm voting down this piece of crap and I urge y'all to do the same." But no.
And it makes it even worse to realize Obama is probably going to celebrate our country's further downward slide with a glitzy signing ceremony.
I wish she would have let us default. We'd have been so much better off, that way.
The arrival of Darth Vader would have brightened that gruesome scene.
"Luke, I am your father. I just lost my Medicare and Social security."
"I find your lack of wealth disturbing."
While I'm normally not a fan of Star Wars references (I lost patience after the Teddy Bear installment), I concur.
As soon as a bill to save wetlands has a positive impact on hedge fund profits Congress will be all over it.
Are their fetuses in the wetlands? Or guns? They'd jump for that, too.
If we can just convince those Florida Teabaggers that manatees are just giant fetuses sent by God…
The way fresh water is going I wouldn't be surprised to see that hedge funds are purchasing options to drain the wet lands and sell the water.
Depressed yes, but that will just drive me to drink and after the hedge funds are done the tonic water is going to cost more than the gin.
Can you make potato vodka from urine or blood?
Only if you eat a LOT of potatoes.
http://www.bluegold-worldwaterwars.com/
They already are.
*Sniff; tear in eye* It's like the Willis Reed story in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals, except it's not the NBA and our team really kinda lost this one.
I think it's more like the Balloon Boy Story, where everyone lived in abject fear of a small child dying a horrible death in a runaway balloon, only to find out the next day that we got plowed in the ass by a couple of publicity whores.
See, awful Conservetard pols? That there is called "grace" and "dignity". It's intangible and can't be bought or bargained for. And it doesn't rub off. Try a little next time you're taking hostages and face biting. You'll see yourselves as ugly as we see you.
Way to be, Gabby!
Glad Giffords has recovered to the point she could cast a vote. Deeply sad it was for this shit sandwich of a bill.
The irony that tax-payer funded healthcare helped her recovery and this bill's potential to result in cuts to Medicare is just terrific.
Carly Fiorina was heard asking, "what's up with that short hair-do?" on an open microphone.
Oh Barb.
Sorry, I am going to give myself a time out for that one.
No catnip for you, bad kitteh.
I don't know, I liked it. It was a walk off blast to center field.
I am so glad that mean girl lost. That incident summed her up in one swoop. A woman who was missing her own hair to cancer treatment had the gall to criticize her opponent for her own appearance. It blew my mind.
You can't keep a good Jew down
I never knew I could feel good watching the House in action
I've never watched House. Watching television usually doesn't make me feel good.
The DNC called me wanting money just after I read about this lovely debt deal.
They did not get my money.
I am saving it for Hobo beans and used cardboard boxes.
I've not donated a sou either. I'm so fed up with the fecklessness. Granted, they'll get my vote, anything is better than the tealiban, but I'm laying low on this one.
I spent eighty bucks on Hopey a few years ago, back when I still had faith. No more.
Beer, pot, rubbing alcohol – anything to dull the existential and economic pain of life in 21st Century America – seems like a much better investment at this point.
Yeah, I'm tired of giving them my lunch money only to watch them roll over for the playground bully. That's not how it's supposed to work.
II have a question about the hobo beans and cardboard diet. Do you salt the cardboard? If so, how can you afford salt Rockefeller?
I would've been *really* happy if she would've voted against it.
That would have been fantastique!
And said as she left, "I may be brain-damaged, but I'm not stupid."
Tough tough tough woman.
in order to solve what was a completely made-up crisis.
Bingo. This "debt ceiling crisis" reminded me of nothing more than Cleavon Little exiting the stage in Blazing Saddles.
~
Well, the lesson here is obviously "don't retreat, reload." Take aim and exercise your second amendment ballot rights. Lock and load, git er done, yee-haw Amurrica. If only all our children had guns, there wouldn't be no child abuse.
So it's all over – until the Republicans find something else vital they can take hostage to demand the government rob even more from the poor and middle class and allow the country to deteriorate even further; then we get to start all over again.
In September, 2011, coming to a dysfunctional Government near you. All the guts n' glory and patriotic fevered drama of the Manufactured Debt Ceiling Crisis will seem tame by comparison to Hostage II, Budget 2012; Shutting down the Gummint'.
In that one vote, Rep. Gabby is more productive and high-functioning than Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann combined.
I don't know… Did Bachmann vote against it? If she did, I'm sure it was for all the wrong reasons, but a 'no' vote is the only course of action I could agree with in this scenario.
Someone must have been uncertain about the vote, if they dragged her back for this.
Sarah Palin would like to remind people about the time she fought off a Bear.
Gummi? Teddy? Pedo?
All of them, Katie.
(I'm sorry, but all of them WERE good options.)
I'm sorry, but this whole "Gabby" thing distresses me. "Gabrielle" is a real hot sexy name. "Gabby" just makes me think of that crusty old cowboy sidekick guy from all those movies, Gabby Hayes. And of course, the "sheriff is near" guy Gabby Johnson.
I've disliked the nickname Gabby ever since I had a coworker who pointedly introduced herself to me with it, and then proceeded to demonstrate how she got it — for an entire shift. Nonstop blathering is not such a rare quality it needs to be memorialized. And Gabrielle is a beautiful name that needs to abbreviation. But that's what English is for — to inure us to usages we find appalling. In this case she can go by whatever she wants.
I've always fantasized about buying a stock of T-shirts printed "Help! I'm talking and I can't shut up!" to give out where appropriate.
To make it worse, Gabby Hayes makes me think of Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers. I think I'm gonna get a bike, gonna paint it blue.
No one would ever call Gabrielle Anwar "Gabby."
"If the Deficit Reduction Committee and Congress cannot agree on a way forward in 2013, unspecified, draconinan measures automatically kick into action. These are rumored to include: automatic sale of every American's firstborn child into white slavery, mandatory blood donations, sale of Amtrak to the Chinese Railway Safety Agency, closure of the FAA and the replacement of air traffic controllers with police officers stationed at flight intersections in balloons, opening enrollment in US military academies to well funded terror groups and reactivation of the Space Shuttle program with hopes of collecting big insurance payouts from accidents.
yeah – that sounds about right
Either that or raise taxes on one of the more undertaxed advanced economies in the world. just sayin'
Teabaggers will go to their graves rather than pay a tax that keeps them alive.
If only we could figure out how to put this into practice …
nobody would buy our fat stupid diabetes riddled kids.
Tastes like chicken. Oh sorry, I meant pork.
While it is certainly a heart warming site to see Congresswoman Giffords back on her feet, it is easy to forget that six people died that day at the hands of a gun toting lunatic.
Apparently we're sharing a brain on that. Of course, that 9 year old was being punished for repealing DADT, so that makes it ok. God fucking damn it, this country is full of psychopaths.
Every country has some percentage of psychopaths, but only in U.S. America do we see to it that they are armed. The Second Amendment rules.
Armed and often elected, yes.
Sans snark, full credit and well wishes to Rep. Giffords.
However, I can't help but dwell on the fact that a congresswoman casting her vote wouldn't be a weepy, happy moment if not for a fucking armed lunatic. And that just pisses me off.
“I did something that was not too congressional,” said Rep. James E. Clyburn (S.C.), the No. 3 Democrat. “I stood up and took a big fart and made a big mess in my pants.”
Sadly, acting like a toddler is, in fact, very congressional. The standing up shouldn't raise an eyebrow compared to all the unconscionable behavior pervading the institution.
Nah, that's been congressional ever since Vitter decided to stay around.
Actually, I like Rep. Clyburn. That being said; doing something that is "not too congressional" would be growing a pair and passing some legislation that would help the rest of the 90% of us out here. Fuckers.
If that's the least congressional thing he's ever done, the teaparty has a lot to learn from him.
Nobody wants to watch how sausage gets made. In their pants, I mean.
I feel like a turd for wondering: why did this truly wonderful moment have to come after common thugs have showed the world they run this town? The vision of Bachmann and King standing on the capitol balcony, inciting a mob, will stand out in my memory far longer than this one. That's wrong.
Gabrielle Giffords is a bad ass.
If the Teatards were capable of feeling shame, then this was the moment to have done so. Alas, Congresswoman Giffords has more class, dignity, strength and grace than they could ever imagine.
Fuck them.
They have no shame, no sense, no idea how the world works, no idea what pawns they are in a rich man's game, no fucking clue whatsoever.
They're idiots of the first order. Mean-spirited, most oftentimes racist, selfish loudmouthed proud-to-be-ignorant douchebags.
Moved by her bravery, the House Tea Party Caucus proposed an amendment to the debt bill to adopt a National Gun.
Well the warm and fuzzies did not last too long.
Americans for Posteriority, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kochsuckers United, LLC, is distributing sample recall ballots in Demrat districts in Wisconsin that give the ballot due date as Thursday August 11th. The for reallz date is Tuesday August 9. A simple typo for sure.
From the ONION's League of Urban Voters bureau
Go Gabby, we need you and more like you.
Victims of insane teabaggers?
No thanks…
We are all victims of insane teabaggers after this vote, we need folks such as Gabby who are an inspiration at fighting back after the attack.
So, a congresswoman survives near death experience and comes back to heroically vote for a shameless abortion of a bill, forced on the country by idiots who have no clue how the modern world works. I am happy that she recovered, but … what, exactly? This bill is a shot to America's head. Will it recover, too?
Apparently being shot in the head doesn't improve your judgement.
Gifford's smile was the only good thing to come out of the House yesterday.
At least my vacation won't be ruined next week because they will have closed the National Forest campground we're going to.
Of course, spanky2b and his friends are still grieving her survival- from their posting at breitbart: The "vegetable" vote came through. How many "Giffords" would the Dems create if they thought they could get away with it?
OMG, I hope you're kidding. Did someone really say that? Let me just reach for the loaded assault rifle I keep on the coffee table when I'm drinkin.
http://intensedebate.com/profiles/kds52
Oh, Kevin Stowell. I'd completely forgotten that asshole.
Wow. I knew they were all moronic shitheads, but just…wow.
I hope everyone remembers the real victim in all of this.
Sarah Palin.
T
HAHAHAHA
It never gets old. ;-)
Congratulations to Rep. Giffords. Now I look forward to having positive progress to celebrate rather than — brave and compelling as her story is — the struggle to recover from a completely needless horror. This might have to wait until 2012 when we can kick the needless horrors out of office, however.
There is legislation to save the wetlands. They are protected under the clean water act, and at least here in MA, by the wetlands protection act. They are also conserved as habitat for endangered species. But don't worry, the baggers will try to revoke all environmental protection laws, cuz the market based solutions and the invisible hand will save the planet, doncha know. And freedumb and small gubmint, also too. I hope they enjoy their small government when the planet is one big wasteland, fuckers.
Can someone please concoct a dossier proving that coastal erosion is a radical Muslin Ter'rist?
Nah, the herons and frogs are welfare cheats! Sucking on the govt teat etc etc ad nauseum…
A Child's Treasury of Yahoo News comments on Gabby Giffords:
She's just another liberal puke. Why all the fanfare?
My heart and prayers go out to Gabby Gifford and her family for their suffering as victoms to horrific crimes.One of which is being used for this publicity stunt.It's shameful.
Don't be confused… Congresswoman is a: TRAITOR to AZ, & the U.S.A.
she's fortunate her incident occurred BEFORE the government takeover of the healthcare system she voted for took place.
she is the poster child for our plotical system…. dimished capacity is at the controls
She still is as Evil as the rest of them!!!!bad that he didnt put two slugs into her head!! Or better took them all out in washington!! The country would be better off!!
Oh. My. God.
What is WRONG with these people???
Here's a few freeper ones from yesterday-
Who told her which button to push?
“You seat is right here Mrs. Giffords”
“Will I get a chance to go to the concession stand before the movie starts”?
Her vote is proof of brain damage
Did she say: “We need to raise the debt ceiling like we need a hole in the head?” There, I said it.
I understand her vote was actually “toast,” but it was construed to mean “yes.”
Those NAZIs had some fighting spirit, too.
Did she say: “We need to raise the debt ceiling like we need a hole in the head?” There, I said it.
Now, THAT was funny. Tasteless, true. But funny.
Boy, Neilist, you made a real Sophie's Choice on picking your favorite one.
Well, I could have gone with "Tropic Thunder," e.g., "Gabby went Full Retard."
yes, she's quite the poster child for our plotical system.
Giffords is thinking about getting into acting, because she's already got a head shot…
Word spread. Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) called it “the best experience I’ve had in Congress.”
And there you have it. A very sweet, well-intended indictment of the legislative branch.
She should've entered the chamber wielding a broadsword.
The continuous venom from the right, the grandstanding poseurs on the left; this is all just too fucking sad for words.
Really. Wake me up when the pendulum swings back to rationality.
Do not hold breath!
I'm sure Boner was crying. No, wait, he only cries when he can make it all about himself.
It's amazing the orange doesn't streak.
I really like this lady. What strength and courage. As for the vote, I think it would have been cool if she voted "no", saying, "look…I've been shot in the fucking head and even I know this is a bad deal for the middle class".
That's the problem with a 9mm.
Even with a headshot, a wounded Representative might still make it back to its Congressional lair and KEEP VOTING!!!!!!!
Next time, use the Weatherby .460 Magnum.
It's the only way to be sure — short of nuking the entire site from orbit.
Neilist
Waiting To See How Many Negative Points THIS One Is Going To Get Me
meh, maybe his peripheral vision was off, like someone not noticing there are no downfists anymore?
Drat. I work so hard for those negative points, too.
Guess what? This time, you won't have a chance to voluntarily leave. Thanks for this. You've fucked up one too many times now, troll. Goodbye.
She came back just in time to vote "Fuck the poor, let's continue this recession forever." Excuse me for not standing on my chair and applauding.
You INSENSITIVE PIG!!!!!!!!!!
Where, where is your proper Wonkettee Sense of Bathos?
I wish she would have walked over and kicked Eric Cantor in the nuts.
Did the Reps cheer her as well?
Yes, the Representatives did cheer her, as well.
Gabby still has more of a , never mind.
cripes
You are the very last person here who needs to make any comment about anything surrounding Gabby Giffords considering why you're stupid ass left the last time.
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