Inhofe: Tell Environmentalists What I Told Barbara Boxer--'Get over it. Get a life.'
Republicans tend to object whenever Democrats insist on calling the GOP "the party of 'no'," but then someone like Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) will go and say something like this and suddenly we're reminded that their grounds for objection are pretty thin.
The EPA has threatened to regulate this through the Clean Air Act. That isn't going to work in my opinion because we can stall that until we get a new president--that shouldn't be a problem. ... But while the House will pass a bill ... in the Senate, they're not going to be able to pass it.
Inhofe was speaking at the Heartland Institute's Third International Conference on Climate Change, where he was a welcomed guest. In that comfortable environment, he let loose a little. "As I've told Barbara Boxer, 'Get over it. Get a Life. You've lost. We've won," Inhofe said to laughter and applause.
Referring to cap-and-trade legislation making it's way through the House right now, Inhofe cautioned, "it takes 60 votes in the senate. Maybe the people who wrote our Constitution knew what they were talking about after all."
Inhofe is referring to cloture--a procedural vote the majority must win with 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. Of course, the thing about the filibuster and cloture is that neither appears anywhere in the Constitution. Oh well.
Actually, this important fact is actually well known to Republicans--including Inhofe--who were quick to note that the Constitution is silent on the question of minority rights in the Senate back in 2005 during the debate over the nuclear option.
But I'm sure the founding fathers were on Inhofe's side at least in spirit.
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
So Imhofe's jovially presuming him and his ever-shrinking party of dunderheads can easily limit Obama to one term?
They'll be lucky to have 39 Senators by the end of 2010.
June 5, 2009 11:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
He's delusional, isn't he?
That isn't going to work in my opinion because we can stall that until we get a new president--that shouldn't be a problem.
Sounds like Inhofe thinks Obama isn't going to get re-elected in 2012.
Sounds a bit like Karl "I've got The Math" Rove.
June 5, 2009 11:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Huh?
If that's true, then I'm all in favor of letting the Republican party "win" again in 2010 and 2012.
June 5, 2009 12:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's like the Special Olympics, where everybody wins!
June 5, 2009 12:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
And here's why a knuckle-dragger like Inhofe is relevant: Senate rules allow "the party of NO" to place holds and stall legislation indefinitely. Not much that can be done there--unless enough compromises are cobbled together to release the legislation held hostage or to get to cloture.
Democrats need to grow some balls and STEAMROLL the 'pugs where possible because you're never going to get them to work with you. They'll always obstruct and try to wait you out. Trying to appease them won't work.
June 5, 2009 12:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Somebody throw a net over this guy. He's too delusional to be out walking around.
I think he's one of those guys who scoffed at the "reality-based community" while saying that he and his pals make their own reality. Well, I can say that I'm the center of the universe and that everything revolves around me, but I don't expect to get a huge following on that. Likewise, Jerkhofe can make believe that the last two elections didn't happen and that his party is still running the show, and the rest of the country can look on in amusement and then ignore him and get on with reality.
June 5, 2009 12:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do you get the sense that if Oklahoma wasn't part of the United States it would be a third world country?
June 5, 2009 12:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe if it slowly dawns on bitter, delusional wing-nuts like Jerkhofe that their days bullying & fear-based power are over, more of them will talk succession. The idea could garner bipartisan support, as it would be a win-win for them and the rest of the country.
June 5, 2009 2:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
I feel for the liberals in Oklahoma (there's bound to be a few hundred barricaded on college campuses or something) because I still recall the agony of being "represented" by Jesse Helms.
But Jesse's wins were usually pretty narrow and even he wasn't as bad as Inhofe. The man has to be the stupidest effing s.o.b. ever elected to the United States Senate.
June 5, 2009 3:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jerkhofe .....
This is not a fight about big business screwing little people, or tax cuts for rich people, or prayer in schools where right wing stupidity does damage but justice can work out in the long run. This is a fight to keep the Earth's climate from going suddenly warmer, and warmer, until mass extinctions and human survival are what we will be fighting, and loosing.
THIS IGNORANT ARROGANT ASSHOLE CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO FUCK UP THE WHOLE WORLD BECAUSE HE IS TOO GOD DAMNED DUMB TO UNDERSTAND A SCIENCE PROBLEM IS NOT JUST POLITICS AND NOT JUST RELIGION, IT IS E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G !!!!!
His followers are morons in backwater Oklahoma most of whom think Jeebus the Magic Jew is coming back real soon to sort out the dumbfucks and float them up to the clouds to eat cotton candy. If ever there was a reason to teach SCIENCE in schools and not religion THIS IS IT!!!
June 5, 2009 3:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Really, Oklahoma isn't *totally* full of Inhoff supporters, I promise. And he isn't stupid. He's an arrogant jerk who is deep in the pockets of big oil and the enocon right and will say anything to advance their agendas.
As an Oklahoma democrat, all I can do it campaign against him whenever the opportunity arises. He certainly isn't a credit or a benefit to Oklahoma.
He's kind of our Gitmo...
June 5, 2009 5:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I salute you OK Democrat! Hang in there!
June 5, 2009 6:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
And I do feel your pain. Like I said, Jesse Helms. Year after year.
Oh, and did I mention that Virginia Foxx is my representative?
June 5, 2009 9:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
OMG ... how do you people get up in the morning .....JK...
My Rep is Henry Waxman, whom I adore. Easy for me you think, but I had to migrate here when I was young to escape my fears of redneck hell being the end of me.
As to what to do to take down Inhofe and his ilk .... make fun of them! Because it works! Just like grade school and high school the minds of his supporters are forever subject to petty poison and just like they decry "San Francisco Values" as an ultimate insult, they are, really are dumb rednecks. So just mock him as dumb as a brick and out of touch of his own toes. Exaggerate his every weakness and you will turn the tide of opinion eventually. No one wants to back a looser because it makes you look like a looser. This plays out on every level of human interaction.
How about a round of cream pies in the face for conservative blowhards... start with Rush, Cheney, and Newt.
June 5, 2009 10:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Then they'll call you an elitist.
June 7, 2009 3:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
condolences
June 6, 2009 9:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sounds like a porn name.
June 7, 2009 3:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
I live just south of you in Texas - about 15 miles from the Oklahoma border. And I know you and I are in the vast minority in these two very red states.
Unfortunately, you have Inhofe - whom I consider the worst and most embarassing senator in the nation. But I have the worst governor - Perry. He has stated that maybe Texas should consider secession (after the heavy Republican electoral loss).
But I think even the conservative Republican majority that live here thought that was a bit over the top.
June 7, 2009 9:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Any ideas on how we can best make Jerkhofe's life a living hell until he disappears other than letting him win and turning the whole world into a living hell, cause I'd really like to take it to this guy.
June 5, 2009 5:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ok, nobody can compete with Dimhofe as a senator--he is in his own orbit of stupidity. But This Ohioan, whose state has turned things around since the shame of 2004, has his own cross to bear. My congressman is the chain smoking, orange faced, king of dimwits: John Boner!
June 6, 2009 3:54 PM | Reply | Permalink