A public demo of someone who has completely lost his mind...

My, that was an interesting display. S'okay, though, Barb - he was only speaking Truth To Power, and that's okay rhetoric for that. And while many of Representative Stark's constituents may cringe at the words, there are certainly enough people across the nation who pumped their fists in the air at his brave stand against the man that the Founders managed to get *everybody* a representative voice in the Congress, eh? Heh. I would note that I *should* delete Representative (or at least edit the audio) Stark's tantrum, since it is a Rulez violation for this space. But, since Congress exempts themselves from libel suits for their words while in debate on the floor, I suppose a good tricksy lawyer would argue it applies here, too.

...Congress exempts themselves from libel suits for their words while in debate on the floor... Hence, legally untouchable. Bravery, thy name is Congress. However, if I were to characterize Mr. Stark's words as the desperate ranting of an over-emoting, venal panderer playing to his financial contributors, his lawyers would try to hang my hide on a bramble. *If* I were to so characterize his words. And *if* they even noticed...

Starke is an idiot and a buffoon, but he undoubgtedly accurately represents the liberal wing of the Democratic Party these days. And, since he represents a district in the San Francisco Bay area he is also probably fairly representative of the people who keep reelecting him. Just as a point of information, Congress does NOT exempt itself from the laws of liebel and slander. That is in the Constitution.

Ah, yes. And it's quite specific about it's being limited to legislative actions. Which raises some interesting questions...

The first time I watched the video the speakers were on the blink. Well actually they were unpowered but to turn them on you have to crawl under the desk, bump your head plugging it in, find hearing aids, turn them on and reply the video. Just another American politician spouting some rubbish. Can't possibly be important (and maybe this first assessment was the one best to run with). I am fundamentally lazy on some issues so glossed over it. ...*some* issues. You don't have to get all generalist with me. Finally got around to listening to it today though. I expected him to say something rude or stupid and certainly he did admirably there. Really rather incendiary words all the more remarkable because most lefties and righties are so dulled after hearing them oft repeated with no real change of heart in the listeners or consequence for the speaker at all. In a more widely recognised and supported war such words would be far more risky to spout out spittle and all. Listening to him tho reminded me of that other clip. The one with the US American of the USA teen beauty Queen talking rubbish. Yes i know the gender is different (well one presumes anyway). Yes she's younger and quite a bit better looking, even to me. But it was the same pattern. Public speaking attempting to link key words and phrases and failing for the most part. They just really wanted to get the keywords across and seemed flustered, nervous and/or well.. drunk. 'Speaking truth to power' is a Noble concept IMO. There are plenty of instances where this was a good thing to do. But in the cases I've seen it done nobly there have always been risks and more often than not consequences, sometimes quite serious. 'Speaking truth to power' has it's other darker side. This man is a good example of that. The courage replaced by cowardice, hiding behind legal protections and popular support. The truth and understanding replaced by catch phrases and opportunism.