May 09, 2006
Like seeing a pro athlete stay in the game past his or her prime, it's very sad watching a politician who just doesn't have the relevant skills any longer and who continues to play despite becoming functionally useless.
Such appears to be the case with Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN). In the midst of crippling GOP-created deficits, a war that's killing our young and trashing our global reputation, seven million more Americans without health insurance since 2000, rising poverty and an executive branch bent on a Constitutional crisis, Alexander continues to take time in the Senate to make vigorous speeches on… Singing the National Anthem in English.
On May 1, Alexander introduced S.Res. 458, which would affirm the Senate's resolve "That statements or songs that symbolize the unity of the Nation, including the National Anthem, the Oath of Allegiance sworn by new United States citizens, and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States, should be recited or sung in English, the common language of the United States."
"This floor is for the debating of important issues. This is an important issue," said a stern Alexander on the Senate floor last week, while I'm sure many of his colleagues stifled laughter. "We have so little civics and U.S. history taught in America's schools today that perhaps we need a little civics lesson every single day on the floor of the Senate. I intend to provide it every single day I am here until this legislation is voted on."
Like seeing a pro athlete stay in the game past his or her prime, it's very sad watching a politician who just doesn't have the relevant skills any longer and who continues to play despite becoming functionally useless.Such appears to be the case with Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN). In the midst of crippling GOP-created deficits, a war that's killing our young and trashing our global reputation, seven million more Americans without health insurance since 2000, rising poverty and an executive branch bent on a Constitutional crisis, Alexander continues to take time in the Senate to make vigorous speeches on… Singing the National Anthem in English.
On May 1, Alexander introduced S.Res. 458, which would affirm the Senate's resolve "That statements or songs that symbolize the unity of the Nation, including the National Anthem, the Oath of Allegiance sworn by new United States citizens, and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States, should be recited or sung in English, the common language of the United States."
"This floor is for the debating of important issues. This is an important issue," said a stern Alexander on the Senate floor last week, while I'm sure many of his colleagues stifled laughter. "We have so little civics and U.S. history taught in America's schools today that perhaps we need a little civics lesson every single day on the floor of the Senate. I intend to provide it every single day I am here until this legislation is voted on."
