If you don't read Roll Call, don't watch Fox and missed The Daily Show last night, you probably haven't seen the smack-down Alcee Hastings (D-FL) delivered to Texas and its Rep Michael C. Burgess in a Monday House Rules and Procedures committee meeting about a bill to repeal the ACA.
A transcript for those unable to view the video.
Burgess: "Had the Administration worked with the governors, we might be talking about an entirely different... (unintelligible)
Hastings: “Had governors worked with the Administration, we might not be in this position. I don’t know about in your state, which I think is a crazy state to begin with — and I mean that just as I said it. Uh, some of the policies..."
(gavel bangs, Virginia Foxx (R-Nutterville), tries to cut Hastings off)
Hastings: "Mr. Burgess doesn't have the time, Madam Chair, I have the time."
(Virginia Foxx again tries to shut Hastings down)
Hastings: "Excuse me, Madame Chair? I didn't interrupt him, I reclaimed my time and I think that is the procedure here in this body."
Burgess: “The gentleman made a very defamatory statement about my state and I will not stand here and listen to it!”
Hastings: “Well fine, then you don’t have to listen. You can leave if you choose. I told you what I think about Texas — I wouldn’t live there for all the tea in China and that's how I feel. Now, um, for all intents and purposes, I know what my state did which is in many respects coming close to being just as crazy and that is they did not expand Medicaid.”
(Virginia Foxx lectures sternly about civility)
Burgess: "There is no reason at all to impugn the people, the Governor, of a state of this country, and I will await the gentleman's apology. I yield back."
Hastings: “You will wait until hell freezes over for me to say anything in an apology. I would apologize to you, if I was directing my comments to you. I was commenting about the state that you happened to be a resident in. I will not apologize.”
Burgess: "The gentleman from Texas controls the time. I, I, I just do not see the value of a member of this Rules committee hurling invective towards a state, its people and its Governor. It's just uncalled for and there is no reason any member of this committee should do that."
Burgess is of course right, but given the behavior of Texas representatives over the last six years, I can't help but claim Alcee Hastings as my Hero of the Week.