Doesn't this sound more like a Saturday Night Live, or, in fact, MAD TV skit than an actual strategy tried out on the floor of Congress?
About a week ago, the House Judiciary Committee was prepared to approve the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act. Dem committee members offered some fairly reasonable amendments to shield some parties from criminal responsibility...For example, one amendment, offered by Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), sought to exempt “cab drivers, bus drivers and others in the business transportation profession from the criminal provisions in the bill.” So, if an underage woman takes a bus to another state to have an abortion, the bus driver, who probably wouldn't have any knowledge of the abortion, couldn't be charged with a federal crime. Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) not only helped kill the amendment, he decided to rephrase it for the official record:
"Mr. Scott offered an amendment that would have exempted sexual predators from prosecution if they are taxicab drivers, bus drivers, or others in the business of professional transport."
Sensenbrenner did this multiple times. Every Dem attempt to amend the legislation was manipulated to make it appear Dems were trying to protect sexual predators. Whether one supports the bill or not, this was pathetic.
Yesterday, Sensennbrenner backed down and removed the "sexual predator" language from the record. Fact is, however, it stil happened, and the floor of Congress, is, officially, one poorly-conceived skit. Imagine Will Ferrell, in Ron Burgundy voice, presiding over a faux-Committee meeting. Various Congressmen propose amendments exempting certain groups from taxes. The first one steps up, says:
"I propose that single-mothers working full time and making less than $30,000 a year are given an exemption from the tax."
Will Ferrell responds:
"The good Congresswoman from Minnesota proposes an amendment exempting sexual predators with children from the tax."
"I didn't propose that!"
"You sure did, I was sitting right here."
"I said single mothers!"
"Can single mothers not touch little boys inappropriately?"
"Well yeah, but that's not the po--"
"So I was right. Now voting on the single parent/sexual predator exemption amendment."
Welcome to Congress.
