Well… now we know the high level of discourse in the California State Senate, when an invited witness says something even vaguely challenging to the status quo. Warning: the following is rated PG for language. Not R… but definitely PG.<\/p>\n
Democratic Senator Pat Wiggins decided on a terse, efficient response to the testimony of a pastor who was discussing the impact of proposed federal regulations on his community: Bulls**t. That’s right… to a pastor, who was speaking with complete politeness and deference to the high station of the Senators. Republicans have been known, on rare occasions, to use, uh, colorful language to other Senators. I do not recall hearing of one speaking this way to a witness, particularly one so polite and graceful himself.<\/p>\n
You’ll note that the committee chair immediately leaps in to try to ameliorate the damage… but in this case, video is wonderful thing.<\/p>\n
If Senator Wiggins, a white woman, had been a Republican who spoke this way to a black witness (espeically one so polite), anyone want to take the bet that she wouldn’t be getting called a racist? Pastor Robert Jones is a United Methodist, a denomination not known for rabid conservatism and right-wing polemics.<\/p>\n
The hearing was about (you guessed it) global warming. I guess the good Senator got a little hot under the collar.<\/p>\n