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Pete Stark: I Won't Pee On Angry Constituent's Leg
Ben Frumin | September 15, 2009, 11:04AM
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Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) got a pretty rough earful from an older looking man at a meeting with senior citizens in Fremont, CA, and, well, said a couple less-than-artful things. The man ended his attack on health reform by telling Stark, "Mr. Congressman, don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining."
Stark responded, "I wouldn't dignify you by peeing on your leg. It wouldn't be worth wasting the urine."
Phew. Because peeing on a constituent probably wouldn't be a great way for Stark to get re-elected.
Here's the video:
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Matt Jones
September 15, 2009 11:38 AM
Somebody should tell the angry constituent that if he wants his leg peed on, a Republican meeting is a better place to go.
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JF
September 16, 2009 12:49 AM in reply to Matt Jones
Tell him to stop pissing in his own pants. It'll just ruin his shoes.
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Chris
September 15, 2009 11:40 AM
And these are the people we're supposed to listen to in order to have an honest debate about health care reform?
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Mateo123
September 15, 2009 11:40 AM
Stark never responded to the question about a plan without a public option and an individual mandate. How will people afford it? According to Stark, the government will set the rate. This is pretty difficult to imagine any good coming from that. The government cannot even establish a public option -- and option -- and yet we think it will adequately protect the public from the gouging insurance companies?
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Former Federal Employee
September 15, 2009 12:43 PM in reply to Mateo123
If the government's setting the rate for a subset of the insurance-buying population, that subset is in the public option, regardless of what it's called.
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Cal Gal
September 15, 2009 4:24 PM in reply to Mateo123
Who else will?
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pppwww
September 15, 2009 11:42 AM
i wonder if that constituent receives any benefits from medicare.
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agio
September 15, 2009 11:49 AM
In other words: Stark thinks his constituents concerns aren't worth a squirt of piss.
Stark received more campaign and PAC donations from the health insurance industry (ca. $420k in 2008) than any other contributor.
So at least we should give him credit for being honest.
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Schmed
September 15, 2009 12:21 PM in reply to agio
Well, at least not this one.
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JNagarya
September 15, 2009 1:02 PM in reply to agio
In other words, the constituent, whose freedom of speech is protected, introduced the substance "pee" and accusing Stark not only of peeing on his leg but also of lying about it.
So Stark, whose freedom of speech is protected, responded with a denial of the action of which he'd been accused, and of the alleged lying, basing that upon the same substance introduced by the constituent.
Since when does civility include insulting one's representative -- then blaming the representative for the insult?
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slb
September 15, 2009 1:15 PM in reply to JNagarya
It occurred to me to wonder the same thing.
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CT Voter
September 15, 2009 1:52 PM in reply to JNagarya
Since when does civility include insulting one's representative -- then blaming the representative for the insult?
Since summer, 2009, when many citizens in this country went collectively bonkers and lost control.
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JNagarya
September 15, 2009 3:23 PM in reply to CT Voter
The incivility has been going on since before the OK City bombing.
Since before Clinton was inaugurated the first time.
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GTFOOH
September 15, 2009 1:59 PM in reply to JNagarya
That's the Joe Wilson way!
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agio
September 15, 2009 2:52 PM in reply to JNagarya
FWIW I think both of them were wrong. Urine is not a good topic for political debates.
I kind of like Stark -- the fact that he is an atheist and an MIT alum helps -- but I think in this case he passed up a chance to elevate the debate.
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JNagarya
September 15, 2009 3:26 PM in reply to agio
"Piss on you!" can be a useful retort.
At the same time, I note that it was the classy constituent who injected urine into the debate. So why blame Stark for speaking in terms the dumb-fuck constituent would understand?
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Andreams
September 15, 2009 9:14 PM in reply to agio
Urine is a lot better than the other s%!t thats being thrown around.
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jeffgee
September 15, 2009 4:41 PM in reply to JNagarya
I'm surprised he didn't use the other favorite phrase of the teabaggers "you work for me, not the other way around!"
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lousgirl84
September 15, 2009 2:39 PM in reply to agio
How about posting some factual links to your claim about Stark.
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agio
September 15, 2009 2:48 PM in reply to lousgirl84
The only fact I posted was supported by a link. Not my fault if you didn't follow it.
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Cal Gal
September 15, 2009 4:28 PM in reply to agio
There IS no other contributor who can even come close to the money the health insurance industry is spreading around right now. They're furiously throwing money to everyone, and I suspect they're throwing most at people they have not already convinced.
Who was it said, "If you can't take their money, drink their booze, screw their women and then vote against them, you've got business in politics"?
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GregorZap
September 15, 2009 4:41 PM in reply to Cal Gal
In consideration of the sheer volume of dollars being thrown at the pending reform, has any thought to wonder where that money originated? Premiums from yesterday, dollars that might have been used to actually treat someone. Are they mortgagint omorrow's healthcare with the sheer volume of dollars they're spending today?
I'm just sayin'.
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AhTrini1
September 15, 2009 12:13 PM
ROTFLMBAO!!!!!!!!!!
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debbiedoesnothing
September 15, 2009 12:15 PM
This constituent is actually asking an honest question. He doesn't come across as one of the nutjobs. Stark should be ashamed of himself for refusing to "dignify" him.
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Juble
September 15, 2009 12:33 PM in reply to debbiedoesnothing
Sweet!
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EH
September 15, 2009 3:15 PM in reply to debbiedoesnothing
The citizen forfeited his dignity by quoting Judge Judy.
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pv2k
September 15, 2009 3:22 PM in reply to EH
lmao
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Cal Gal
September 15, 2009 4:38 PM in reply to debbiedoesnothing
I disagree. He said veterans have terrible care and cited Walter Reed. Walter Reed treated active military, not veterans. National surveys rate current Veteran's Administration health care as among the best in the country.
Throughout this tape, people are citing phony right-wing "facts." It's finally time that the Dems start calling this crapola out.
Thank you, Pete.
Oh, and the lady from "good midwestern stock"? Go on back there, honey, and see what kind of job you can get.
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debbiedoesnothing
September 15, 2009 6:27 PM in reply to Cal Gal
The guy was obviously not a professional speaker and didn't have all his facts straight, but he DID have legitimate concerns about the costs and failures at Walter Reed, etc. He (and others who share those concern) deserve answers.
There are plenty of birthers and deathers out there who deserve to be pissed on, but this guy wasn't one of them.
If my personal politics matter, I'm in favor of Medicare for all and disagree with the guy. I just felt that he asked a good question and deserved more respect that he got.
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ru4862
September 15, 2009 12:27 PM
Alright, that's telling em' Pete. Put these anti-reform assholes in their place.
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mjclare
September 15, 2009 12:28 PM
Good retort Mr Stark. :-)
In case the line sounds familiar to you... I was originally used with much more dramatic effect by the traitor Captian Fletcher in the Clint Eastwood movie, The Outlaw Josey Wales.
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twoviragos
September 15, 2009 12:51 PM
Sigh. I don't care what party Stark belongs to, it was a stupid thing to say. And, if we, as liberals, can't admit that it was a stupid thing to say then we are hypocrites when we criticize conservatives for the stupid things they do and say. OK, let the flaming commence.
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Dorn76
September 15, 2009 12:57 PM in reply to twoviragos
It may have been stupid, but it was pretty damn funny.
Everyone says things they regret, and this is no big deal. I would hope Stark shows a bit more respect for his constituents in the future, though.
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JNagarya
September 15, 2009 1:06 PM in reply to twoviragos
Hypocrisy?
Wilson was in Congress when he called President Obama a liar. And in so doing violated a House rule which expressly prohibits calling the president a liar.
Is there a House rule which binds upon Congressmen when in their home district, prohiting them from mud-wrestling with a constituent who initated the mud-wrestling?
We can verbally abuse a representative, but the representative can't respond in kind?
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slb
September 15, 2009 1:18 PM in reply to JNagarya
The House rule doesn't expressly prohibit calling the president a liar. What it does prohibit are ad hominem attacks on the floor of the House.
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JNagarya
September 15, 2009 1:47 PM in reply to slb
McClatchey reports otherwise. So post the rule.
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twoviragos
September 15, 2009 1:19 PM in reply to JNagarya
You said: We can verbally abuse a representative, but the representative can't respond in kind?
I think a better question might be: We can verbally abuse a representative, but should the representative respond in kind?
Call me silly, but I would like it if our political conversations do no devolve into "I know you are but what am I?" Someone needs to be the grown-up if we are going to get anywhere as a civil society.
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JNagarya
September 15, 2009 1:51 PM in reply to twoviragos
Nothing requires the representative to go first, especially when he isn't the first to speak.
The incivility originates by-and-large with constituents, who are the "boss" of the gov't, therefore have the "right" to bully the gov't. Tha includes showing up armed at VOLATILE political events.
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Cal Gal
September 15, 2009 4:42 PM in reply to twoviragos
Respectfully, your attitude is why ReThuglicans can do what they did in August and now into September.
Americans in general are not respectful of each other's opinions and attitudes, and while we were calmly pointing out the facts during August, the shouting, ranting and raving of lie after lie on Faux News and among ReThuglican politicians convinced the stupid among us that their freedom was at stake in this debate.
A quite polite voice is not getting heard in this debate. WE need to shout, too.
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twoviragos
September 15, 2009 9:05 PM in reply to Cal Gal
We all have choices to make. Certainly one choice is screaming and yelling and getting into people's faces. Gone that route at times. It gets me no where with those conservatives who choose to yell and scream (hell, it rarely gets me anywhere with people who are on my side).
I have gone the route of trying to engage in rational dialogue. That does not get anywhere with the other side either. I think (as you said, respectfully) that the attitude that whether we yell or are quietly rational has an impact on the other side in this debate is naive.
They will be who they will be. It's up to each of us to decide who we want to be and I choose not to let you or anyone else define me as somehow less of a fighter or less of a Democrat because I look for a path to civility and am willing to call out those, even those with whom I would typically agree, when they do something I think is neither productive nor respectful.
Of course, none of this has anything to do with my original point, which is that we lose our credibility in condemning people on the other side when they stray from civility if we are not willing to call it out on our own side. Being a Democrat does not mean I am required to walk in a lock step of agreement with everything other Democrats do.
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traitorjoe
September 15, 2009 1:08 PM
Maybe Stark was tired of the Right Wing angry talking points -- all emotion and no logic. There's a fine line between sitting there and taking it like Arlen Specter and fighting back with humor and style like Barney Frank. I give him kudos for saying "enough."
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cuchulain
September 15, 2009 1:11 PM
What's the point in posting such a biased video? It's from the perspective of a "tea bagger", has his comments, his edits, etc.
Don't they get more than enough air time already? Must they also be given a voice on "progressive" blogs as well?
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pv2k
September 15, 2009 1:34 PM in reply to cuchulain
Agreed and it is an edited video besides.
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IMNOTBITTER
September 15, 2009 1:17 PM
Here is how I would have answered:
Well sir I am sorry you have to express yourself that way I would never dream of peeing down your leg but I will remind you that Republicans have been "Trickling down" your entire body for the past 25 years and I am trying to get you dried off a bit!
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twoviragos
September 15, 2009 1:21 PM in reply to IMNOTBITTER
Nice! I hope you are a speech writer and if you aren't you should consider a change in vocation!
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GTFOOH
September 15, 2009 2:01 PM in reply to IMNOTBITTER
Good one!
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king vidor
September 15, 2009 2:01 PM
politicians need to pee, but the Right-Wing Republicans and the health insurance giants are pissing all over us and telling us to take a bath.
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Rich in NJ
September 15, 2009 2:04 PM
How does this old questioner think that Medicare is going to be available for people who are younger than he is if cuts aren't made? I also seriously doubt that he has never failed to receive a Social Security check, so what's his problem with that?
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tim wright
September 15, 2009 2:08 PM
Arguing with those teabagger's is like peeing on a dining room table!
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davcbr
September 15, 2009 2:26 PM
Stark. Yes, Stark.
I thought somebody said Snark!
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tiggers thotful spot
September 15, 2009 2:40 PM
This will probably come back to hurt Stark.
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chard
September 15, 2009 2:54 PM in reply to tiggers thotful spot
I don't know about that...I, for one, am glad to see a Dem not doing the "rope-a-dope."
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acamus
September 15, 2009 2:44 PM
Well, watching the vid, the way I see it: the citizen says what ever Obama says is smoke and mirrors, that every program the government does is broken, and then implys to say otherwise, that it is possible for effective HCR is pissing on his leg and telling him its raining, so the congressman tries to be witty and kind of comes across as crass, but in effect he is saying I'm wasting my words with you because you've already made up your mind.
If the citizen was expressing concern about HCR, but wanted to hear some counter response to those concerns, then that would be another matter.
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Partisancheese
September 15, 2009 2:57 PM
As much as I am in favor of health care reform, Stark's comment was completely disgusting. He's the politician, and he should be keeping it at least half-way classy. Come on, Stark.
Also, I am a little bit concerned about the public option myself. Besides all of that, Stark does a somewhat decent job of describing the plan.
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pv2k
September 15, 2009 4:24 PM in reply to Partisancheese
Why on Earth are you concerned about the public option? It's just buying insurance, isn't it?
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kgb999
September 15, 2009 9:18 PM in reply to Partisancheese
Funny, the public option doesn't bug me at all. I wonder about the changes to the tax code that turn taxation into a coercive penalty.
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JohnW1141
September 15, 2009 2:57 PM
The lady who comes from good midwestern stock who's husband comes from the auto industry and has been out of work since December....she isn't looking for handout.. I wonder if her husband is on unemnployment compensation
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Kevin Cassidy
September 15, 2009 6:59 PM
Given the original statement, non-sequitor as it was, the reply was appropriate.
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VCubed
September 15, 2009 6:59 PM
Stark's in a safe district, no way will he be unseated. And Repubs want civility in this discussion? Then they had best denounce all the lies and disrespect aimed at our POTUS. If you bring up peeing in a public forum, prepare to hear about peeing in the response. And to the genius who made this video and said "How about asking for a valid driver's license?" to prove citizenship: all states do not require proof of citizenship to get a driver's license, duh.
The people who bow down to Australian billionaire Rupert Murdoch's media stations need to get off the anti-immigrant kick - they kiss an immigrant's butt and hand him $$ every time they tune in to FOX, Limbaugh and the rest of their psychos. Only reason Murdoch has citizenship is because he's rich - yep, if you're a millionaire (at least), it's "Come on in!" in America. Even if he turns news reporting into a dung heap in our own United States of America. But these unpatriotic pro-Australian kooks want to keep using the poor working people who put their produce on their tables into a threat? Gimme a break.
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Terry Carroll
September 15, 2009 8:27 PM
When was it that senior citizens became such anti-civil boors? Are they expecting us to follow their lead? What are they teaching the youth and young adults of this nation? "Fuck you, I've got boiling-over emotions on my side"? Is that it? Is that what those who were children during WW-II are requesting of us as a nation?
Pete Stark is no push-over. He doesn't do the Kumbaya like all-too many Democrats. Unfortunately, he also isn't as verbally adept as Barney Frank. That said, the turd with the piss mouth -- and all his ever-coarsening generation -- was asking for a response in kind. And he got it. Now he's whining. Boo hoo.
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Overreach THIS!
September 16, 2009 4:14 AM
About six minutes in, some woman is bloviating (as so often!) about that old chestnut, the Constitution.
I've realized it's a "tell" whenever some concerned citizen is venting about the Constitution, you just know that they lack all knowledge as to the Constitution and just about everything else as well. I'm not quibbling about passages or clauses, mind you, far from it, they literally parade out this talismanic word "Constitution" to mask their complete lack of any informed perspective.
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