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[4/365] 116th Congress
Jan. 4th, 2019 03:09 pmI saw an article shared about Kyrsten Simena geting sworn in on a copy of the Arizona and U.S. constitutions rather than a religious text, which is pretty great in itself (why don't they all swear on the Constitution? that's an awesome idea) but what made me share it myself was the picture:
I said, "Making a fascist vice president glare at you like that is so totally bi culture."
When I did, a friend said, "between this and the post from Rep. Omar's father about arriving into the airport...getting a bit weepy." I didn't know this story (despite it featuring one of Minnesota's newly-famous politicians!), so went to look it up. It turns out Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN of course) and her dad realized that when they flew into Washington D.C. for her swearing-in, it was to an airport they hadn't been to since they first entered the country as refugees, twenty-three years ago. That gives me goosebumps.
Looking up that story about Rep. Omar, I also read
But I'm not just happy for them because they're so cute and happy and clearly delighted to be there -- though I am (Ilhan's Twitter is a joy right now). I'm happy because they are already doing things. After the frustrating, terrifying and dangerous rhetoric we're all sick of from the Democrats (and some opposition parties in this country, ahem) that you don't want to differ too much from the ruling party or no one will vote for you, it is a relief to see "Medicare for All" (i.e. dragging the U.S. kicking and screaming into nationalized health care) and "the Green New Deal" (i.e. can we at least stop accelerating the climate catastrophe we've induced?) being seriously pursued.
They're still a long way away, and the suffering is right here now, but they're proof that the bipartisan Boomer stranglehold on U.S. politics -- which was happy to burn the oil, lowering their taxes so we can't have nice things, and securing the value of their assets and property at the expense of everyone who came after them -- may finally be breaking.
I said, "Making a fascist vice president glare at you like that is so totally bi culture."
When I did, a friend said, "between this and the post from Rep. Omar's father about arriving into the airport...getting a bit weepy." I didn't know this story (despite it featuring one of Minnesota's newly-famous politicians!), so went to look it up. It turns out Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN of course) and her dad realized that when they flew into Washington D.C. for her swearing-in, it was to an airport they hadn't been to since they first entered the country as refugees, twenty-three years ago. That gives me goosebumps.
Looking up that story about Rep. Omar, I also read
When she takes office, Omar will also become the first person to wear a headscarf on the House floor. During her orientation and transition period, Omar worked alongside incoming House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi and incoming House ules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern to amend a 181-year-old rule that would have forbidden her from doing so.And it wasn't long until I read about Ilhan's co-first Muslim woman in Congress, Rashida "We're Gonna Impeach the Motherfucker" Tlaib (D-MI). Honestly I hope that is soon her official nickname.
But I'm not just happy for them because they're so cute and happy and clearly delighted to be there -- though I am (Ilhan's Twitter is a joy right now). I'm happy because they are already doing things. After the frustrating, terrifying and dangerous rhetoric we're all sick of from the Democrats (and some opposition parties in this country, ahem) that you don't want to differ too much from the ruling party or no one will vote for you, it is a relief to see "Medicare for All" (i.e. dragging the U.S. kicking and screaming into nationalized health care) and "the Green New Deal" (i.e. can we at least stop accelerating the climate catastrophe we've induced?) being seriously pursued.
They're still a long way away, and the suffering is right here now, but they're proof that the bipartisan Boomer stranglehold on U.S. politics -- which was happy to burn the oil, lowering their taxes so we can't have nice things, and securing the value of their assets and property at the expense of everyone who came after them -- may finally be breaking.