THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD
(apologies to Keith Olbermann)
Rep. Phil Gingrey (R- GA)
[Representative Phil] Gingrey has led the charge in the House to end the subsidy, introducing the “No Special Treatment for Congress Act” […] The Georgia Republican, whose latest personal financial-disclosure forms show his net worth is at least $3 million, had little sympathy for lawmakers and even less for staff. Capitol Hill aides, he said “may be 33 years old now and not making a lot of money. But in a few years they can just go to K Street,” the Washington, D.C., vernacular for becoming a lobbyist, “and make 500,000 a year. Meanwhile I’m stuck here making $172,000 a year.”
I’m torn; I don’t whether to roundly ridicule Gingrey or set up a Kickstarter campaign to help the poor guy make ends meet.
Ah, who am I kidding? Of course I’m going to roundly ridicule Gingrey, if for no other reason than he’s so richly deserving of it. One of the most insensitive, mean-spirited ideologues in Congress, Gingrey may not be as intellectually challenged as Michele Bachmann, Steve King, or Louie Gohmert. He may not be as creepily and reflexively ultraconservative as former Congressman Allen West or as aggressively hypocritical as Tim Huelskamp…but he’s not far behind. He may not be the best at those things, but he’s very, VERY good.
Gingrey makes far more than most Americans…and he’s blessed to have a job that demands far less than what most Americans have to deal with on a daily basis. Yet he sees nothing inappropriate about complaining that he makes ONLY $172,000? Gingrey is a fortunate person to be in the position he’s in…and it’s not as if being a Congressman doesn’t come with a few pretty awesome perks- like the best healthcare plan in the country, f’rinstance. Millions of Americans of lesser means would gladly trade places with Gingrey and “suffer” as he clearly has been.
When you hit your knees tonight, it might be a nice gesture to send up a prayer for Gingrey. Then again, if he can’t make ends meet on $172,000 a year…well, cry me a freakin’ river, knowhutimean?? I think I’ll let someone else set up that Kickstart campaign.
