LANSING -- The Russian are Coming; the Russian are coming!
At least Sen. Alan Sanborn, R-Richmond, seems to think so. The extreme rightwing Senator has used the statement portion of the Senate session the last three days to rail against the alleged "creep of socialism" in the country, and addressing his fellow Senators as "comrades." He also used it the last three days to attack the President of the United States, the U.S. Congress and especially Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
The time is normally used by the Senators to recognize a special day, event or speak about a pet project issue or bill. Sen. Martha Scott, D- Highland Park, uses the statement section to give an original and impassioned speech on her pet project, insurance reform, every single day, and she always ends it with the cry of "move my bills." A session is not complete until we hear from Sen. Scott.
What they don't do is insult each other, and the deliberative body never addresses a colleague by name, using the phrase "the Gentlemen from Howell" or "the Lady from the Second District." But Sanborn's rant was a little over the top on Thursday, even for him, and he took out his shoe and banged it on the rostrum. I though he might consider throwing it at someone considering how unbalanced the man seems to be.
But, apparently, he thought it was October 1960 and he was Nikita Khrushchev in the UN General Assembly held in New York. His boorish behavior certainly reflects that he was Khrushchev, but Sanborn was on the floor of the Michigan Senate in 2009.
His ridiculous behavior was too much for an exasperated Sen. Gilda Jacobs, D-Huntington Woods, and she appealed for respectful behavior on the floor.
"We have young people here witnessing this unusual and weird behavior," she said. "This whole thing just saddens me that we have to stoop to these theatrics."
2 comments:
The Republicans have become name callers of the 1st degree. It seems rational discussion is not viewed as manly and name calling is what is accepted over reason. They will continue to lose the respect of the public and lose more elections if they don't act in a civil manner.
It is fine with me!
This guy’s performance had to be seen to be believed. I know both the Dem and Repub caucuses tape those statements. Senate Republicans posted the statement from Mike Bishop calling for a special election to replace Mark Schauer, who spoke right after Comrade Sanborn. I notice they didn’t post Sanborn’s performance.
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