# Finally, the serious business of Congres: !"French" Fries?! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 17, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077 "2003-09-17T02:58:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Beagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Beagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beagle)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/1 "2003-09-17T02:58:52Z")
I can tolerate debating the merits of “National Potato Week,” or “A resolution in favor of apple pie.” That’s typical beginning of session BS. This, OTOH, is what we pay them for? To be non-partisan I have carefully bolded quotes from both parties, with intent to ridicule. [Eh?](http://news.yahoo.com/fc?tmpl=fc&cid=34&in=us&cat=us_congress) > [@](#): > > WASHINGTON - With America needing all the help it can get in Iraq, it’s time to swallow our pride and give the French back their fries, a House lawmaker said in a letter to her colleagues. > > House Republican leaders last March, angered by French opposition to U.S. plans to take military action against Iraq, ordered that all restaurants in the House replace the french fries on their menus with “freedom fries.” But now, said Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, we need to bring the French back to the table. > > **"President Bush is now urging that all parties put aside ‘past bickering.’ Delays in rebuilding international good will are costing Americans lives in Iraq, and billions of dollars to the American taxpayers," Lee wrote last week in a letter first reported by the congressional newspaper Roll Call. "A symbolic start to that effort would be reinstating foods in the House cafeterias and dining halls and their traditional ‘American’ names — french toast and french fries."** > [@](#): > > But House Administration Committee Chairman Bob Ney, R-Ohio, who initiated the menu change with Rep. Walter Jones (news, bio, voting record), R-N.C., said they’ll continue to fight for their freedom fries. > > Ney said that the day after Jackson Lee wrote her letter the French came out with an untenable timetable for elections in Iraq, confounding U.S. efforts to win United Nations (news - web sites) backing for the reconstruction effort. \*\*“They were noncooperative and arrogant then,” before the war, “and they are again noncooperative and arrogant,” Ney said. “I haven’t seen a huge change.” > > Ney said that was originally a gesture toward the French “has become an international food fight. It means something to a lot of people.”\*\* Because Congress would not air such a juvenille irrelevant dispute in public, right? There must be legislation involved? Nope. :smack: Sure, there is nothing preventing anyone from saying or eating “FRENCH” fries. This is really is just about menus and a sign in the cafeteria… :smack: Next: The Cincinatti Cream Cheese Incident. FWIW, they’re French fries to me. Or, pomme frites. (Haven’t spelled that in about 17 years, close?) I really prefer “You’re with us or with the terrorists fries.” That’s a mouthful. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/2 "2003-09-17T03:21:40Z")
This is just too funny. > [@](#): > > [http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1521&e=22&u=/afp/20030916/pl\_afp/us\_congress\_france\_iraq\_030916130709](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1521&e=22&u=/afp/20030916/pl_afp/us_congress_france_iraq_030916130709) > > the president’s chef recently declared to the chefs to the world’s heads of state, meeting in Paris recently, that French fries were never taken off of the White House menu." I was more mature than all this by age 15. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/3 "2003-09-17T03:22:53Z")
What a bunch of fucking dumbasses. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/4 "2003-09-17T03:40:19Z")
If I were prime minister, I wouldn’t be eating French fries _anyway._ (Okay, I would occasionally slip incognito to the St-Henri Belle Province for a poutine. But that’s _it._ ---
**Author:** ![Beagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Beagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beagle)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/5 "2003-09-17T03:48:42Z")
"This is a two-parter… 1. What if, in fact, French fries were once removed from the White House menu, or added back to the Congressional menu? 2. How does this change the deteriorating situation in Iraq and bickering among the so-called great powers picking over the carcass of war-torn nation?" I’d love to ask one of these pinheads. Follow up… “Specifically, will the resolution of the fry issue pave the way for significant restructuring of Iraqi debt?” ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/6 "2003-09-17T03:52:35Z")
What’s the big deal? She sent around a “Dear Colleague” letter saying, “Y’know, maybe it’s time Congress stopped being juvenile with regards to the French.” The Republicans in question, when asked aobu it, then said, “Can’t make us. Nyah, nyah, nyah.” Ms. Jackson Lee most likely never even saw the final draft of the letter, and just told an intern to draft a letter and have the LD or whoever look it over and sign her name to it. Significant time is not being paid to this issue. ---
**Author:** ![Age\_Quod\_Agis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d07c76/32.png) [@Age\_Quod\_Agis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Age_Quod_Agis)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/7 "2003-09-17T03:55:45Z")
If this works, I vote we change the name to “Israeli-Palestinean Fries” and see if we can take care of that mess, too. ---
**Author:** ![Cerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Cerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerri)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/8 "2003-09-17T11:00:58Z")
The knowledge that these infantile people have a hand in ruling the country makes me weep. ---
**Author:** ![refusal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@refusal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/refusal)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/9 "2003-09-17T11:58:28Z")
Well they’re crap at writing laws, so why not let them devote their time to writing menus? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/10 "2003-09-17T12:02:28Z")
Laughing. Stock. Of the entire. World. Sorry, it’s true, with regard to this issue. ---
**Author:** ![Beagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Beagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beagle)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/11 "2003-09-17T12:28:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*Laughing. Stock. Of the entire. World. > > Sorry, it’s true, with regard to this issue. \*\* Don’t bother saying “sorry.” They’re the laughing stock of my entire house. Every once in a while, the legislature really makes me wonder if they have any sense of what it is they are supposed to be doing. Fighting over french fries is going to have _any_ effect at all? Really? They sound like they mean it. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/12 "2003-09-17T13:02:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*Laughing. Stock. Of the entire. World. > > Sorry, it’s true, with regard to this issue. \*\* Or at least as stupid as the French Language Police blowing a gasket every time their countrymen decide to use some English language term instead of a non-existent French equivalent, thereby degrading the Sacred Mother Tongue and causing a crisis almost as critical as a shortage of snails. There’ve been how many episodes of this silliness? The French _owe_ us at least one potato product squabble. I am waiting for some Congressional genius to discover that _home fries_ sound much more patriotic, as well as being tastier and better for you than the salt and fat-ridden objects the French are trying to poison us with via McDonald’s and other outlets. Especially the sweet potato home fries. And there’s a tie-in with Homeland Security!! I would e-mail my Congressperson, only I am too busy with the last-minute campaign to get Hurricane Isabel renamed Hurricane Sheila Jackson Lee. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/13 "2003-09-17T13:19:37Z")
Actually, they already serve “home fries” in Ireland; sometimes they’re fat chips (French fries) but they’re usually wedges (and usually really badly cooked). I advise against this practice. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/14 "2003-09-17T13:42:16Z")
Who do I email in NY to voice my disgust at this stupidity? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/15 "2003-09-17T13:44:44Z")
You need to try the real stuff, preferably with some good barbecue (next time you visit central Ohio, lunch is on me.) Barbecue may be the great unexplored avenue to improving international relations. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Beagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Beagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beagle)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/16 "2003-09-17T13:45:34Z")
Homeland Fries, beat the terrorists burger, and a Coke please. If it wasn’t more-than-vaguely Orwellian it would be totally hilarious. The French language police _used to be_ something I could ridicule. Apparently that’s only worth “one potato product squabble.” Thanks for taking that from me, you pinheads in DC. I’m afraid we may owe the French. This isn’t even the first fried potato squabble. Nor, I fear, will it be the last. Who knows what could happen with baked? :o ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/17 "2003-09-17T14:06:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*Laughing. Stock. Of the entire. World. > > Sorry, it’s true, with regard to this issue. \*\* Eh, it’s the laughingstock of 95% of this country, too. [quote] _Originally posted by World Eater_ **Who do I email in NY to voice my disgust at this stupidity?** Well, without knowing your exact address, I can’t tell you exactly, but it would be your representative. Who is your representative you ask? Well, you should know but if you don’t, [if you know your ZIP+4 you can find out here](http://www.house.gov/). If you don’t know your ZIP+4, then just put in your ZIP and if that doesn’t narrow it down then they will direct you to the USPS site with a ZIP+4 finder. Don’t bother sending an e-mail to one of these jokers if they aren’t your rep, they’ll just pass it along to whoever is your rep, or just delete it if they can’t figure it out within 5 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/18 "2003-09-17T14:08:34Z")
Bah. #$%@\*& coding errors. Mods, feel free to fix. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/19 "2003-09-17T14:16:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jackmannii \* > \*\*You need to try the real stuff, preferably with some good barbecue (next time you visit central Ohio, lunch is on me.) > > Barbecue may be the great unexplored avenue to improving international relations. 😃 \*\* Ah, thanks, **Jackmannii** , that’s really sweet of you. The same applies in Dublin re Guinness (but not fries of any kind). ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077/20 "2003-09-17T14:21:50Z")
BTW, “le picnic” and “le weekend”, and the apoplexy that these words induce in certain quarters in Paris, are also highly amusing. Now excusez moi while I get back to work on my ordinateur. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-serious-business-of-congres-french-fries/202077.md?page=2)