# Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) hoisted on her own petard **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 15, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352 "2013-10-15T21:49:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/41 "2013-10-16T20:30:22Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Our nation needs to stop increasingly borrowing more and more money. Our congress needs to figure out how to raise more funds and spend less. Until then, this looming debt crisis staring us in the face every few months is healthy because the alternative is worse. We **did** figure out how to raise more funds and spend less, during the Clinton administration. But under the Bush administration, that sort of fiscal prudence was apparently considered less important than tax cuts for the rich and extremely expensive military undertakings, as you can see from the following graph: [Tax Cuts, Wars Account for Nearly Half of Public Debt by 2019](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/files/2012/09/Parfait-using-debt-gdp-2001-2019-5-12-11-FINAL.jpg) There is no actual debt “crisis”. There are just a lot of powerful and extremely wealthy conservatives addicted to unrealistically low top marginal tax rates, as well as a lot of neoconservatives addicted to military adventurism, and a lot of ordinary conservatives swallowing the bullshit they dish out. They are the primary cause of those massive splashes of orange and red in that graph. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/42 "2013-10-16T21:40:40Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Its a retard with a hoist, isn’t it? Like impound tow truck driver? Marsha Blackburn, moistened by a lone retard? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/43 "2013-10-16T23:52:39Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > No, I’m saying a competent professional politician… OK, now I understand your mistake. We’re talking about members of the House of Representatives. I’m sure there are many “competent professional politicians” in that august body, but there are any number of yahoos as well. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/44 "2013-10-17T01:10:33Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > But I disagree with the idea of calling any question that the subject doesn’t want to answer a “gotcha”. > > In this case, it was an obvious question and Blackburn should have been prepared to answer it if it was asked. > > “Do you hate Obamacare more than you love your country?” > “No, Tom, we hate Obamacare because we love our country. We believe Obamacare is a bad law that will hurt Americans. So while we didn’t want a government shutdown, we felt that allowing Obamacare to go into full effect would be worse.” The problem is that GOP central has cross-talk in its talking points. They didn’t want to concede that the shutdown was their doing. ## But the shutdown _was_ their doing, and there are umpteen videos of them threatening to shutdown the government if Obamaramacare wasn’t appealed. A generation ago, they would not have tried to pull such a stunt. But given today’s bifurcated media environment the Republicans believe they can get away with talking out of both sides of their mouth. Fox News and squack radio don’t care, and they are the ones who affect Republican primaries the most. 2 straws in the wind: 1. McConnell & Paul’s open mike. [http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/paul-caught-hot-mic?lite=](http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/paul-caught-hot-mic?lite=) 2. Sam Wang notes that there might be 50-50 chance of the Dems taking the House according to the polls, up from maybe 13% before the shutdown. [http://election.princeton.edu/2013/10/10/a-prediction-for-2014-house-elections-take-1/](http://election.princeton.edu/2013/10/10/a-prediction-for-2014-house-elections-take-1/) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/45 "2013-10-17T01:16:02Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > The problem is that GOP central has cross-talk in its talking points. They didn’t want to concede that the shutdown was their doing. > > But the shutdown _was_ their doing, and there are umpteen videos of them threatening to shutdown the government if Obamaramacare wasn’t appealed. The bigger problem they’re having is they’re still in the middle of it and they don’t yet know how it’s going to end. The House Republicans want to somehow position themselves so they can claim all the credit for the shutdown if it succeeds while denying all blame for the shutdown if it fails. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/46 "2013-10-17T01:20:31Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Yes, you are seeing what you want to see. I get it. > > Our nation needs to stop increasingly borrowing more and more money. Our congress needs to figure out how to raise more funds and spend less. Until then, this looming debt crisis staring us in the face every few months is healthy because the alternative is worse. > > I think the ACA is a wise policy course and a solid investment, so do the American people apparently or the GOP stunt wouldn’t have failed. But it does cost at the front end so lets not pretend the Debt Ceiling has nothing to do with beginning a massive government program and anyone who stands in the way is an obstructionist moron. > > Or you could just cherry pick quotes to support your prejudice. That works too. I really don’t understand what point you’re trying to make here. I feel like you’re arguing with somebody else who’s making posts in my name that I can’t see. Could you explain what the connection is between what I wrote and what you said in response? What do you think my “prejudices” are here? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/47 "2013-10-17T01:57:19Z")
> [@11811](#): > > Marsha Blackburn, moistened by a lone retard? A blunder of hooves, a cloud of duh’s! Its the _Looooone_ Retard! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/48 "2013-10-17T02:02:32Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > A blunder of hooves, a cloud of duh’s! Its the _Looooone_ Retard! _golf clap_ ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/49 "2013-10-17T02:16:56Z")
Its usually “golf clap **s** ”. Plural. But thanks, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/50 "2013-10-17T02:26:38Z")
The \* \* indicate the verb form. I was performing the action. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/51 "2013-10-17T02:28:08Z")
If I could recover that quickly and that well, I’d still be married. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/52 "2013-10-17T14:09:22Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Mind you, tripping an interviewee up with a loaded question can be a useful tactic to get at the truth (ala Frost V Nixon) It worked like a charm in this case, exposing two truths: [ol] [li]Blackburn is too cowardly and partisan to accept GOP responsibility for the fiasco.[/li][li]Blackburn is too stupid to think of the obvious spin suggested by several others on this thread.[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2014, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/53 "2014-01-29T14:42:07Z")
So Blackburn was hoisted again… This time by [Rachel Maddow’s Blog](http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/blackburn-reflects-thriving-economy) > [@](#): > > Thursday, Obama will take his message to Tennessee. > > Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) decided to extend a caustic “welcome” to the president in advance of his visit to her home state. > > > [@](#): > > > > \*“Welcome to Tennessee,” she said. “While you’re here take a look around because this is what a thriving economy looks like. > > > > “Despite what your teleprompter may tell you, our success is not a result of your failed policies. It’s rooted in what’s always made our state and country great – hard work, ingenuity and fiscal responsibility.”\* > > I was struck by Blackburn’s boast: if Obama wants to see “what a thriving economy looks like,” the president should look no further than the Volunteer State. > > Is that true? > > I checked the handy dandy chart from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which shows that Tennessee’s unemployment rate is 8.1%, more than a full point higher than the national average. That doesn’t sound especially impressive. > > But it gets worse. On a national level, Tennessee ranks 43rd out of 50 states when it comes to unemployment, with 50 being the worst. In fact, Tennessee is one of only a handful of states that saw its jobless rate go up, not down, over the last year. (Republicans control the state House, state Senate, and governor’s office, making it tough for GOP officials to blame Democrats.) > > So here’s the follow-up question for Blackburn: does she know that Tennessee has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, and unlike most states, it’s not improving? And if she does know that, why would she say the state economy is “thriving”? > > Maybe someone could put the answer on a teleprompter? ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2014, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/54 "2014-01-29T15:08:48Z")
God, I can’t stand that woman. It almost makes me want to move to Williamson County so I can vote against her (not that my own representative is that much better). In the state GOP’s defense, they haven’t had time to work on the unemployment situation. They’re busy making sure that towns and cities in Tennessee can’t take away people’s rights to [walk around in public parks with loaded handguns](http://www.tennessean.com/viewart/20140129/NEWS02/301290162/Guns-parks-measure-heads-full-Senate). ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/55 "2014-01-30T02:37:02Z")
> [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](#): > > So Blackburn was hoisted again… This time by [Rachel Maddow’s Blog](http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/blackburn-reflects-thriving-economy) This response did make the local news, but mor like she was proud of her assholery. :rolleyes:I’m just glad she doesn’t represent my district. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/56 "2014-01-30T16:41:43Z")
> [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](#): > > Because the damage to the country over a flag pin is completely comparable with the siutation now that Republicans have willingly and intentionally put us in. :rolleyes: > > Do Republicans ever have equivilancies that are not false? So how is your argument anywhere near a true equivalency? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/57 "2014-01-31T02:04:52Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > So how is your argument anywhere near a true equivalency? You realize this is an old thread, right? And you’re playing “Nuh-uh! What about YOU?!?” on a comment made over three months ago? ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/58 "2014-01-31T02:45:17Z")
> [@digs](#): > > You realize this is an old thread, right? Do you? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/59 "2014-01-31T02:52:38Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Do you? Since he just informed you of the fact, I would say yes. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352/60 "2014-01-31T13:29:56Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Since he just informed you of the fact, I would say yes. So…posting in an old thread is a bad idea, is that it? Hmmm. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marsha-blackburn-r-tn-hoisted-on-her-own-petard/671352.md?page=4)