So, we’re a month into the semester now. Senate elections are coming up, midterms are starting to rear their ugly heads and Starbucks employees are probably already tired of making pumpkin-spiced anything. In that spirit, here’s your it’s-finally-fall-and-we-don’t-melt-immediately-after-walking-outside edition of Darts & Laurels.
It sometimes seems like the pundits on Fox News Channel are all in competition with one another to see who can make the most ignorant, offensive or just-plain-stupid statement. On Tuesday, Greg Gutfeld, one of the hosts of Fox News Channel’s "The Five," may have set a new standard for idiocy during a conversation about climate change. When the discussion shifted to the topic of renewable and alternative energy sources, Gutfeld had this to say: "Isn’t fossil fuels the ultimate renewable energy? It’s renewed once. It used to be a dinosaur. Now it’s fuel. How is that not renewable?" Now, that’s a special kind of stupid.
Not to be outdone, one of Gutfeld’s co-hosts, Eric Bolling, decided to add his own misogynistic twist to a story about Mariam al-Mansouri, a female fighter pilot who led the United Arab Emirates’ airstrikes against the terrorist Islamic State group. Rather than praising al-Mansouri, Bolling derisively referred to her military service as "boobs on the ground." We implore Gutfeld and Bolling to at least try to think for a second or two before they speak, for all of our sakes. A pair of is-it-really-possible-to-be-that-dumb? DARTs go to Greg Gutfeld and Eric Bolling.
Maine Gov. Paul LePage has gained a reputation for being one of the most conservative governors in the U.S. Lepage has shown a particular disdain for the women of his state, cutting access to reproductive health care and slashing the budgets of vital social programs." Given LePage’s history on women’s issues, it was a bit surprising to learn that he recently wrote a letter to Roger Goodell, commissioner of the NFL, and offered to create a coalition of governors to work on issues of domestic violence. In the letter, LePage wrote: "I grew up in a cycle of domestic violence, and I know how it tears apart families and communities." It’s unlikely that the proposal represents a major shift in LePage’s general views on women, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction. A right-for-a-change LAUREL to Paul LePage.
LePage wasn’t the only Republican politician to make a strong and much-needed political statement this week. Rep. David Jolly, R-Fla., wrote a letter to the House Rules Committee simply suggesting that Congress work more. Under Jolly’s proposal, any week that Congress is in session, members should work five full days — Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jolly’s letter is an important reminder that members of Congress are largely failing to deal with the critical issues that Americans expect their elected representatives to address. Hopefully congressional leaders will take Jolly’s consideration seriously. If they do, who knows? Congress might actually get something done beyond naming post offices and repealing "Obamacare" for the millionth time. We’re giving an at-least-you’re-trying LAUREL to Rep. David Jolly.
[A version of this story ran on page 6 on 9/26/2014 under the headline "Darts & Laurel"]
