Richard Pombo, the California Congressman who chairs the House Resources Committee? Pombo sponsored the provision that would use the antiquated mining laws to give public lands to developers, virtually free of charge. This from the same man who wants to revive commercial whaling, strip the Endangered Species Act of critical habitat protections and who has even proposed (just a joke, he says, heh heh) selling off national parks to balance the budget.
Disgraced former FEMA Director Michael Brown, whose gross incompetence was exposed in a series of email messages he sent during the Hurricane Katrina disaster? Informed by a FEMA employee in New Orleans that the situation was "way past critical," Brown responded" Thanks for the update. Anything specific I need to do or tweak?" Great job, Brownie!
Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe who called global warming (and we quote)" the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people and the world," then invited science fiction author Michael Crichton to testify to that effect on the Senate floor?
Tom Delay, the former exterminator and erstwhile majority leader (now under indictment) who once famously called the EPA "the gestapo government" and who, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, claimed there was (stifle your laughter) no pork in the federal budget that could be diverted to disaster relief. Said the Texas Congressman: "After 11 years of Republican majority, we've pared [the budget] down pretty good."
Don Young, who delivered too much pork for just one fork to his home state of Alaska? As chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Young brought home nearly a billion dollars in earmarked projects, including two "Bridges to Nowhere." One connects Ketchikan with Gravina Island (pop 50). Another links Anchorage and, well, nowhere. Of the House version of the transportation bill, Young boasted, "I stuffed it like a turkey."
Or Tom Turkey, the annual recipient of the Thanksgiving Day pardon. Actually, the feathered recipient of the traditional stay of execution is usually granted a more imaginative name than Tom. Last year, for example, it was Biscuits and Gravy. Whatever the name of the bird Bush spares in this year’s ceremony, we doubt he’ll be the biggest turkey in attendance.
