How did I miss this when it happened three years ago? For some reason, the video below of Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee from 2010 got recirculated on the internet over the last couple of days. She thinks that North and South Vietnam are still discrete, separate nations. But that’s not all. (Lee is the same Democrat–from Houston no less–who wondered if the Mars Rover could find the flag Neil Armstrong planted. On Mars. Seriously.) No wonder we got Obamacare. (Video just one minute long. Worth it for what it tells us.)
JOHN adds: I have long been struck by this difference between Democrats and Republicans: Republican elites are deeply embarrassed by stupid Republicans, of whom there are, undeniably, a few. They go to great lengths to disassociate themselves from Republicans who are dumb, or are perceived as such, and consider low-information Republicans to be a serious blight on the party. Democrats, on the other hand, are completely shameless. Have you ever heard any Democrat express embarrassment at any other Democrat, no matter how stupid, and try to disassociate himself from the ignorant elements of his party? No. There are a number of Democrats in Congress, not to mention the rank and file, who are complete morons. Sheila Jackson Lee has lots of company. But do smarter Democrats care? Do they shiver with embarrassment when a member of their party worries that Guam may tip over, or thinks Obama is going to fill up her gas tank, or doesn’t know the difference between Mars and the Moon? Not at all! This difference between the parties strikes me as profound, but its full elucidation will have to await another day.
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