Monday, May 19, 2008

Don't Drink The Baby's Bathwater When You Throw It Out With The Kool-Aid....or something like that

One of the few Congressmen willing to stand up to the Farm Lobby is Arizona's Jeff Flake.
I think he got his metaphors confused in this remark reported by The Prince Of Darkness, Robert Novak.

(Paul) Ryan's fellow reformer, 45-year-old Jeff Flake of Arizona, in his fourth term, is less cautious about defying the leadership and has been kept off key committees. On Wednesday, he said of a $300 billion bill that raises farm subsidies and is filled with non-farm pork, "Sometimes, here in Washington, we tend to drink our own bath water and believe our own press releases."

However admirable Congressman Flake's policies may be, I believe "bath water" is not what Congress drinks, but is what Congress throws babies out with. The "Kool Aid" is what Congress persuades foolish voters to drink. It's a reference to Jim Jones poisoning his followers in Guyana.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think he was referring to this quote: http://ayrshireblog.blogspot.com/2007/05/best-quote-of-scottish-election.html.

The Whited Sepulchre said...

Dear Anon,
Thanks for the clarification.
I'd heard of it, but I don't think the Republicans are in love with themselves, as would be the case with someone who drinks his/her bathwater.
I think the more accurate metaphor would be that the Republicans genuinely believe that they can continue to spend money on lunatic projects like the one above. With no consequences.

With the lonely exception of Jeff Flake, they have drunk the poison Kool Aid, sprinkled some on their salads, brushed their teeth with it, and used it to gargle.