Congressman Jack Kingston (R-Ga.)…who has represented District 1 in southeast Georgia since 1993, was the only member of Congress to oppose House Resolution 39, which commended “the University of Florida Gators for their victory in the 2006 Bowl Championship Series (BCS) and for winning the national college football championship.”
The House bill passed by a vote of 414-1. Eight other congressmen from Georgia voted yes to the proposal, two voted present and two others didn’t vote at all. The bill was sponsored by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) and 19 other representatives from Florida.
I don’t know which part I find the funniest. There’s a lot to choose from.
1) Congress takes time (granted probably about 5 minutes) to pass a resolution commending a college football team.
2) That one Congressman from Georgia chose to give the Gators the finger just for spite.
3) Or that 4 Congresspeople chose to neither support or oppose the resolution! How worried are you about public opinion that you can’t take a stance on whether or not to support a meaningless , non-binding resolution about college football? Can you imagine the staff meeting of those 4 Georgia reps:
“John, how should we vote on this Florida Gators thing?”
“Well, we don’t want to look like we are anti-Georgia.”
“But won’t a no vote look mean and spiteful? I thought we were trying to shed that image.”
“Maybe supporting another state would show true bi-partisanship and a willingness to work together.”
“Ted, that was Augusta National. They’re threatening to pull all of our golf privileges if we support the measure.”
“Mary just called with the polling data. 94% hate the Gators, but 54% of those are glad at least the SEC won. “
“Maybe we could tack on a rider that says we support the resolution, but think the school should be investigated.”
“Damn those Florida Gators. I just don’t know what we should do.”
