The Onion ran this spoof:
Planned Parenthood Opens $8 Billion Abortionplex
TOPEKA, KS—Planned Parenthood announced Tuesday the grand opening of its long-planned $8 billion Abortionplex, a sprawling abortion facility that will allow the organization to terminate unborn lives with an efficiency never before thought possible.
During a press conference, Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards told reporters that the new state-of-the-art fetus-killing facility located in the nation’s heartland offers quick, easy, in-and-out abortions to all women, and represents a bold reinvention of the group’s long-standing mission and values.
etc etc etc
Then, John Fleming, Jr. a Louisiana physician and Republican U.S. Congresspreson from Louisiana’s 4th district, posted it on Facebook with this note:
[original story from HERE]
The post has since been taken down.
Now, anybody can make a mistake. I suppose. But this kind of mistake is funny enough to tell you about.
Flemming is actually somewhat famous as that guy who said that millionaires should not be taxed because they have less money than people think they have. From Wikipedia:
“In a September 19, 2011 interview on MSNBC, in which Fleming criticized President Obama’s proposed plan to increase taxes on the wealthy, Fleming told host Chris Jansing, “The amount that I have to invest in my business and feed my family is more like $600,000 of that $6.3 million…. So by the time I feed my family I have, maybe, $400,000 left over to invest in new locations, upgrade my locations, buy more equipment.” When Jansing asked Fleming if he thought the “average person” might be unsympathetic to Fleming’s position, Fleming responded, “Class warfare never created a job…This is not about attacking people who make certain incomes. You know in this country, most people feel that being successful in their business is a virtue, not a vice, and once we begin to identify it as a vice, this country is going down.””
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…which brings to mind ‘The Daily Show’ comment that there is no IQ test for Congress…
Gwen, I was thinking of that, but that was specifically “no iq test for the senate” and this is the house. I was thinking there was an iq test for the house (with a maximum limit for Republicans).
I don’t think Mark Twain’s words on the subject have ever been bettered.
So … where did the other 5.7 million go?
I’m wondering if I’m assuming too much privilege: it seems odd to me that gaffes like these happen to public figures with considerable access to contemporary resources such as money, staff, media, and computers and related telecommunications infrastructure.
I find it perfectly reasonable that any number of factors might mean Rep. Flemming as an individual is unfamiliar with The Onion and its satire. There are plenty of media tropes, memes, organizations, lingo, and other socio-cultural constructs that I don’t know about, and the same is true for any person in any generation.
What I don’t understand is: was there no one among Flemming’s staff or affiliates who was familiar with The Onion? Was there no one for whom the moment they saw the headline thought, “Hmmm. Not sure if that’s true, this warrants additional investigation before speaking out?
Or is it even more cynical: regardless of any input from staffers familiar with The Onion, it’s important to go ahead and blow a dog whistle anyway? If the latter, though, why take the post down later?
Am I just exceedingly ignorant on this? Is it as simple as Flemming is particularly gullible or has no time to research issues before making public statements (that latter is more troubling, I think, in the long run, especially given his occupation)? Anyone have any insights?
Still learning,
Robert
… or it could have been just a staffer, and the member himself has never seen facebook. (Former staffer?)
His family sure eats well.
Greg,
Ah, o.k., I hadn’t thought of that possibility. Thank you for additional hypothesis.
Still learning,
Robert
Ok, that’s hilarious. I haven’t laughed so hard at a news event in quite awhile! I’m not necessarily laughing at the anti-abortionists, I’m laughing at the incapability to understand satire. They just need to watch some good ol’ Monty Python!!! Ah, the world would be a better place if more people watched MP.
I thought that was from ‘Religulous’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTSCRoYyM-Y
Yes, that too. It was from Religulous.
Offshore account. Doesn’t count. That’s his retirement fund.