Oh, man that's sad. I don't know if the relationship between legislators from opposite parties is anything like the relationship litigators have with opposing counsel, but it seems as if the dynamic might be similar. I've worked on cases where I got along fine with opposing counsel (Remember the Warner Brothers cartoon with Wile. E. Coyote and the sheepdog? They show up in the mornings, greet each other, punch in on the time-clock, spend the morning beating the hell out of each other, punch out and have a pleasant lunch together... like that.) and cases where I hated opposing counsel and thought they were vicious, incompetent crooks, and oh, man is everyone better off when you can get along. The clients are better off, because the bills aren't getting run up in pointless squabbling and settlements are easier to get to, and the lawyers are infinitely better off because we aren't giving ourselves ulcers.
The thought of that kind of a poisonous atmosphere in the Capitol is just so sad.
Do the Republicans let women play? A friend was telling me that her company takes its softball team way seriously and discouraged women from playing. (Since there's a sexual harassment suit in in the works in a related outfit, she thought this was, um, not wise on their part.)
That article was depressing on so many levels, but that detail that junior aides and interns were dispatched to sit on the public fields for hours to secure the diamond for the government teams made me extra sad.
3 - Really? That's weird. Usually co-ed softball teams require a certain number of women. Most years my company team is begging for women because they have plenty of guys but can't meet the girl quota.
These guys work in a sports-related company and probably all wanted to be athletes: the softball diamond has become the last possible field of glory, and they're not going to give it up.
If the Republicans are so concerned about having competitive teams, I wonder if there is subtle or not so subtle pressure to keep female numbers low. Got to have all the upper body strength you can get.
Did you read the article? They're not even calling balls and strikes -- you wait for a pitch you like. I don't know if there are or aren't women playing, but if there aren't, it isn't because the softball is too competitive.
No, or at least that's not the complaint. The complaint is that the playoffs don't seed the top teams against weak teams, so the top teams have to play each other early, and the weak teams have a chance of making it most of the way through (although I suppose they hit the stronger teams eventually).
It's a goddamn softball league, so the merits of the complaints are irrelevant anyway. What's sad is just that it's breaking up on party lines.
Whatever. The linked post said that 110 of the 190 teams followed the Republicans, and that not all of the teams that left were Republican teams. (Given the specific phrasing, I'm guessing that there were a substantial number of Democratic teams that followed.) Maybe the league was mismanaged. I assume the socialist stuff is a joke. If so, kind of funny. If not, really, really scary.
I didn't read the article, only the quoted bits. If there's more indicating that the Republicans are behaving like complete jerks here, then...they meet my every expectation.
In re 2, it's been pretty clear to me for a long time that Democrats can't trust Republican lawmakers one tiny little bit -- there's not much point in anything other than an adversarial stance. I'm not sure whether it's a good thing to extend this to the staffers, but if Republicans are going to be dominated by the "bipartisanship is another name for date rape" mindset (ACTUAL QUOTE from influential strategist Grover Norquist) it seems pretty much inevitable.
that detail that junior aides and interns were dispatched to sit on the public fields for hours to secure the diamond for the government teams made me extra sad.
that bit made me happy; junior aides and interns are usually annoying little keeners and this would certainly bring them down a peg or two.
You clearly aren't visualizing the adorable teams of scrappy street-urchins who would be using the fields if the punks from Congress weren't reserving them.
Good god. I don't care if you're Democrat or Republican, whining about unfair seedings in a fucking no-strike-no-balls [apparently! --ed.] league just means that you should be demoted to ball so we can all take a swing.
John Thullen is edging out his competitors in the "Jackmormon's favorite cranky old men" category. His response to the softball game storyhere (I can't link to indivdual comments) is spectacularly lunatic.
This is a pathetic illustration of what the Republican party has become. btw, "Boehnerland"? Why are all the Republicans' names cock jokes? See also the now-retired Dick Armey. Then again, here in Illinois before Obama we had senators named Dick and Peter, and a governor named Rod -- 2/3 of whom were Democrats.
that detail that junior aides and interns were dispatched to sit on the public fields for hours to secure the diamond for the government teams made me extra sad.
It's hard to reserve those fields on the National Mall, so I suspect this is probably a matter of course, if that's where they play the game.
It's been ten years since I worked around the Hill, and the young-ish Republicans really did talk that way back then, no jokes about it at all. Since the time since then has not exactly been one of inter-party sweetness and light, I doubt that the underlying attitude has changed at all.
The Rs were every bit the weenies this sort of thing implies; weenies with a compensatory sense of entitlement and righteousness. Blech.
Oh my God. What fucking champs.
Posted by Armsmasher | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 9:10 AM
Oh, man that's sad. I don't know if the relationship between legislators from opposite parties is anything like the relationship litigators have with opposing counsel, but it seems as if the dynamic might be similar. I've worked on cases where I got along fine with opposing counsel (Remember the Warner Brothers cartoon with Wile. E. Coyote and the sheepdog? They show up in the mornings, greet each other, punch in on the time-clock, spend the morning beating the hell out of each other, punch out and have a pleasant lunch together... like that.) and cases where I hated opposing counsel and thought they were vicious, incompetent crooks, and oh, man is everyone better off when you can get along. The clients are better off, because the bills aren't getting run up in pointless squabbling and settlements are easier to get to, and the lawyers are infinitely better off because we aren't giving ourselves ulcers.
The thought of that kind of a poisonous atmosphere in the Capitol is just so sad.
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 9:19 AM
Do the Republicans let women play? A friend was telling me that her company takes its softball team way seriously and discouraged women from playing. (Since there's a sexual harassment suit in in the works in a related outfit, she thought this was, um, not wise on their part.)
Posted by ac | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 9:23 AM
"champs" s/b "chumps."
That article was depressing on so many levels, but that detail that junior aides and interns were dispatched to sit on the public fields for hours to secure the diamond for the government teams made me extra sad.
Posted by Jackmormon | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 9:28 AM
3 - Really? That's weird. Usually co-ed softball teams require a certain number of women. Most years my company team is begging for women because they have plenty of guys but can't meet the girl quota.
Posted by Becks | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 9:33 AM
These guys work in a sports-related company and probably all wanted to be athletes: the softball diamond has become the last possible field of glory, and they're not going to give it up.
If the Republicans are so concerned about having competitive teams, I wonder if there is subtle or not so subtle pressure to keep female numbers low. Got to have all the upper body strength you can get.
Posted by ac | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 9:41 AM
Did you read the article? They're not even calling balls and strikes -- you wait for a pitch you like. I don't know if there are or aren't women playing, but if there aren't, it isn't because the softball is too competitive.
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 9:42 AM
Apparently I get to be the first to say: Whiny-ass babies.
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 9:43 AM
7- Didn't get to that bit. Is that a socialist maneuver?
Posted by ac | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 9:45 AM
No, or at least that's not the complaint. The complaint is that the playoffs don't seed the top teams against weak teams, so the top teams have to play each other early, and the weak teams have a chance of making it most of the way through (although I suppose they hit the stronger teams eventually).
It's a goddamn softball league, so the merits of the complaints are irrelevant anyway. What's sad is just that it's breaking up on party lines.
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 9:48 AM
Whatever. The linked post said that 110 of the 190 teams followed the Republicans, and that not all of the teams that left were Republican teams. (Given the specific phrasing, I'm guessing that there were a substantial number of Democratic teams that followed.) Maybe the league was mismanaged. I assume the socialist stuff is a joke. If so, kind of funny. If not, really, really scary.
I didn't read the article, only the quoted bits. If there's more indicating that the Republicans are behaving like complete jerks here, then...they meet my every expectation.
Posted by SomeCallMeTim | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 9:50 AM
In re 2, it's been pretty clear to me for a long time that Democrats can't trust Republican lawmakers one tiny little bit -- there's not much point in anything other than an adversarial stance. I'm not sure whether it's a good thing to extend this to the staffers, but if Republicans are going to be dominated by the "bipartisanship is another name for date rape" mindset (ACTUAL QUOTE from influential strategist Grover Norquist) it seems pretty much inevitable.
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 9:53 AM
that detail that junior aides and interns were dispatched to sit on the public fields for hours to secure the diamond for the government teams made me extra sad.
that bit made me happy; junior aides and interns are usually annoying little keeners and this would certainly bring them down a peg or two.
Posted by dsquared | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 10:06 AM
You clearly aren't visualizing the adorable teams of scrappy street-urchins who would be using the fields if the punks from Congress weren't reserving them.
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 10:09 AM
Bench-warmers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but that game against Treasury next Wednesday.
Take me out to the Internationale
Posted by Mo MacArbie | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 10:33 AM
Good god. I don't care if you're Democrat or Republican, whining about unfair seedings in a fucking no-strike-no-balls [apparently! --ed.] league just means that you should be demoted to ball so we can all take a swing.
Posted by Cala | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 10:48 AM
with the...
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 11:32 AM
John Thullen is edging out his competitors in the "Jackmormon's favorite cranky old men" category. His response to the softball game storyhere (I can't link to indivdual comments) is spectacularly lunatic.
Posted by Jackmormon | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 12:07 PM
My goodness, what a loon. And I say that with the utmost of admiration and respect.
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 12:12 PM
I'm so happy he comments at HoCB.
Posted by Jackmormon | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 12:14 PM
This is a pathetic illustration of what the Republican party has become. btw, "Boehnerland"? Why are all the Republicans' names cock jokes? See also the now-retired Dick Armey. Then again, here in Illinois before Obama we had senators named Dick and Peter, and a governor named Rod -- 2/3 of whom were Democrats.
Posted by Frederick | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 12:18 PM
that detail that junior aides and interns were dispatched to sit on the public fields for hours to secure the diamond for the government teams made me extra sad.
It's hard to reserve those fields on the National Mall, so I suspect this is probably a matter of course, if that's where they play the game.
Posted by Armsmasher | Link to this comment | 04-25-06 12:21 PM
"I assume the socialist stuff is a joke."
Don't assume, it makes an ass ... well, you know.
It's been ten years since I worked around the Hill, and the young-ish Republicans really did talk that way back then, no jokes about it at all. Since the time since then has not exactly been one of inter-party sweetness and light, I doubt that the underlying attitude has changed at all.
The Rs were every bit the weenies this sort of thing implies; weenies with a compensatory sense of entitlement and righteousness. Blech.
Posted by Doug | Link to this comment | 04-26-06 8:46 AM
What happened to "it's not if you win or loose, but how you play the game."?
Posted by Moira | Link to this comment | 04-26-06 3:26 PM