In July, when House Republicans were prepared to crash the global economy on purpose, they took inspiration from a movie clip. It was a scene from the movie “The Town” in which Ben Affleck’s character said, “I need your help. I can’t tell you what it is. You can never ask me about it later — and we’re going to hurt some people.”
It was, in the words of one right-wing lawmaker, a scene that helped “forge a sense of unity” among House Republicans.
This week, these same unhinged GOP lawmakers had a different movie in mind. Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) said this week, “Look, this is a ‘Braveheart’ moment. You, Mr. Speaker, are our William Wallace. Let’s rush to the fight.”
The “fight,” in this case, was blocking a middle-class tax cut and unemployment benefits a few days before Christmas. Dana Milbank marveled at the nonsense.
House Republicans, on the eve of Tuesday’s vote denying tax relief to 160 million Americans, huddled in a conference room in the Capitol basement for more than two hours…. Turns out they were talking Monday night about their favorite scenes from “Braveheart.” About 10 House Republicans went to the microphones to share their memories of the Mel Gibson film, Republican sources told my Post colleagues Paul Kane and Rosalind Helderman.
One member spoke about the apocryphal scene in which the 13th-century Scottish rebel William Wallace ordered his troops to moon the English. Another member recounted the scene in which Wallace commanded the rebels to hold their positions before raising their spears against the charging English cavalry.
This inspired the assembled lawmakers to chant: “Hold! Hold! Hold! Hold!”
Americans who voted Republican in the 2010 midterms? Congratulations, you elected lunatics to run the House of Representatives.
The “Braveheart” comparison is hopelessly ridiculous. Not only did the Scots lose, but Republicans are the wealthy, powerful elites trying to punish working-class families during tough economic times.
Milbank added that House Republicans would “rather make a point than govern the country. And in this case, it’s not entirely clear what point they’re trying to make.”
