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Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) is afraid that the U.S. Territory of Guam is going to "tip over and capsize" due to overpopulation.
Did this person sleep through elementary school? Note the Admirals gestures as he answers the question.
http://washingtonscene.thehill.com/in-the-know/36-news/3169-rep-hank-johnson-guam-could-tip-over-and-capsize
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a lame attempt at irony, or jocularity or something. Was this after the three martini lunch?
Was he talking about the recent PBS story that said that an estimated 18,000 troops and families are set to arrive by 2014? If so, was he not aware that in the Vietnam War era the military population in Guam averaged around 35,000?
...the extra money it brings to the area.
UPDATE: So, the story line now is that Hank meant these words figuratively. So how many readers think that Hank knows what the word figurative means?
UPDATE #2: This response from Hank Johnson?s office.
?I wasn?t suggesting that the island of Guam would literally tip over I was using a metaphor to say that with the addition of 8,000 Marines and their dependents ? an additional 80,000 people during peak construction on the tiny island with a population of 180,000 ? could be a tipping point which could adversely affect the island?s fragile ecosystem and could overburden its stressed infrastructure. Having traveled to Guam last year, I saw firsthand how this beautiful ? but vulnerable island ? could easily become overburdened, and I was simply voicing my concerns that the addition of that many people could tip the delicate balance and do permanent harm to Guam.?
So we?re faced with the same question as earlier. Does Hank really know what the word metaphor means? Did he really author this response?
Jonah Goldberg remarks, from a reader:
My son is stationed on Guam, I just sent him the video and told him to run to the other side of the island. He said one of his shipmates showed up to work with a life vest on!
Run to the other side of the island. You know, that whole center of gravity thing? Maybe that will keep Guam from capsizing into the sea. Or did Hank mean sink rather than capsize? We?re faced with a whole new set of problems if Guam sinks!
In Canada that's considered "horseplay" and is frowned upon, while at work.
He/She takes his/her life vest home?
How much did that humoUr cost?
Some others found it funny...Americans? Send them your portion of the bill?
If Congress says the island is about to tip over and capsize, it's an official endorsement of him wearing a life vest, LOL!
It must be boring up there. For a joke,I once walked into the office of a State Department supervisor to ask for something wearing a flak jacket. Everybody, including him, laughed.
With the military, little jokes like that are common in the U.S. It appears that it also goes on in the military of Australia. Once when I was in the military, one of their C-130 squadrons visited and at their welcoming ceremony, their commander came off his plane wearing a Colonial-era uniform. We didn't see it at immediately, as first the cargo hatch of his plane dropped and he drove to the reviewing stand in his 50's era Bentley.
someone finally told him how stupid he sounded! So tell me... Just how much did his little joke cost all of us as he sat up there on the hill while we paid for it?
That's has to be worth something.
It put a smile on my face, Even the Military guy had to smile, of course he also had to restraint his laughter.
that the idiot was elected maybe. But since he isn't a Canadian I suppose you could laugh about it, after all it cost you nothing.
He gets the same pay whether you're laughing or crying, so if you would rather cry...I'll pass you the tissues, I'll be over here snickering.
You're probably like the General(or whatever rank he had) that was answering the questions...straight faced on the outside, biting your tongue to stop from laughing.
Too bad you can't get the CPAC channel, our politicians actually have a sense of humour when they are throwing barbs at each other. Question Period (2:15 EST)is quite good.
Laugh to your hearts content...I don't mind.
When someone says to go ahead and do something that they won't mind, implies that there's some reason to believe they might. Why should you care if some US representative elected from the sticks of Georgia makes a joke of himself publicly?
Because
But since he isn't a Canadian I suppose you could laugh about it, after all it cost you nothing.
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