WASHINGTON – Last week marked perhaps one of the most acrimonious weeks in political discourse the United States has seen in years. Following Chris Christie’s public shaming of Congress, and John Boehner reportedly telling Harry Reid to go fuck himself in the heat of the fiscal cliff debate, inter and intra-party tensions appear to be escalating. However, many Americans are calling for the tough talk to continue, arguing that if politicians continue to act like testosterone-fueled alpha males it just might lead to continued political headway.
“Congress was able to reach a deal on the fiscal cliff, and the Sandy relief bill appears to be moving forward, so if our elected officials want to keep telling each other to go fuck themselves, I say so be it,” said Sandy Jackson, a 35-year-old stay at home mother of four. “I don’t see a problem with dropping a couple of f-bombs, or even a c-bomb, in the name of progress.”
Dennis Jones, a 29 year-old coffee shop owner, stated that he’s fine with politicians spewing vitriol during the looming debt ceiling debate, so long as they’re able to reach an agreement in a timely manner..
“It might be a bit unseemly, but I’d prefer frank, open arguments to lip service and gridlock,” said Jones. “I’d also be OK with some taunting and open-hand bitch slapping, if necessary.”
According to professor Travis Daniels, the notion that heightened, borderline-abrasive exchanges between politicians might lead to political progress is not new to our generation. Indeed, the record of history shows that times of great friction between elected officials have frequently been the times of great political growth as well.
“The Founding Fathers are considered the best political thinkers in American history, and they settled their beef with gunshots and were home in time for dinner,” said Daniels. “Short of our politicians demanding satisfaction in the form of pistols-drawn duels to the death, ugly personal insults and call-outs might be the only thing that could get our country moving in the right direction.”
