EDITORIAL: 10 Tweets from RI’s Congressional Delegation that Define U.S. Political Discourse
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Make no mistake about it, the demise in political discourse in this country has been a bipartisan effort.
It is hard to imagine Senators John Chafee (R-RI) and Claiborne Pell (D-RI) ever uttering the language that is the daily norm of many members in Congress, including Rhode Island's four members of the Congressional delegation.
More Than Declining Decorum
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTWho knows exactly when the dramatic shift took place, but there is no uncertainty - the tone is vile. This editorial does not seek to say this problem is limited to Democrats or Republicans or Congress versus the Executive branch -- it is all pretty dreadful.
However, we live in Rhode Island, and "hope" that the delegation serves Rhode Island - and not the inner-Beltway hyper-conflict.
Sadly, the daily Tweets by RI's delegation are too often viciously aggressive and always partisan. Please read the ten of hundreds of Tweets launched by Rhode Island's top federal elected officials.
Is there a causal relationship between the current social media discourse and the rise in violence, who knows, but it is not plausible to think that it helps to bring the country together.
Maybe Rhode Island's delegation can transform their style and improve the substance of the political conversation to be more productive then their Tweets of the past few months.
A. Deluded
— Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) June 2, 2017
B. Crazy enough to believe it
C. Shameless liar
D. Lives in opposites world
E. Getting jollies from being complete jerk
F. All ^ https://t.co/BQBaIHccF0
Now @realDonaldTrump compares himself to the Pope. Not sure I can take this! https://t.co/MP5M0anDk3
— David Cicilline (@davidcicilline) May 26, 2017
President Bannon's victory is our country's loss. #ActOnClimate #ParisAgreement
— David Cicilline (@davidcicilline) June 1, 2017
You know what really emboldens the enemy? An uninformed & inexperienced leader who tries to bully Americans while cozying up to Putin.
— Senator Jack Reed (@SenJackReed) February 9, 2017
Brutal indeed. #Trumpcare would result in less coverage & as much as a 750% increase in premiums for many seniors: https://t.co/ir6gdQJZZo
— Senator Jack Reed (@SenJackReed) March 15, 2017
@POTUS is betraying the country, in service of Breitbart fake news, the fossil fuel industry, & the Koch brothers’ climate denial operation pic.twitter.com/J3YwrORboA
— Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) June 1, 2017
President Trump has long been careless with the truth, but now he appears to have gone further https://t.co/16czkEXwBJ pic.twitter.com/MGeH8YOgFL
— Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) May 16, 2017
— Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) May 11, 2017
President Trump is not the arbiter of patriotism. At his address, we'll remind him that diversity makes us great https://t.co/hUzm6YVlLF
— Jim Langevin (@JimLangevin) February 2, 2017
It’s hard to believe this White House is serious about protecting our elections. My statement on @POTUS’s “Commission on Election Integrity” pic.twitter.com/jRB9iFOmws
— Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) May 12, 2017
