[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 25, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H3795]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     THE DEFINITION OF A HYPOCRITE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, as we approach the passage of the Jobs 
for America Bill in the next few days, we need to talk about a subject 
that is at the heart of the debate, hypocrisy.
  The definition of a hypocrite is someone who acts in contradiction to 
his stated belief. In other words, he says one thing and does another.
  For example, a hypocrite would deplore our Nation's deficit in a 
floor speech today, even after helping President Bush turn the biggest 
budget surplus in our Nation's history into the biggest deficit ever.
  A hypocrite would vote for two wars with a price tag of over $1 
trillion, two tax cuts for the wealthy, and a new entitlement program, 
all without ever thinking about how to pay one thin dime of their cost, 
and then turn around and say they voted to cut off unemployment 
benefits out of concern for the budget deficit. That's what people will 
argue in the next couple of days.
  A hypocrite would complain that there are not enough budget offsets, 
that is, pay-fors, in the jobs bill before us while, at the very same 
time, try to eliminate the over $50 billion in offsets that are 
contained in the legislation. Closing loopholes is against the 
philosophy of a hypocrite.
  I think it's safe to say that all of us have not lived up to every 
pronouncement that we've made in our lives. No one is perfect, but 
rarely has hypocrisy been as constantly and blatantly displayed as it 
has been by the opponents of this bill.
  The same people, the same people who spent like drunken sailors when 
they were in charge, now say we cannot afford to help our fellow 
citizens who've lost their jobs through no fault of their own.
  Here is the bottom line: if we don't pass this bill, 1.2 million 
Americans who were following the rules and working and paying their 
taxes will lose their unemployment benefits by the end of June. Moving 
forward, a total of 2 million will be off by mid-July and 5 million 
Americans will lose their benefits by the end of this year.
  Thanks to the hypocrites who say, oh, I can't, I'm worried about the 
deficit; I can't worry about these people who have no way to pay for 
their home or their food or their mortgage or their children, Americans 
will face these cuts of their unemployment benefits because people will 
not follow what they say they believe.
  They were unable to deal with the spending on wars and tax cuts and 
all the rest; but when it comes time to pay the benefits to somebody 
who lost their job, their message to them is, well, you know, tell your 
children that they're just going to have to tighten their belts a 
little, and we're not going to have three meals today. We're only going 
to have two because your dad or your mom or both haven't been able to 
find work.
  There are six people in this country looking for every job that's out 
there. The chances of people getting a job today are very low, and 
people are giving up because, with 8 million jobs lost in the last 2 
years, they are simply unable to find work to take care of their 
families.
  Now, to take away their last lifeline because you're saying you're 
being a budget hawk and you're against deficits, when you spent like 
that in the last 8 years, is pure and unadulterated hypocrisy.

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