I see by another link on Insty Saturday afternoon that the United Airlines- Sheila Jackson Lee flap has not quite faded away – much as MS Jackson Lee, AKA ‘the Queen’ or ‘Cruella’ Jackson Lee likely wishes it would. I surmise that this bit of congressional bad behavior is still rattling the newshounds and the commentariat for several reasons. The first of these is that ‘Cruella’ is one of the dumber members of Congress. (The honor of the dumbest must go to Hank “Guam Might Tip Over!” Johnson, of whom it might rightfully said – stealing a paraphrase from the late Molly Ivins about another spectacularly dumb career politician – “Lose any more IQ points, and his staff might have to put him in a pot in the corner and water him three times a week.”) But there’s more! ‘Cruella’ Jackson Lee has been acknowledged hands down for many years as the rudest and most abusive boss on Capitol Hill.
For extra points, her award-winning awfulness is not reserved for members of her staff, but has been spread around pretty freely during her decades in public life and aimed at just about anyone who has the misfortune to draw her ire, judging by comments on the various stories posted about her, over the years. Abusive, rude, demanding, and free with accusations of racism are her calling cards; as well as true to form in demanding an upgrade to first class on the spot from United. As a frequent flyer between Washington and Houston, ‘Cruella’ has been notorious for appalling public behavior, a reputation dating to her very first days in Congress, according to this 1998 local article. My guess is that the United management sensibly wanted to avoid yet another ghastly public scene and took the easy way out, but with such resounding customer-relations ineptitude that they managed to make a potentially sticky situation several degrees worse.
Yes, booting another flying customer out of the seat she had paid for, with frequent-flyer miles rather than cash in hand, in favor of Queen Cruella, and then treating that customer in a demeaning and insulting manner – well, really, that does trip the trigger of flying customers everywhere. United rightfully should take some lumps for crappy customer service in this. Not many of the traveling public have experienced the indignity of sharing a Houston/DC or DC/Houston flight with Queen Cruella, but lots of us have had the experience of a stupendously bad airline flight. OK – so, flying now is like an intercity bus with wings. Crammed in, treated like cattle by security before the flight, treated like cattle during it, thrown a measly packet of pretzels or nuts, and a soft drink, perhaps the chance to pick up a cold sandwich on our way in … it’s become an unpleasant experience, which the public puts up with because a basic airline ticket is relatively cheaper than it was in the Golden Days of Yore when it comes to airline travel. That is the game, much as we regret the courtesies and luxuries available in the Golden Days of Yore.
We paid through the nose for those benefits then, and are still able to pay for an upgraded seat in First Class if we are still inclined, using cash or air miles. All to the good, having the means of obtaining a degree of lessened awfulness. A more comfortable seat, additional courtesy from the cabin staff, a higher- quality meal … and then to have that all yanked away from you, for no particular reason than one of the Ruling Class wants your paid-for-seat for their careless last-minute convenience? And then to be calumniated as a racist upon objecting for this high-handed behavior? Well, yes – given the generally miserable flying experience lately, no wonder that coverage of this otherwise insignificant incident has legs. I shouldn’t be surprised if an additional motivation is suppressed resentment bubbling up from underneath; resentment by white Americans at being unfairly calumniated as racists and then informed by handsomely privileged members of the ruling and media class – like Queen Cruella herself – that such disparagement is deserved somehow because of our so-called white privilege. Discuss.
Yes.
Art V Convention:
2 Amendments:
1) Term limits of 12 years in Congress effective immediately when passed by 3/4 States Leg;
2) Modify Art I Sect 8 clause 2 to include: To borrow money on the credit of the United States, WITH THE APPROVAL OF 3/4 OF THE STATE LEGISLATURES,;
kick the bums out, take back the credit card!!
happy new year to you and yours
When we see this laughable behavior we groan (esp since she’s from Texas – but we do have some good guys that balance out the crazies, I hope) but Instapundit’s reminders in the numerous entries that remind us seniority has given her power – well, that’s creepy. She and Johnson and, hell, I suspect Lloyd Doggett of little better thinking (he was a politician when we were grad students and I’m not sure he’s worn well – but Austinites may have a different opinion) have votes, just like normal people. And believing in the wisdom of crowds does require a leap of faith with these guys.
Now that the airline has claimed the original seat holder cancelled her reservation using their phone app 30 minutes before flight time (not clear if this was the originally scheduled flight time or the revised delayed scheduled time), how will they back that up since the original seat holder denies this. Based on the abuse she has received and the public nature of this incident, I expect she is in a good position to receive copious compensation and maybe an apology including the truth. It won’t happen anytime soon.
Meanwhile Cruella will continue to get her favorite seat option at no additional cost to her. She might just have to wear a flight attendant outfit as cover (I think I’m going to be sick). The airline could hold one first class seat open on every flight between Houston and DC just to be safe. Social Justice has its costs. Besides putting her in an attendant’s uniform would put their customer service ratings at significantly more risk (if its possible for them to fall any farther).
Death6
“Now that the airline has claimed the original seat holder cancelled her reservation using their phone app 30 minutes before flight time”
There should be transaction logs in their reservations system showing all reservations, cancellations, etc. Print ’em out and let everyone see them.
Appalling public behavior and sense of entitlement doesn’t even come close to describing the core problem of entrenched privileged & corrupt pols who defend and justify their criminality by crouching behind an abatis of “racism” counterclaims:
https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/268880/congress-has-black-caucus-racism-problem-daniel-greenfield
Years ago, on a fairly empty flight to Anchorage, Alaska, I boarded the Business Class cabin to find Alaska Congressman Don Young sitting in my assigned seat. he had simply sat down wherever it took his fancy. Nominal Republican too. And all these years later, he is still in Congress.
First, we (us! you & me!!) created this problem of highly-entitled elected “representatives” who represent only their own inflated egos. We the People have not done our job as citizens of voting the bums out of office. Democracy has failed — because of us.
Second, the answer is probably to be found in a now-repealed provision of the New Mexico Constitution, which prohibited the Governor from succeeding himself. An elected representative is being paid handsomely to do a full-time job of representing his constituents. He does not have time to campaign for re-election or (Barry-style) for election to a higher office.
Of course, the Political Class are never going voluntarily to vote for something which diminishes their tight hold on the taxpayer’s teat. The only way this can end is with ropes & lampposts.
I was returning from Paris via Air France. They had to switch out the plane for some problem…the new plane was not configured for First Class, and I was in Business Class (very nice on AF IIRC) next to some guy who was very upset that his First Class reservation had not been honored.
Trying to get him to talk about something else, I asked him what he did for a living. Turns out he was a professional Communist organizer, and was returning from some European Commie meeting.
Gavin L….”Years ago, on a fairly empty flight to Anchorage, Alaska, I boarded the Business Class cabin to find Alaska Congressman Don Young sitting in my assigned seat. he had simply sat down wherever it took his fancy. Nominal Republican too. And all these years later, he is still in Congress.”
An even worse story. Some CongressCreature was on a private-charter flight, and grew increasingly irritated because the pilot was waiting for a takeoff clearance that ATC, for whatever reason, did not issue. He eventually ‘ordered’ the pilot to take off anyhow, and the pilot idiotically did it.
Of course a passenger, charterer, or even the owner of the airplane has absolutely no authority to order a pilot to disregard ATC instructions. I don’t know what happened to the pilot’s career, but suspect it wasn’t good.
Trump needs to push for a term limits amendment and other explicitly anti-swamp measures. Force the Dems and the GOPe to come out 100% pro-swamp.
Also, Congress should immediately move to working remotely. If this piece of garbage lived among her constituents rather than surrounded completely by sycophants and other assorted suck-ups, she’d come at least a bit down to reality. If need be, pass an amendment saying that Reps and Senators must be present in the area they represent at least 300+ days out of the year while serving.
I’ve come to the conclusion that term limits for Congress is a bad idea. The trouble is that Congress is too weak: Under the checks-and-balances theory, it should have jealously clung to its law-making powers, thus preventing the executive-branch bureaucracy from getting out of hand. But instead, it has given away its law-making powers.
Term limits for Congress will only make this worse. What’s needed are term limits for federal bureaucrats – or even bringing back the old Spoils System. (Yes, we all know that the Spoils System was horribly bad and corrupt. We know this because progressives – who are the chief beneficiaries of a “professional” permanent civil service – have been teaching us this for decades in public schools.)
“Term limits for Congress will only make this worse.”
Term limits for congress is acknowledging that we have a principle-agent problem. That’s why you
need to also couple that with amending Art I Sect 8 clause 2. Small/important fixes that all citizens can understand.
DL says:
What’s needed are term limits for federal bureaucrats – or even bringing back the old Spoils System. (Yes, we all know that the Spoils System was horribly bad and corrupt. We know this because progressives – who are the chief beneficiaries of a “professional” permanent civil service – have been teaching us this for decades in public schools.)
yes. i have come to believe that the civil service has only created an entrenched bureaucracy. the ‘goo-goo’s’ left us w/the civil service: a good idea w/even more unseen consequences.
otoh, maybe we should just reduce the pay. i’m old enough that i remember when the mantra was that we couldn’t get good people in gov’t because the pay was so low. i don’t think raising the pay for gov’t employees has really solved that problem.
“Trying to get him to talk about something else, I asked him what he did for a living. Turns out he was a professional Communist organizer, and was returning from some European Commie meeting.
Meanwhile in First Class he is wondering how the proletariat are faring in coach
If you come at the swamp, you best not miss…
1. No state shall host more than one cabinet level department headquarters. (disperse the government)
2. No federal monies shall be awarded to an entity located within 100 miles of the awarding agency headquarters. (disperse the contractor class and save Virginia)
3. Federal employees, including elected officials, shall receive no non-monetary benefits that are not available to non-government employees. (I.e., they get SS, Medicare, instead of sweet retirement packages, plus nowadays that would include their healthcare as well.)
4. Federal employees shall not be represented by any collective bargaining organization in any way. (this decimates Dem Party fundraising)
PS. It’s not directly anti-swampy, but if we do amend the constitution in any way, we should include:
5. One-person, one-vote is overturned and a state may apportion its state legislatures based on factors other than population. (this would put a firewall up against any other red states turning blue, unless the Dems radically change their policies, which they won’t because they are now ruled entirely by the CA/NY activist class)
Diplomad has pointed that the woman complaining about her seat being take is another hard leftie who gave him lots of trouble, when he was still a FSO.