"Your mom": Debate on Capitol Hill Reaches a New Low

[JoeBentley]

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2...obably-did.php

"I don't need maternity care," Kyl said. "So requiring that on my insurance policy is something that I don't need and will make the policy more expensive."

Stabenow interrupted: "I think your mom probably did."

Really? This is what its come to? At least, to paraphrase the Onion, Newt didn't taunt Clinton by leading a chant of "Bill and Monica sitting in a tree..."

Is it asking too much for our elected officials to keep slightly more decorum then a YouTube comment thread?

[Tantei Kid]

Well, the interrupting was rude, but she did make a valid point.

[Simply Madeline]

I don't get it. It's not like she said "your momma's so stupid she tripped over the cordless phone". She pointed out to him that he didn't need maternity care because, well, he's a man; and that he quite possibly wouldn't be there debating if his mom hadn't received maternity care.

[Aimee Evilpixie]

Originally Posted by Tantei Kid

Well, the interrupting was rude, but she did make a valid point.

Yeah, I have to agree. It's not like she called his mom fat or implied the entire neighborhood had slept with his mom. This is probably the most appropriate use of "your mom" I've ever seen.

[chillas]

What the others said. Saying it was a "your mom" comment is a gross mis-characterization.

[keokuk]

I agree that it was not a classic "your mom" joke and is not indicative of a lack of decorum.

But I also don't understand what exactly her point was. It sounds like Kyl was complaining that his policy would be made more expensive because language would require it to cover maternity care. If that is the case, then I don't see what it matters that his mother could have used maternity care. (That being said, I think that Kyl is wrong. I very much doubt that men are required to have maternity care under the bill and further doubt that a person would actually have to pay more for a service that he could never possibly use. My only point is that it seems that these critiques make more sense than to point out that his mother could have used this particular type of insurance.)

[Natalie]

Originally Posted by keokuk

But I also don't understand what exactly her point was.

Just a guess, but perhaps she was trying to say that maternity care benefits more than just the pregnant woman. That is, it benefits the child, too, and by extension the child's father (because said child has fewer problems if it gets pre-natal care).

[MidgardDragon]

For once it's actually not the politicians whining and being stupid, but in this case the press. It wasn'ta "yo momma" joke. It was a valid point.

[Simply Madeline]

Originally Posted by keokuk

I agree that it was not a classic "your mom" joke and is not indicative of a lack of decorum.

But I also don't understand what exactly her point was. It sounds like Kyl was complaining that his policy would be made more expensive because language would require it to cover maternity care. If that is the case, then I don't see what it matters that his mother could have used maternity care. (That being said, I think that Kyl is wrong. I very much doubt that men are required to have maternity care under the bill and further doubt that a person would actually have to pay more for a service that he could never possibly use. My only point is that it seems that these critiques make more sense than to point out that his mother could have used this particular type of insurance.)

Kyl was arguing against requiring insurers to include maternity coverage. His point was that forcing insurers to cover maternity would make everyone's premiums go up (which it would). So even if a man bought a single policy, his policy would cost more b/c the insurers would be losing money by covering maternity expenses, and would need to make up that shortfall by charging more for other policies. (When I worked in Employee Benefits, the indemnity plan my employer offered was self-insured. Every single year, the largest cost -- by far -- was maternity).

Stabenow was pointing out to him that even if he wouldn't benefit from insurers being required to cover maternity, the women in his life would. Since she may not know much about his personal life (ie does he have a wife? do they have children), the only "sure thing" to point out was that he had a mom, and that mom would have/did benefit from having maternity coverage.

[Horse Chestnut]

If he wants maternity care out of his policy, can they take coverage for prostate cancer out of mine?

[woohmom]

Originally Posted by Horse Chestnut

If he wants maternity care out of his policy, can they take coverage for prostate cancer out of mine?

And coverage for erectile dysfunction.

[wanderwoman]

I watched the video to see if maybe it was her tone of voice or something.

She apologized for interrupting and then, with humor, she made a valid point. I don't understand the "your mama" whine.

[BoKu]

Dang, I thought this was going to be about stick figures again.

[Tarquin Farquart]

Aren't "your mom" jokes supposed to be defamatory?

[terralioness]

Originally Posted by Tarquin Farquart

Aren't "your mom" jokes supposed to be defamatory?

Seriously. If this was supposed to be a "yo momma" joke, Senator Stabenow is terrible at them.

"Oh yeah? Well your mother gave birth to at least one child! Ha!"

[Winged Monkey]

Originally Posted by wanderwoman

I watched the video to see if maybe it was her tone of voice or something.

She apologized for interrupting and then, with humor, she made a valid point. I don't understand the "your mama" whine.

Well you see he's a Republican man and she's a Democratic women, ergo anything she says against his well reasoned statesmanship is rude and whining... haven't you been following the healthcare debate at all?

-Winged Monkey

[Illuminatus]

In response, Republican senators said in unison: "OOOOOOOOh no she di'int!"

[Tarquin Farquart]

Originally Posted by terralioness

Seriously. If this was supposed to be a "yo momma" joke, Senator Stabenow is terrible at them.

"Oh yeah? Well your mother gave birth to at least one child! Ha!"

So did yours.

[wanderwoman]

Originally Posted by Tarquin Farquart

So did yours.

Oh yeah? Well, when your mama cleans the house, she leaves it spotless! Ha!

[Tarquin Farquart]

Originally Posted by wanderwoman

Oh yeah? Well, when your mama cleans the house, she leaves it spotless! Ha!

What comeback can I make to that?

*slinks off*