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You climb the long ladder of local politics starting as a school principal, serving on the county school board and then finally rising to serve 12 years in your state legislature.
And then you catch the break of a lifetime when the popular young congressman in your district decides to run for higher office leaving you a clear shot at serving in Congress. And you win.
So now what is going to be your first major effort in Congress, Frederica Wilson?
Helping President Barack Obama save health care legislation? Nah.
Maybe addressing the war on our streets between black youth who are killing themselves by the score? No way.
Perhaps it should be an initiative to create jobs or help pump up the dropping housing values of your Florida constituents? Not here.
How has Representative Wilson decided to make a splash in her first few days on Capitol Hill?
Fight over her right to wear a hat in Congress, of course.
Welcome to the new Congress of 2010 where ego-tripping and self promotion have taken the place of legislating and working on behalf of the people who voted you into office.
Wilson has a hat fetish. She claims to own more than 300 hats, many of a garish, sequined variety, and wears them virtually every time she is in public. Okay. If the lady wants a trademark, so be it.
But Wilson has taken her hat jones one step too far.
Her first order of business is trying to overturn a U.S. House rule that blocks women from wearing hats in the chamber. She actually is planning to ask incoming House Speaker John Boehner to overturn the hat ban on the grounds that it is sexist.
I know Wilson will move onto other issues during her term in office. But to me, appearances matter -- especially in politics. And making her first campaign about her stupid hats reveals a level of self-absorption and hubris that is way off the charts.
"Hats are what I wear. People get excited when they see the hats," Wilson explained to a reporter recently. "Some people wear wigs or high-heel shoes or big earrings or pins. This is just me."
Yes, we all are getting the picture that it's all about you, Congresswoman Wilson. Lord help your constituents.
To be fair, Wilson has earned a good reputation for her AIDS awareness and education advocacy in Florida. And that's what makes her idiotic campaign to wear a hat in Congress so selfish and hard to understand.
I know that House members have to run for office every two years but couldn't your hats have waited a little longer?
Comments: (11)
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By: Tired of Poor ME attitude on 11/24/2010 8:54AM
She looks like a clown in a cartoon. Screw the hats. It is not about you Ms Wilson. Get work done.
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By: stare k on 11/27/2010 7:09PM
to tird of poor me attitude .
Why don't you try dressing your self up mabe you will look nice as Mrs Wilson do ? You probably wouldn't know .a WAL-MART HAT FROM A DESIGNER HAT.
THEY MAKE A STATEMENT.
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By: Michael on 11/24/2010 11:13AM
I thought the flippant tone of this article worked - I chuckled.
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By: Paul on 11/27/2010 6:49AM
Hodddddddddddd-a-mighty........true dat!! Now get your a** to real work, lady, and take off that stupid a** "hat"!!!
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By: Jeannette on 11/27/2010 5:41PM
Well, this is what you get in Florida. Florida has elected a govenor that is the former CEO of the HCA hospitals, you know that very same company that had to pay the govrnment back 1.7 billion dollars. Mr. Rick Scott plead the fifth over 70 times during his hearings. His company cheated the government out of all that money, and all he could say was that he did not know anything about it. He even tried to pay some of his workers with gift cards. If you get paid with a gift card you have to deal with the tax issue. They have another jerk that got funds for a highway and named it after his self. And the new state congress is demanding a raise, after asking everyone else to cut back. The first concern should have been about jobs and the economy, but it was"I want a six figure salary and I want it now." And please, lets not forget about the hanging chads. It's not about the needs, just the greedy.
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By: chris on 11/27/2010 5:48PM
It an honor Congresswoman, wear your hats, its' a lost attire for some women other than at church or funerals and weather. But as a dress complete attire, I find it to be wonderful. I would advocate for you with a little help from my friends if needed?
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By: rick on 11/28/2010 1:52AM
I don't have a problem with her wearing her hats but I have a problem with her asking congress to change a law or rule just to please her, Now that's wrong. You mean to tell me that's to hard for her to not wear a hat in this formal setting. This is like those guys joining the miltary and serving until it's time to deploy to a war zone. You should know what you are getting into before you join, and she should have known the rules of the chambers before deciding to run for congress. This is a professional and formal setting and it's a long standing rule that hats are not allowed in the chamber. Another thing, How can you call this rule sexiest when NO ONE is allowed to wear hats in the chambers. I don't know maybe I'm missing the whole picture but I think this congresswoman is alittle misguided on this one. With all due respect.
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By: stare k on 11/27/2010 7:09PM
Wear you hat's sister. You see that is what I'm talking about ,We can't even wear a nice hat unless white peopel are complaining , You complain about every thing we do . Where do you see written on a hat STUPID ? I am in your neighborhood . If I am in church , so is my hat @ they are nice one if I have to say so . I been wearing them for years , they are BEAUTIFUL.So to the one that called a hat stupid , you are stupid , to make such stupid statement .All group / races , have something they like , & HAT'S are one of them . If any of the x frist ladies was wearing hat's you wouldn'not call them stupid .So what are you all wearing ?YOUR COTTON PRINT DRESS.So if possible wear your hat with pride .We wear them very well , we don't let the hat wear us we wear it , as some peopel do .FROM A HAT LOVER .
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By: ALPHA1 on 11/28/2010 5:31AM
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE WOMAN WEARING A HAT,
TO HER IT IS VERY IMPORTANT, LIKE TO
SOME PEOPLE WEARING MAKEUP IS VERY IMPORTANT
LEAVE THE LADY ALONE, SHE IS THINKING OF
OTHER STUFF AS WELL, GET OFF HER BACK
I HOPE SHE WINS AND CAN KEEP HER HATS.!!!!!!!!
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By: Paul on 11/28/2010 7:27AM
Hodddddd-amighty....let me clarify! I apologize for calling the hat stupid. The hat is beautiful (maybe)....maybe not!! Whatever....the lady herself is STUPID for wasting time on the matter. I bet she didn't run her campaign with big-a** hats as the first matter of business she will address to the Ppeaker of the House of the United States!! Her constituents want her addressing issues that affect "them"...not an issue about a "beautiful" hat that only affects her...and YOU!! Heck...folk need jobs in her district. B on B crime is an issue!! She should be spending her time on that...not her "beautiful" hats (who the heck needs 300 hats anyway?). Does she wear her hats to bed? NO....because that would be STUPID!! Then, she don't need to address it in Congress as her first order of business because that would be STUPID too!! You're right though......the hat itself is not STUPID!! I'm right though.....the lady herself is STUPID....and people who feel like that's OK, instead of FIRST dealing with SERIOUS s**t, are STUPID too!!
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