Dem compares GOP to hamster on spinning wheel

Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.) employed a hamster prop on the House floor on Wednesday to make an analogy about Republican lawmakers.

Hastings, who recently came under fire for calling Texas a “crazy state,” compared the GOP to a hamster running endlessly on a wheel in the fight over funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Current funding expires Feb. 27, and Republicans want to include language in a spending measure to defund President Obama’s executive actions on immigration. 

{mosads}”Perpetuating the Department of Homeland Security’s stalemate is as dangerous to our country’s security as it is corrosive to our democratic process. Please, let’s stop the pointless politicking. Let’s end these games of chicken with our national security, pass a clean DHS funding bill and let’s get back to the business of the American people,” Hastings said during debate on the “rule” setting debate for a bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline.

Hastings then reached into a drawer underneath the microphone to pull out a toy resembling a hamster.

“I didn’t know that this was in the drawer in front of me and it kind of looks like a hamster and the wheel just keeps on spinning. But my little friend here is still with us and has in many respects, like my friends, stopped by virtue of his being inanimate, has stopped his spinning,” Hastings said, holding the hamster toy up high for all to see.

“And that’s what the Republicans need to do, stop spinning like the hamster on the wheel and get on with the business of the United States of America,” Hastings concluded.