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U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx is a visible reminder of the Forrest Gump saying, "Stupid is as stupid does." Foxx has made so many gaffes since her first election to Congress in 2004 that it's more than just mildly embarrassing for North Carolina. It's find-an-island-to-ship-her-to embarrassing. And it's becoming how-can-voters-keep-electing-her embarrassing.
Don't think so? Here's the latest gaffe, which she made Monday.
Speaking on the floor of the U.S. House, Foxx said Americans should fear Democratic health care legislation more than they do terrorists. "We have more to fear from the potential of that bill passing than we do from any terrorist," she said. No, we don't.
That statement follows one in July on the House floor where she charged that pending legislation would "put seniors in a position of being put to death by their government." No, it wouldn't.
That statement follows one in the spring where, during a House floor debate on a hate crimes bill, Foxx labeled the death of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old gay man who was robbed, beaten and left tied to a fence, "a hoax." She later apologized, saying it was a poor choice of words. What would have been the right choice of words?
The list goes on. One time she fumed that a jobs bill was "teaching our people to work for the government. Shame on us." Foxx seemed to forget she has worked for government agencies all her career, including UNC Chapel Hill, Appalachian State University, Mayland Community College, the N.C. Senate and now Congress. Another time she called Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama socialists, then admitted "I don't know the dictionary definition of socialism." In 2005, she voted against help for Hurricane Katrina victims when even conservative N.C. colleague Patrick McHenry called it necessary.
There's also her hypocrisy. In 2006, Foxx railed against wasteful Democrats all the while securing $550,000 in federal money for a proposed teapot museum in her district. The national Citizens Against Government Waste publicized the grant in its 2006 "Pig Book" of pork barrel waste.
Many of her comments and actions are just partisanship run amok. Earlier this year, 100 fellow lawmakers tagged Foxx and McHenry second and fourth among the most partisan Republicans. But you can be partisan without being absurd.
Last year, Foxx told a Charlotte group visiting Washington, "I am trying to scare you to death," when listing her concerns about Democratic spending in Congress.
Her words and actions should scare voters in her 5th District, which stretches from the Piedmont to the mountains. In 2010, they should take that fear to the polls.
