In Line Behind a Republican Legislator

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Just a couple of days ago, I found myself in line at Chipotle behind a Republican Legislator. 

I didn’t recognize his face. I never heard his name. I am really only guessing that he was a Republican Legislator by his actions – or inactions. Here’s my story.

It was lunchtime and I had a hankering for a burrito so I headed off to the local Chipotle. There was the usual ten-minute line so I had plenty of time to decide what I wanted. Chipotle doesn’t give one too many choices to start with and it is one of the reasons I like eating there. The guy in front of me was a little past middle aged and was busy fiddling with his phone. In a few minutes, he arrived at the “start your order place”. The young man behind the counter looked up and asked, “May I help you?” I had been there many times and knew the best response was, “I want a bowl to go with brown rice and black beans and steak.” Simple and quick. The initial server takes care of that part of the order, slides the bowl down the counter and then I tell the next server what else I want. Obviously, the fellow in front of me didn’t know about simple and quick.

He responded to, “May I help you?” with, “Yes.” So, the waiter waited. Perhaps that is why they call them waiters. Finally, (and I mean f-i-n-a-l-l-y) Mr. Ready said, “I want a bowl to go.” So the counterman got out a bowl with a to-go lid. Mr. Ready, “No, I think I’ll eat it here.” The to-go lid goes back into the lid pile. Mr. Ready thinks some more and says, “No, I think I’ll have it to go.” Back to the lid pile. Counter guy, “Do you want brown rice or white rice?” In the time it took Mr. Ready to decide this difficult question, I am pretty sure I could have come up with the answer to dealing with the nuclear threat from North Korea. Finally white rice was ordered. Next question, “Black beans or pinto beans?” I figured this question would take a while to answer. I was not disappointed. I was thinking about pulling over a chair so I could sit while the legislator in front of me finished his order. For reasons that escape me he had failed to prepare his order in his head while he waited in line. It didn’t seem to have occurred to him to do so. Instead he stepped up to the counter with both an empty stomach and an empty head. When I got in line I was inclined to believe that sooner or later I would make my way to the front of the line and be required to submit my order. I have no idea what he thought would happen when his turn at the front of the line came, but when it happened he was obviously completely unprepared.

Thus, I concluded he was a Republican Legislator. For seven years, the Republicans in Congress have been constantly repeating the mantra, “Repeal and replace Obama Care.” It seemed to be all they cared about and all they talked about. Over and over and over and over again we heard “Repeal and Replace.” It is what they told the news media. It was what they told the voters. And then the time was ripe. The Republicans have a majority in Congress, in the Senate and a Republican President in the White House. What could possibly go wrong? What could stop them? Nothing but… them.

I guess in the seven years they spent talking about repealing the Affordable Care Act they must have been busy fiddling with their phones. That seems like enough time to have come up with a health care act that they all could have agreed on. The Republican Congress’s failure to act makes them look like inept, ill prepared, nincompoops. This Congress reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by Mark Twain: “Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself.” I guess some things never change.

The best part is the Republicans have only themselves to blame. It will be fun to watch them try to pin this goofiness on the Democrats. But try they will.

Copyright © 2017, William T. McConnell, All Rights Reserved

Bill McConnell is the Interim Minister at Norwood Christian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is a Church Transformation consultant and a Christian Leadership Coach. He is a frequent speaker at Church Transformation events. His latest book on church transformation is DEVELOPING A SIGNIFICANT CHURCH and is available at Westbow Press.

He can be contacted @ bill45053@gmail.com. Connect with him on Facebook @ William T. McConnell or on Twitter @billmc45053 or visit his Amazon Author Page @ Amazon