In recent years, as decorum and restraint have faded from Congress, it may have occurred to you that Capitol Hill has taken on all of the dignity of an out-of-control fraternity house. As it turns out, there’s a good reason for that — Republicans are drawing inspiration from “Animal House.” Literally.
Lawmakers who attended a closed-door meeting of the conservative Republican Study Committee last Wednesday watched a clip from the classic frat-house movie “Animal House” to find motivation to press the GOP leadership to include budget-process reform in the House budget resolution.
Conservative Republicans and centrist Republican leaders who attended the meeting attempted several times to get the GOP leadership to amend the budget process to make it harder to waive budget rules. By girding to face down Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas), they apparently have begun to identify with the characters of Delta House in their showdown with the crusty Dean Wormer.
The lawmakers watched inspirational speeches by the characters Otter, the Delta House president, played by Tim Matheson, and Bluto, played by the legendary late [John] Belushi.
Otter: “I think in this case we need to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires something really futile and stupid to be done on someone’s part.”
Bluto: “We’re just the guys to do it. LET’S DO IT!!!!”
This does explain a lot, doesn’t it? When you think of a senseless gang of lunatics who knowingly embrace “futile and stupid” solutions to problems, isn’t the Republican congressional caucus the first group to come to mind?
In fact, it only makes sense for the Republican Study Committee to pick this movie. After all, the similarities are striking. Members of the Delta House were drunk (on beer); congressional Republicans are drunk (on power). Members of the Delta House railed against regulations (governing fraternities); congressional Republicans rail against regulations (protecting clear air and water). Members of the Delta House made radical and dangerous friends (Hell’s Angels); congressional Republicans make radical and dangerous friends (Grover Norquist, Pat Robertson, Fox News, et al). Members of the Delta House were unruly, brazen, and cared little about breaking the rules. Congressional Republicans? Well, that one’s too easy.