Representative Tom Price of Georgia has been nominated for an Oscar  in the category, “Best Performance by a House Member Faking Concern for the Middle Class.” Price’s character delivers a passionate plea to the House Speaker to grant a moment of silence to recognize the 2.3 – 2.7 million Americans that will lose their jobs due to the passage of The American Clean Energy and Security Act (Waxman-Markey Bill). Price’s training at the Actors Studio, under the direction of Lee Strasberg and Elia Kazan, allows him reach down into the depths of his soul to find a connection to the unemployed. Caution: as you watch Price’s performance below, be sure to have a facial tissue or handkerchief nearby.

To understand how hard it must have been for Price to play someone who cares about the working class, we need to examine the reality of Representative Price. Over at opensecrets.org, Tom Price comes in at 21st on the net worth list of all House members, with assets totaling between $7 and $29 million dollars. Take a moment of silence and consider how out of touch that is with working class Americans. Take another moment of silence and examine Rep. Price’s voting record on legislation that benefits middle class Americans. Price VOTED AGAINST:

  • Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009 (HR 1106)
  • American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (HR 1)
  • Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights Act of 2009 (HR 627)
  • Children’s  Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (HR 2)
  • Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (HR 626)
  • Emergency Extended Unemployment Insurance Compensation Act of 2008 (HR 5749)

As Price’s voting record suggests, he really doesn’t give a hoot about working or middle class families, which makes his performance on the House floor a natural for the Oscar category, Faking Concern for the Middle Class. Screenwriters and lobbyists producers are seeking to capitalize on Price’s acting abilities and the offers are flooding into his office. In the near future, look for Price on the House floor reprising his “moment of silence” role in one of the following:

  • the pillaging of Appalachia with mountain-top removal
  • the 100,000 Iraqi civilians killed since 2003
  • the 40,000,000 uninsured Americans

Representative Tom Price asking for a moment of silence for the imaginary unemployed, does he think we’re stupid?