Florida lawmaker calls House ban on hats ‘sexist’

[The Straight Story]

Like other freshman lawmakers, newly elected Florida Rep. Frederica Wilson ran for Congress on a vow to change Washington. But her first order of business has nothing to do with health care, education or the usual mix of issues that come up in the early days of a new Congress.

Instead, Wilson's first goal is to overturn a rule that blocks her from wearing a hat on the House floor. The freshman Democrat is pressing incoming House Speaker John Boehner to overturn the rule, which dates back to the 1800s, or at least to make an exception for her. But it's unclear whether Boehner -- who, in any event, will likely have plenty of priorities ahead of a rule-change request from a member of the opposition party -- could do anything, shy of a full floor vote, to overturn the House's hat ban.

You see, Wilson doesn't own just a hat or two. By her count, the former Florida state House member owns at least 300 different hats, including custom-made sequined cowboy hats in virtually every color of the rainbow. Her hat collection is so massive, it takes up an entire room of her house, per the Miami New Times (which offers a photo gallery of Wilson's 25 best hats). "I've been wearing them almost 30 years," Wilson tells Politifact. "It's like a fetish."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20101122/pl_yblog_theticket/florida-lawmaker-calls-house-ban-on-hats-sexist

[lumberjack_jeff]

1. :facepalm: n/t

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mfcorey1]

3. That was her signature in the Fla legislature, wearing a different hat every day. Now she is going

to have to do some work with her bare head.

[NoPasaran]

4. Change we can believe in is so 2008

[boppers]

5. Well, some folks have priorities.

An "I'm with stupid" hat in congress, well, that's just brilliant.

[tomm2thumbs]

6. how delightful

I'm just so delighted to see she has taken a real interest in her job

simply delightful

[Bucky]

7. Florida. Why does it always have to be Florida?

At least she's the fun kinda crazy, instead of Florida's usual scary kinda crazy.

[trumad]

8. Your profile says Houston Texas..

And you're dissing Florida? Snarf.

[Bucky]

11. I got your snarf right here

http://twitter.com/BreakingNews/status/7568934802821121 <== Texas ain't as bad as Florida. Their bastards get away with it.

[trumad]

12. Hey---Texas gave us Dubya...

nuff said.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

10. When I saw the crazy was of the silly, harmless variety, I knew it had to be a Democrat.

Republican crazy is usually Not So Harmless.

[MattyGroves]

9. F'ing unreal.

Lady, if your hat it that important to you just resign now and let someone who is more concerned about the country vs. fashion represent your district.