Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) changed the Senate dress code seemingly to accommodate the refusal of Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) to wear pants, and the move has sparked a lot of comments over the past week. It’s so typical of Democrats to change things not because it serves the standards of the institution or the American people but instead serves the one person who doesn’t want to act in accordance with the rules.
Among the worst of the comments in response to the dress code change has been Fetterman’s unbridled vile remarks directed at Republicans. Those comments involved accusing the Republicans of “grabbing the hog,” “humping” a leg, and being “jagoffs.”
But some Republicans suggested that the appropriate response might be for Republicans to show the Democrats where they’ve taken this by showing up in all kinds of attire to mock the change.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) joked that she was considering wearing a bikini while slamming the change. “I plan to wear a bikini tomorrow to the Senate floor and Chris Coons is gonna wear shorts because there’s no dress code anymore,” she said.
If you leave no standard in place, can you be far from political statements on T-shirts? How about “Let’s go, Brandon” on the floor of the Senate? You can do that now, and that was sort of Collins’ point.
Collins said obviously she wasn’t serious but she could do it now because of the change. She added that there needed to be a certain dignity, and this change debases the institution. Any senator is now allowed to wear anything, while the Democrats are still making staff or anyone else have to wear business attire/suits when they enter the Senate chamber.
Meanwhile, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) took an opposing viewpoint from his fellow Democrats, and it sounds like Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) has a problem with it as well. So there’s now a bipartisan move afoot to change the rules back or put in some standards.
The controversy sparked some speculation as to what people could wear to the Senate chamber that might truly drive the point home.
There was this post that was started by our own Jeff Charles, the Awful Pundit and satirist, that gave a lot of people a good laugh.
BREAKING: Sen. Rand Paul shows up to work at the Capitol barefoot in a red bathrobe after Senate dress code change.
He's not even a Democrat. It's like he just rolled out of bed and didn't bother putting on clothes.
This is INSANE. #SenateDressCode pic.twitter.com/EhDguXDQTl
— Jeff Charles, An Awful Pundit🏴 (@jeffcharlesjr) September 22, 2023
Paul’s retweet got over 6.7 million impressions. Some of course believed it was real, but then it got a Community Note that’s changed a couple of times, noting that Jeff has “BREAKING” = satire in his profile and it was an AI-generated image.
But that didn’t stop Rand Paul from going along with the fun.
I thought I was clear when I said no photographs. https://t.co/QF9BGf8xeZ
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) September 23, 2023
How good is that? Points to Paul for a classy and funny response.
People loved it, and some suggested he should do it to make the point.
😂
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 24, 2023
Still dressed better than Fetterman. 🤣
— My✒️name (@nomd3plum3) September 23, 2023
Perhaps you weren't clear enough, senator… https://t.co/Ej8vaGEfNB
— Jeff Charles, An Awful Pundit🏴 (@jeffcharlesjr) September 23, 2023
Charles also has some other funny takes in his X timeline, including Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), and Sen. Mike Lee (D-UT). Mike Lee also had a fun response.
While this isn’t me (way too much hair), I should’ve thought of this first. https://t.co/rNViqVUyAb
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) September 24, 2023
