Sheila Jackson Lee Actually Compares Bush Tax Cuts to Iranian Hostage Crisis

Just think of the happy place, congresswoman, and everything will be fine.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Democrat of Texas, appearing on Ed Schultz's radio show Tuesday, made one of the most ludicrous analogies in recent memory. Listen for yourself, courtesy of audio from Brian Maloney at Radio Equalizer --

We saw what happened when Iran took hostages in 1979. A president lost his re-election. The prestige of the United States was challenged. I am not going to be taken hostage again to extend the Bush tax cuts when every economist says that it's absolutely absurd forever and points to the fact that no jobs are necessarily created by extending the Bush tax cuts, at least on the top one percent of Americans, and when the top one percent population polled have said that they have no problem with losing that ludicrous benefit forever and ever. And then, when everyone understands the question of mutual sacrifice, benefit and sacrifice, with all of our soldiers coming home we're now going to talk about being held hostage to the Bush tax cuts forever.

Floating back to earth several hours later when she spoke with Schultz again on "The Ed Show," Jackson Lee apparently decided this was over the top even by Schultz's expansive "Psycho Talk" standards. Jackson Lee again referred to hostage taking, but of the reviled one percent, after initially referring to President Obama's speech in Osawatomie, Kan. (audio) --

JACKSON LEE: The president today laid out a road map and asked us, are we prepared and willing to sacrifice to get a better education, better opportunities for jobs and infrastructure, for the American people by saying to those top one percent, many of whom are in agreement but they have been taken hostage themselves ...

SCHULTZ (wearily): Yeah ...

JACKSON LEE: ... by the Republicans who use them as pawns to keep Bush tax cuts that have done nothing to create jobs but only diminish the American people's opportunity for their genius and their job opportunities to grow.

Free the one percent hostages! (Pawns, whatever!)

What next -- Jackson Lee comparing loss of jobless benefits to the sinking of the Titanic?

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