Maryland’s Andy Harris and other Republican members of the House Freedom Caucus are engrossed in an adolescent game in Washington, sabotaging Kevin McCarthy’s quest to succeed Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House just for the hell of it. Watching Republicans in a silly schoolyard brawl would be amusing if not so bad for the country. There’s no conflict in ideology, at least none that’s been articulated by any of the crazies of the Freedom Caucus. This is just cheap political theater produced by 20 or so half-adults who take gleeful pride in undercutting McCarthy and screwing up Congress. Harris is a do-nothing lightweight who yearned for membership in the Marjorie Taylor Greene Club. How pathetic is that? He has accomplished little for his constituents in 12 years; in fact, his votes against Obamacare and infrastructure spending were votes against the best interests of his constituents. He has little influence in Washington and he’s only a congressman thanks to the extreme gerrymandering carried out by Maryland Democratic leaders. Secure and cynical, Harris runs with the crazies, enjoying the publicity and pretense of power that comes from repeated votes against McCarthy. It’s all as adolescent as could be — selfish, petulant, thriving on disrespect and humiliation, caring little about what might happen to the government or the country.
Published by Dan Rodricks
Dan Rodricks is a long-time columnist for The Baltimore Sun, winner of numerous national and regional journalism awards, a radio and TV personality, podcaster and fly angler. His narrative memoir, "Father's Day Creek," was published in May 2019 by Apprentice House at Loyola University Maryland. View all posts by Dan Rodricks
Dan Rodricks 
I am amazed a doctor can be such a terrible human being
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As my in-laws would say “What about Hunter Biden?”
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You are incredibly succinct!
Poor excuse for leadership!
I wonder what their parents think of their childish behavior!
Thanks, Danny for bringing rational thought to their irrational behavior!
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👍🏻I totally agree with you Dan.
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Andy Harris is an embarrassment to this great state. And I thought he promised to leave Congress after his last term. Oh, he lied. Well now that’s something new for a republican. Shameful
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Harris is unarguably the most ineffective Congressman in the Md. delegation; his constituent service record is atrocious; his voting record is as extreme as any of the radical right-wingers in Congress, and he treats his position of responsibility with callous indifference, missing key votes, and treating this important position like a hobby. He needed to go 12 years ago, and he needs to go now.
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Well said Dan. It really is upsetting with their theatrics that do nothing for the country. I don’t recall you being so annoyed with Andy and the others. It must have hit a nerve.
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Hakeem Jeffries gets the most votes for speaker and doesn’t win? This is election fraud. Stop the steal!!
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I agree with Dan. Only, thinking he’s more dangerous than we thought. He carries a gun & carried one into the chamber on 1/6/21; a day after the insurrection. He said it was for protection, however, it was a violation of the rules & law. Dan, please let me know how I can give you information privately. Thank you. Sue Scherer Rice
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Please let me know how i can give you a private message. Thank you.
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
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drodricks@baltsun.com
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I agree. And am sick and tired that every time the press identifies Harris as a “physician” my blood boils. Yes, he has an M.D. degree, but he’s an anesthesiologist…you know, the guy that puts you to sleep before surgery. By constantly saying he is a doctor without explaining what kind is shameful. He does not minister to patients like a health care provider. BUT he did write a script for Ivermectin, the snake oil promoted to cure Covid, for some goof on a radio talk show. And believe the medical board is looking into that. He is just a vacuous do nothing shell taking up a seat in Congress. Lest we forget, he was also part of planning the J6 coup plot.
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I can’t think of anything that I can write to improve this description of Andy Harris and his childish and stupid behavior. He also harms the country and does no good for his constituents. In fact, it harms them also.
Thanks, Dan, for getting this information out to the public.
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I thought exactly the same thing, Dan. A real embarrassment to our state. It’s really hard to believe his supporters don’t believe they made a mistake.
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Dan, I love this article
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