September 25 — United States Senator John Fetterman from Pennsylvania has been wearing shorts and a sweatshirt in the Senate Chamber almost since he was sworn in.
Because the policies required Senators to be dressed appropriately while conducting business, he’s been voting from a cloakroom closet.
Since then, the Senate has relaxed the dress code and Fetterman has been allowed on the floor.
Is this really where we’ve come in this country?
Pat Ryan of NewsTalk 103.7FM said, “You wouldn’t see John Fetterman walking around at a bank like that. He’s an employee of yours. He is your employee. Do you want to see this guy checking you in as you’re getting aboard a plane or at a bank? You want to see him as a nurse at a WellSpan hospital? If that’s okay with you, then we’re certainly on two different paths here.”
Attorney Clint Barkdoll pointed out, “Some really scathing editorials against Fetterman over the weekend, including from the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, saying this dress code issue is a real problem for America because it’s reflecting how our institutions are being undermined. Fetterman just flaunts it. Not only is he now wearing that on the Senate floor, he presided over the Chamber the other day in that outfit with his gym shorts and a T-shirt.”
Senator Joe Manchin and some other Senators are trying to force a vote in the Senate to mandate a shirt, tie and jacket at all times when you’re on the floor.
Barkdoll said, “That very well could pass. Unclear, though, if the membership could mandate it, because historically, it’s been leadership, in this case, Chuck Schumer that sets those sorts of rules.”
Michele Jansen of NewsTalk 103.7FM said, “I think nothing could be funnier than to see a lot of them walk in, in a red bathrobe, white t-shirt. We are dropping all standards, we really really are and it means something to dress professionally. Are we just going to have people showing up at banks in sweats to address their customers? Fancy restaurants, one reporter had gone in to see if they could come in dressed like Fetterman and they couldn’t. There is a way that you dress that shows respect for your colleagues, for what you’re doing, for your constituents. This is the highest legislative body in our country of Representatives. They are the austere top of the heap when it comes to our representative group, representing the country and you can’t show respect by not dressing as as he said himself like a slob?”
Barkdoll noted, “There’s also research that backs up that your job performance is reflected if you’re better dressed, you’re dressing for the part, you’re going to perform better, you’re going to get more respect from your colleagues. Fetterman has thrown all that out the window. Keep an eye on his narrative. The narrative that’s emerging from the Fetterman camp is he’s the Every Man. He’s reflective of the working people, that the working people want to see him like this. He can better relate to them. But it goes to what these editorial boards are saying and I want to point out even some very left, liberal editorial boards are saying no, this is a bridge too far. You need to show decorum when you’re in a place like the US Senate. It’s 100 people, the most elite, prestigious legislative body in our whole country and they need to dress like it.”
