Rep. Culberson Uses Props To Explain Federalist System

Rep. John Culberson (R-TX) was on C-SPAN this morning to explain -- with water bottles, of course -- how the "omnipotent" federal government has completely stripped the states and the American people of their God-given rights. 

Watch:

Several minutes after his water bottle analogy, Culberson was asked by a caller about the recent changes that the Texas Board of Education made to the state's social studies curriculum.  According to the New York Times, the changes "will put a conservative stamp on history and economics textbooks, stressing the superiority of American capitalism, questioning the Founding Fathers' commitment to a purely secular government and presenting Republican political philosophies in a more positive light."

Culberson defended the Board's actions, saying that the state had the right to determine its curriculum.  That explanation clearly contradicted his earlier point that Texas has been left without any rights.  (He also failed to acknowledge that as one the largest states in the Union, the standards that Texas sets on textbooks will invariably affect the choices available to school boards outside that state's borders.)

Culberson later attacked politicians for supporting federal initiatives, even those that "protect children."  They all, in his opinion, took rights away from the states. Of course, Culberson conveniently forgot to mention the millions that he's brought back to his district in earmarks to support those very same programs.

The shtick isn't new.  As Dave Weigel points out, Culberson has been at it for at least a year now.