American Republicans are outraged by the clothing debate – he takes it very calmly here. Meeting with Netanyahu: Biden ‘concerned’ about restructuring of Israel’s judiciary

This sentence may seem a bit strange. But it perfectly describes what’s going on in Washington these days: there’s a lot on the agenda – and yet there’s currently a heated debate going on over supposedly innocent issues like a dress code.

But from the beginning. On Monday, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that the Sergeant-at-Arms Staff — the official dress police of the Senate — will no longer enforce a dress code in the Senate. This change was an indirect result of the following scenes: Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman regularly and relatively unimpressedly wore shorts and a hoodie while in office – now a trademark of last year’s surprisingly elected senator.

To avoid getting into trouble because of his casual clothes and the applicable regulations, he voted in the doorway of the room. “There was an informal dress code that was enforced,” Schumer said in a statement. Senators could now choose what they wore in the Senate. “I will continue to wear a suit,” he added.

The new regulations sparked widespread outrage among Republicans across the spectrum of politics. A Kansas senator, Roger Marshall, said it was a “sad day in the Senate” and that the people representing Fetterman and Schumer should be ashamed. “I represent the people of Kansas, and just as I dress for a wedding to honor the bride and groom, one dresses for a funeral to honor the family of the deceased,” Marshall said. Senators must have a certain level of decency, he added.

Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine agreed, arguing that the relaxed rules “devalue the institution of the Senate.” And: “I plan to wear a bikini in the Senate tomorrow,” Collins joked.

Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene was also furious. However, she herself is not exactly known for impeccable behavior: the Trump supporter has already described a party colleague as a ‘little bitch’ and showed sex photos of Joe Biden’s son Hunter in a committee. On the online platform The dress code is one of the social norms that determines etiquette and respect for institutions.

Fetterman didn’t have to be asked twice and replied: “Fortunately, there is a higher code of conduct in the House of Representatives: showing penis photos during public hearings.”

Fetterman earned a lot of respect from both sides during his first term at the start of the year, when he admitted himself to hospital for clinical depression. He received critical acclaim for his diagnosis, which he received after a stroke, and his public handling of it. When he returned from treatment, he began to dress more casually – apparently because it made him feel more comfortable.

Now the goodwill towards him has apparently turned into the opposite. But Fetterman has a similar problem with criticism as he does with his clothes: he takes it in stride. When asked about the criticism, he replied: “You’re panicking, I don’t understand. Aren’t there more important things we should be working on now instead of me dressing like an idiot?”

Meanwhile, Fetterman also can’t resist certain lateral movements. This is how he responded to criticism from the conservative channel Fox News. It is a reference to the – indeed – infamous behavior of Lauren Boebert, a fellow Republican.

When he showed up to vote on Monday evening wearing a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, Fetterman said he was not yet sure whether he would benefit from the new rules: “It’s nice to have that option, but I will use it sparingly and not use excessively.” (lacquer)