This Guy Used an Emoticon on the Senate Floor

And slammed the GOP in the process
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted May 22, 2015 12:11 PM CDT

What do Republicans plan to do if the Supreme Court strikes a big blow to the Affordable Care Act? In the words, er, meme, of Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, that would be a bunch of characters (some of them difficult to reproduce) that form an emoticon known as the "shruggie" (see it in the gallery). Murphy debuted the meme on the Senate floor yesterday via a large poster while noting the Republicans' plan "is essentially a shrug of the shoulders." The Washington Post calls the date "an important day in meme history," while the New York Times notes the symbol made it into the congressional record at exactly 3:56pm. Republican Sen. John Barrasso retorted that President Obama doesn't have a plan either if the decision doesn't go his way, per the Hill. (More Affordable Care Act stories.)

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