This is a pretty uncharitable comment. A nicer (and, in my opinion, more correct) take would be that their articles are written for people that enjoy reading an

This is a pretty uncharitable comment. A nicer (and, in my opinion, more correct) take would be that their articles are written for people that enjoy reading and language. And the sentences you cite make perfect sense to me: the legislature may be relatively functional and courteous, but it still has many irrational members who are ignorant and backwards.