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Jon Stewart skit should be seen as highlighting America’s political flaw
Jon Stewart featured two senate races that when examined illustrate the sad state of our politics. He examined both a GOP primary race and a national race.
Jon Stewart billed the first race, a Republican primary, as the Tea Party versus GOP establishment civil war. “Huge news results,” Jon Stewart said. “In the Tea Party versus establishment civil war that has been pitting young hardline Right Wing Tea Party obstructionists against older ones.”
The primary was between 3 term Conservative Senator Pat Roberts and Milton Wolf. Pat Roberts has been seen as detached from his constituents. He has spent very little time in Kansas. He spent so little time that in a Freudian slip he implied he only goes home when he has an opponent. It does not help that his residence in Kansas is at a home owned by a donor nor that he owns a home in Virginia.
Jon Stewart ridicules Pat Roberts’ reality noting that it would take a rather flawed candidate to lose to him. It turns out that is the exact type of Tea Party candidate Pat Roberts got. He beat Milton Wolf, a radiologists who thought it was OK to post and ridicule gruesome x-rays of gunshot victims. Given the flawed opponent, a 48% to 41% victory did not show compelling support.
The second race Jon Stewart featured was between Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Alison Lundergan Grimes (D-KY). At the rights of passage ‘roaster’, the Fancy Farm Picnic, Alison Lundergan Grimes fired off a fierce but justified call out of Mitch McConnell’s shortcomings and failures to provide for Kentuckians. In that event the basic response to her was simply the names ‘Obama’ and ‘Reid’.
There is a sad message here. It is about choices and false loyalties. Conventional wisdom has it that the Kansas race is over after the Republican primary because irrespective of which Republican won, as a solidly red state, Kansas will send a Republican senator to Washington. Even though their choice was between a senator detached from his constituents and a sociopath, the outcome would be the same.
Many believe the same applies in Kentucky. Alison Lundergan Grimes supports issues and values that Kentuckians need and support, from healthcare to increasing wages and the standard of living. McConnell’s only answer is that Alison Lundergan Grimes is in the same Party with President Obama.
Will conventional wisdom be right this time? The Kansas governor’s race may be probative. Over 100 Republicans endorsed Paul Davis, a Democrat over the incumbent Republican governor Sam Brownback because of his extreme and irresponsible governance.
Will this type of crossover occur nationally to allow the country to return to a state where governing matters? It is completely and entirely in your hands America. Vote! Vote for what is in the best economic, health, and social interest of yourself, your family, and your country.
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