Elected yet unelectable

I’m going to start a new series on this blog, highlighting the worst of the worst in American politics. Specifically, I refer to people, not necessarily policies. These are people elected to high office (mostly) who hold views or have made statements that should keep them from getting jobs at Dairy Queen, much less be elected to run the government. You occasionally see one stick his foot so far down his throat, it actually prevents him (it’s usually a him, but not always… some terrible ladies will be included, too) from getting elected. Recently Todd Akin was a great example, with his “legitimate rape” line.

Sometimes it will be more than just terrible words. Actions count, too. But those are often obscured by ideological bias. While I am certainly biased, and this series is more likely to feature conservatives and libertarians, I want to make it clear that it’s not just that. This list will focus on truly awful people who have said and/or done things that should disqualify them from public life, regardless of political affliation. Well, maybe not the Reform Party. They’ll take anyone.

This list was inspired partly by my own internet hate-searches. Clicking from link to link, usually on liberal leaning news and opinion sites, scouring the computers of the world for idiots to grumble over. It’s quite cathartic, I suggest everyone try it. And then try not to take it too seriously and end up hating everybody… That part’s no good.

This feature was also inspired by a right-leaning friend who has a major hard-on for New York Senator Chuck Schumer and California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer. His hatred of those three knows no bounds, despite living pretty much 1500 miles away from all of them. Friends have argued that his hatred is misplaced, not just by ideology, but also by geography. These individual senators will rarely do anything to affect him. Sure, they are national senators, but they, like all others, are still more likely to offend (or please) their constituents more than anyone else.

With that said, many Senators, Representatives, federal judges (not elected, sure, but government officials nonetheless), and even governors can do much to affect their regions, and even the nation as a whole.

Some of these nutjobs have made statements which go well beyond ideology and dive into the realm of pure lunacy. As mentioned earlier, Todd Akin’s 2012 remarks are a good example of this. Whether liberal or conservative, most reasonable people reject comments like his. It’s pretty clear that his “legitimate rape” statement tanked his campaign, one in which he had been winning, and gave his Democratic opponent a wide victory in an otherwise increasingly right-leaning state.

Sometimes insane statements get overlooked, ignored, or even accepted by the electorate, and psychopaths manage to remain in office or win in spite of being horrific human beings. Those are the people I’m referring to. Those are the people I plan to discuss.

Occasional verbal gaffes, or a lousy vote doesn’t cut it here. I’m trying to make sure that only those who should have no role in leadership are featured. Individuals who are truly damaging to American government. A mediocre senator or a loudmouth governor isn’t my concern.

My right-leaning friend doesn’t like Senator Schumer’s positions on gun control. I don’t like Todd Akin believing rape to be exaggerated or overrated. To each their own, I suppose, but I’m going to make sure that people like Akin are discussed. Schumer has never made damaging or dangerous statements the way Todd Akin has.

I’m going to explain what each of these nationally (or sometimes state-level) elected officials has said and done. I want people to know just what kind of representation they have in government. To my admittedly biased eyes, the individuals I’m going after are so awful, they transcend ideology. It’s probably naïve of me to think that those who disagree with me politically would be willing to throw their ideology aside to oppose the worst elected officials, but I prefer to retain at least some small measure of optimism. After the research I have done, clinging to any optimism about the American political system, or the American public’s understanding of said system is a pretty tall order.