As you already know, I have a serious problem with the Democratic candidate for our Congressional seat -- not because he's a bad guy, but because he's weak. He has absolutely no "presence" whatsoever, no connection with people when he speaks, no ability to think on his feat, no willingness to give a straight answer to a question, and seemingly, no desire to win.
I live in the kind of Republican district that used to be called "Rockefeller Republican." Marge Roukema, who probably wouldn't be allowed in the Republican Party anymore, served this district in Congress for 25 years. I suspect that many people here, too busy with shlepping their kids back and forth, aren't even aware that when Marge retired, they elected the most foul kind of Christofascist Zombie.
Scott Garrett is awful, but the candidacy of Paul Aronsohn insults my intelligence. It insults my intelligence because I am supposed to believe that this corporatist namedropper, whose web site is chockablock of him shaking hands with politicians, is going to represent my interests in Congress. When asked whether he'll represent Pfizer, his former employer, or constituents in Congress, he won't give an answer. When confronted about net neutrality in the context of having the telecom industry's leading lobbyist as a campaign advisor, he goes on the attack. Aronsohn's theme is "We have to move past pointing fingers."
At least I KNOW that Scott Garrett is going to screw me over. Aronsohn is going to talk nicely, reassure me that he's on my team, and then when my back is turned, he'll pocket the corporate cash and THEN screw me over.
I recognize how important it is to take the House this year. I recognize the argument for being a "good soldier." But that acknowledged, I vowed in November 2004, after John Kerry left Ohio with $14 million in leftover campaign cash and votes still uncounted, and went home, that I would never, ever, ever again be a "good soldier" and vote for a pussy-ass candidate who DOES NOT WANT TO WIN.
And I see nothing from Paul Aronsohn indicating that he has the fire in the belly to run against Republicans.
If he gets flustered and angry when I ask him tough questions, what on earth is this guy going to do when Scott Garrett gets hold of him?
I WANT Aronsohn to not be the cigar store Indian that I think he is. I WANT to be able to vote for him. But so far, there's just no there there. So it's against this dilemma that I went to this candidates' forum.
The panel consisted of 12th District Rep. Rush Holt, 9th District Rep. Steve Rothman, and Aronsohn.
Holt favors a phased withdrawal from Iraq beginning immediately. Rothman favors a phased withdrawal beginning in November. Aronsohn favors a phased withdrawal "beginning by the end of the year."
Of the three of these nimrods, Holt was the least offensive. The man is no speaker, but he gets points from me for at least trying to address the voting machine issue. And he was at least prepared with an impressive breakdown of what the money being spent every day in Iraq could pay for.
After you get past Holt, all bets are off. This was a testy, restive, angry crowd of about 100 people. With the exception of a few well-placed Aronsohn shills sprinkled through the crowd, this was a group tired of sellout Democrats, tired of war without end, tired of having no representation. This was a group that wants Action-With-A-Capital-A, not promises. This was a group that wants a plan, not bullshit. And this was a group that didn't get what it was looking for.
The standard line about Democratic ineffectiveness is "What can they do? They're out of power." This line is parrotted by everyone from Randi Rhodes to, well, Steve Rothman. Rothman, becoming angrier and more sarcastic with every question, repreated this mantra over and over and over again: "With a Democratic majority, we'll do x, y, and z." That's an awfully big leap of faith to ask us, when so many Democrats have just rolled over for this Administration for the last five years. The message from this party is, "When you can't win, don't try." Once you get past John Conyers, who bravely soldiers on, holding his basement hearings, guys like Steve Rothman are biding their time, waiting till they are guaranteed a win to do what's right.
And we're supposed to elect representatives who get their motivational philosophy from Homer Simpson:
Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.
Trying is the first step towards failure.
I want to share something with you -- the three sentences that will get you through life. Number one, "Cover for me." Number two, "Oh, good idea, boss." Number three, "It was like that when I got here."
Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.
By this logic, the Mets should only show up to play when the Pittsburgh Pirates are in town sitting all their regulars and playing a team full of Triple-A callups.
Now THAT'S the kind of strategy that makes you want to go out and make phone calls, doesn't it?
If you're wondering why I haven't said much about the candidate for my own district, it's that there's nothing much to say. Paul Aronsohn sat between Holt and Rothman looking as if he'd rather be anywhere else. Aside from nodding like a bobblehead doll whenever support for Israel was mentioned, he used every opportunity to magnanimously hand the microphone off to Holt or Rothman. The one direct question he answered was one about Airbus receiving Katrina reconstruction money to build a plant in Louisiana to build fighter jets for the Iraq war. And his answer was stock Aronsohn: "I don't know about that."
At that point, I put my hands to my head to keep it from exploding and muttered, "I'm really trying here, guy, but you gotta help me out...you gotta give me something to work with."
Paul Aronsohn is exactly the reason why Rothman's call of "Just make us a majority and we'll do you proud" rings hollow. Aronsohn is clearly already looking to his next government position. It seems he can't be bothered running a real campaign. He can't be bothered coming up with positions on the issues that are tenable. The Aronsohn boilerplate consists of two concepts: "Let's move on and not point fingers" and "I don't kknow about that."
The attendees at this forum want accountability as well as repairs to the mess the Bush Administration and their Congressional lackeys have made of this country. We are currently being represented by a bunch of guys who don't even TRY -- and now they've given me yet another one are they're telling me he's my only hope.
If that's the case, then hope is already gone.
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