This isn’t really intended to be a Democrat vs. Republican thing, although it may look that way.
It’s really more a question wondering how so many truly low quality people wind up getting elected to important offices.
Certainly one thing that gave me the idea to ask the question was the House of Representatives expelling New York Congressman George Santos last week. Sadly, I doubt Santos was the worst person in Congress when he was expelled, but I certainly wonder how his local Republican Party looked at him when he announced for Congress and responded with:
“George, George, he’s our man …”
Was he someone who worked hard for his local party and gained its respect so that when the opportunity came up, they looked at each other and said:
“You know who would be a good candidate? That guy George Santos.”
I’m not sure what the answer is, but I know one thing it isn’t. It’s not unsophisticated voters in southern Colorado choosing Lauren Boebert or toothless hillbillies in northwest Georgia (a district adjacent to the one in which I live) electing Marjorie Taylor Greene.
No, Santos represented the Third District in New York State, a Long Island district with a median income of $129,000.
But speaking of those toothless hillbillies, they re-elected Greene with 66 percent of the vote in 2022. If there’s one thing that looks certain to me it’s that she will be in Congress as long as she wants to be.
She voted against removing Santos and so did Boebert, whose future in the House isn’t as assured. She represents a district that geographically covers nearly half of Colorado, but she won re-election by only 546 votes out of more than 327,000 voters cast.
And that was before “Beetlejuice.”
Boebert might be making the most of what might be her last term in Congress. I’ve written enough about her before that I don’t feel the need — or the inclination — to rehash old stories. But I will say it was funny that she was in New York this past weekend partying with, wait for it, George Santos.
But those three, easy targets that they are, may not be anywhere near the worst Republicans in Congress. Paul Gosar of Arizona is the one whose own family members begged Arizona voters not to elect him.
Matt Gaetz of Florida is the guy who never met an underage girl he didn’t want to, well, know in a Biblical way.
Let’s not forget Gym Jordan of Ohio, who in a previous incarnation as an assistant coach of the Ohio State wrestling team knew that a team doctor was molesting team members and then not only didn’t turn him in, later denied that he knew anything about it.
At least the Republicans had someone like Liz Cheney. She is probably more conservative than I am liberal, but I admire her integrity and her willingness to stand against Donald Trump. We need more people in Congress like her.
Of course, Republicans voted her out last year.
Certainly I would like to see fewer conservatives in Congress, but I would be willing to settle for just getting rid of the scumbags.
That would be a big step back from the brink.