Poor Little Congressman Steve King

Poor Little Congressman Steve King

One has to give Steve King credit … He certainly knows how to turn his own gratuitous insults into an opportunistic chance to claim personal victimization. Why, King asks, do those pesky Liberals time and again misinterpret what he says for “political purposes?” In reference to his latest incivility, King now claims he wasn’t really trying to insult Obama when he boldly claimed that the terrorists would be dancing in the streets if Obama was elected president, or that Obama’s middle name would send a welcome message to the terrorists, or even when he implicitly equated an Obama inauguration with the attacks of 9/11. No, according to our poor misunderstood Congressman, all he wanted to do was make a larger point about the need to persevere and be forceful in the fight against terrorism.

OK, then why not simply say that, Steve? Why not engage in a serious policy discussion on the Middle East? Why instead go the “extra mile” and make it personal, as always? What next? Will King criticize Hillary’s looks like he did reporter Helen Thomas’ a while back? It’s a shame Steve King apparently never learned proper manners from his parents, or thought the “Golden Rule” taught in Church worthwhile.

[Ironically, you’d be more likely to find an Al Qaida terrorist shopping at the local mall than a serious, factually-accurate policy statement on any issue on King’s official Congressional website. Go check!]

Just for the record, Obama does want us out of Iraq. But it’s not to “surrender to the terrorists” as King might think. Rather, Obama quite intelligently wants the U.S. to redirect its attentions to those areas like Afghanistan and Pakistan where the threat is more serious (and where Osama Bin Laden and the Al Qaida forces who attacked us on 9/11 are hiding), and where U.S. efforts should produce greater results. As it is, the U.S. military is bogged down in Iraq, where it’s distracted by an unpopular occupation, battling sectarian strife, and susceptible to a slow war of attrition with no end in sight.

Frankly, it’s an insult to the intelligence of the American people for King to suggest that any president would so carelessly renounce his or her primary duty to preserve and protect the United States and its citizens. Moreover, it’s also supremely arrogant of King to suggest that it’s “his way or the highway” when it comes to foreign policy.

Unfortunately, as a member of Congress, Steve King’s personal attacks have given the imprimatur of social acceptability to the many religious and racial bigots who want cover for their irrational dislike of Obama (or just Democrats). Hence, we’re now suddenly being deluged with Letters to the Editor and on-line commentary curtly dismissing Obama as “scary” or “a charlatan” or a kind of “Pied Piper” leading us “sheep” to slaughter. After all, if a Congressman sets the example by saying similar things, it must be true, right?

Well, we can thank Steve King for once again contributing to a lowering of public discourse in America. And after that, let’s do ourselves a favor by voting in Rob Hubler, a college graduate who can debate an issue on its merits, rather than resort to “cheap shot” ad hominem attacks like Congressman King.

Peace!
Historian

King the Ignorant on Obama

King the Ignorant on Obama

Honestly, I don’t know whether or not to be more ashamed of Representative Steve King the Ignorant, or the legion of gullible yahoos who support the guy no matter what, and who mistake King’s utter lack of civility for ‘speaking the truth.’

Seriously, I think the terrorists would be much more likely to dance in the streets should we continue to elect Representative King, who apparently prefers to launch gratuitous, ad hominem attacks and make momentous decisions concerning our nation's future based more on uninformed prejudices than on the facts. Honestly, despite the old adage, ignorance is not bliss when the times demand strong, intelligent leadership!

For a good sample analysis of King's general ignorance about such things as Islam and Al-Qaeda (which only makes it harder to fight the terrorists effectively), read Iowa State University Professor of Religious Studies Hector Avalos' informative and well-written Letter to the Editor in the March 11, 2008 Sioux City Journal. Professor Avalos, among other things, points out that pro-Al Qaeda websites have expressed no support for Obama, and in fact have suggested he might be a Shiite agent linked to Iran (it’s almost reassuring to know we Americans aren’t the only ones unfairly reading religious bigotry into Obama’s middle name). He also pointedly notes that Obama’s middle name, “Hussein,” is generally associated with Shiites, whom the rabidly Sunni members of Al Qaeda dislike and distrust.

Please Lord, lift this burden named Steve King from our political lives. Send him back home to dig holes in the ground or whatever it is he does for a real living. Please!

Thank heavens this election cycle we have a serious contender running for Congress in Rob Hubler. Rob served his nation honorably in the Navy from 1962 through 1968 during the Vietnam War (and what did gung ho Steve King do to assist his country during those same years?), before completing college, helping run a succession of political campaigns, and later becoming a Presbyterian Minister. If you haven’t already met Rob, you should!

Just imagine: we could elect Rob Hubler and take pride in having an articulate, thoughtful, service-oriented Representative for Iowa’s Fifth District … or we could continue to bow our heads in shame with more of the obnoxious bullying and ineffective representation that Steve King offers.

Peace!
Historian