Let's not reward mediocrity

I read a great article in the newspaper this morning about how our present political environment is more about rewarding mediocrity than it is recognizing excellence. This is something that I have been saying for years now when I have private arguments with friends and family members, but this year we need to seriously take notice of the fact that we are no longer looking for candidates with a relevant resume and professional pedigrees. Instead, we are looking for a reality television star.

Every day the media relies more heavily on ginning up controversy than it does reporting the facts. They refuse to do their job.

For the new conservative movement it is more important that candidates fit into their well-defined boxes than instill a willingness to debate and cooperation. Sure, bipartisanship might have been hard to find over the past two years, but if the GOP takes control, you might as well get used to a state of gridlock unlike anything we've ever seen.

Over the past few years the GOP has been called "The Party of No" as if this was some new revelation. The Republican Party has always been "The Party of No." I challenge you to name one major piece of legislation that was passed by the GOP in the past 70 years. MAJOR LEGISLATION?

Social Security? Democrats
Medicare? Democrats
Medicaid? Democrats
Civil Rights Act? Democrats
Health Reform? Democrats
Fair Labor Standards? Democrats
Minimum Wage? Democrats
Equal Pay Act? Democrats
Food Stamps and Student Lunch Program? Democrats
Equal Employment Opportunity? Democrats

The GOP has always been about limiting government from doing ANYTHING to make peoples lives better. Why should we be surprised that their new electoral strategy is nominating extremely unqualified candidates to go to Congress and do nothing? You don't need to be qualified if you aren't going to pass any meaningful legislation. You just have to be there to vote "no."

Sharron Angle, Ken Buck, Rand Paul, Christine O'Donnell, Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck... these are the country's new conservative voices? Seriously?

Think of it this way, the moment you hear a complaint that the President of the United States is, and I quote, "too intellectual," you know we have come to a dangerous national mindset.

-- Joseph Banks