If you’re sick, do you try to choose the smartest doctor or the dumbest?
When you want an accountant, do you want to feel confidence in the ability of that man/woman to add, subtract, multiply and divide? Use excel formulas?
When you need legal assistance, do you want a wise man/woman or a dope?
These are not trick questions.
I’ve always asked myself similar questions about the people who want to run my country. I want the smartest people in office, from Town Selectman to President. Naturally, that means I’m a Democrat.
But you know, I always sort of figured that Republicans at least thought (mistakenly) that theirs were the smart candidates.
Ummm, not so much. At least, not according to one of the GOP’s shining stars, Rick Santorum. You know, Rick “Don’t Google Me” Santorum, the former Senator from Pennsylvania (who lost by 18 percent!) who was also a former GOP candidate for President just this year.
Listen up to Ricky speaking just the other day to the Values Voter Summit here in DC:
We will never have the media on our side, ever, in this country. We will never have the elite, smart people on our side.
Well, Duh!!!!! You got that right, Ricky. But is it something to be proud of?
FiftyFourandAHalf 
I just woke my husband laughing at this: I want the smartest people in office, from Town Selectman to President. Naturally, that means I’m a Democrat.” As a “Blue girl in a Red state,” I’ve gotta say you’ve hit that one spot-on! 🙂
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Thanks, Kana. It must be tough to be a fish in the shark tank! Here at least the good guys have a chance.
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You know, your opening bit at the top of the post honestly made me think that the best people for the job aren’t really running for it anymore…
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That’s absolutely true, Guap. It’s because candidates and office holders are under a constant microscope. Could you withstand it? Could you go for years without saying/doing something stupid or asinine? I wouldn’t last a week. And I don’t want everyone in the country to see it! John Kennedy would not have been elected under these conditions. And that would have been a bad thing.
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I think as the current crop of sexta- and septagenarians age out, the next crop of politicos will be able to own up to their mistakes and manage them better.
I hope it’s soon, because all these out of context soundbites are driving me batty.
I also think most of the great presidents wouldn’t have been elected in current conditions. No way do we elect a guy in a wheelchair like FDR these days.
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Absolutely right on, Guap.
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santorum, stain on politics and society in general, has just described the rethuglican party a/k/a the party of george w. ‘chimpy’; bush and princess sarah palin. when you have a party of stupid people, who could be better symbols?
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Oh, Nonnie, there are so many stupid republicans to choose from. Because their policies and ideas (such as they are) don’t make sense! They are total bullshit.
Glad to see you’re up and online again!
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The tea party is the worst most embarrassing element I have ever witnessed. I used to think that their was something in the republican party of value. Now they have nothing but ignorance to offer. they think that the American public will sallow any lame story that they tell. I am going to do my best to show them wrong!
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It’s only getting worse. Thankfully, after tonight’s news, (see tonight’s post) we are unlikely to have a President Romney (god willing!) Now we have to work on the House and the Senate!
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It’s a shame that he only has one mouth to yet two feet to put into it.
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When you’ve been sucking on toes as long as he has, you can get several feet into your mouth at a time!
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If you want smarter politicians, elect more women!
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Women Democrats! Two of the most dangerous and ignorant women in Congress are Republicans — Michelle Bachmann and Virginia Foxx! I’d lose two females in Congress to retire those two.
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Sadly those Republicans focus only on the affectations (books, advanced degrees, thick glasses, etc.) when they think about ‘smart’ people, and the concept superior problem solving capabilities never crosses their collective cortex. So, and even more sadly, Rick’s message “those of average IQ unite under the GOP banner,” was successfully conveyed to the intended audience.
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Do you think they’re thinking of folks with AVERAGE or BELOW AVERAGE IQ’s? They sure seem to be playing to the dopes in the crowd.
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Agreed, I was playing nice however.
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Unexpected, Clinton. I’m sure then you see my confusion 😉
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No, no, no! I don’t listen to Santorum, so why start now! 😉 Besides, I’m one tired pup.
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Frank, that’s exactly why I provided the text — no sense in bothering with that nasty video!
You had a big weekend, Frank. Take the rest of the night off. 🙂
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Well … my Monday Morning Entertainment post is coming soon. 🙂
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Phew!
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And just when you thought stupidity was the sole province of the candidates, comes this story from Salon.Com:
“Ohio Republicans think Romney is responsible for killing Bin laden.
What does Mitt Romney have to do with killing Osama bin Laden? According to a notable percentage of Ohio Republicans, way more than that good-for-nothing Barack Obama.
According to a PublicPolicyPolling.com poll
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2011/PPP_Release_OH_9912.pdf of likely Ohio voters, 15 percent of Republicans in Ohio think Romney is “more responsible” for bin Laden’s death than Obama, while 47 percent of Republicans are “not sure” whether Obama or Romney deserves more of the credit.
Six percent of the overall respondents gave Romney credit where credit is not at all due. Thirty-one percent of them weren’t sure whether the president or the candidate deserves more credit.
Jillian Rayfield is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on politics. Follow her on Twitter at @jillrayfield or email her at jrayfield@salon.com.”
No guarantees that the link works – I haven’t gotten it to – but where have these polled people been, on Mars with the rovers?!?
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Thanks, John. Yes, the links work.
I’d seen that poll elsewhere. What ijits as Val would say. But did you notice that 31% of respondents weren’t sure who got Bin Laden? Lord Almighty.
I’m assuming that these folks think Romney had something to do with it because Bin Laden no longer has a job, just like all those folks who worked at companies taken over by Bain.
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Talk is cheap, as the adage goes. But action takes more than talk and solutions are harder when the words are nonsensical. We need some bright minds leading US.
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We have some, just not enough. When you look at the graphs, the country is so much better off when the Dems are in charge of Congress, too. The period of biggest growth and expansion came when the GOP was in the background. (I remember in the 80’s hearing that some guy named Gingrich was saying that the Republicans could take the House of Reps in 1992 — ha! I though. They did it in 1994!) I’ve been working on a post on the giants I followed in the early 1980s in the Senate in particular. Brilliant men (yup, they were all men) of BOTH parties who worked together to get things done.
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He is only stating the obvious, Elyse. So what is the problem? You have to be simple-minded and moronic, a mysogynist, and a homophobe to be a Republican! Oh, and someone who thinks that they can slip voter suppression past the thinking public…
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Welcome, Tammie.
Yes, you’re right, you need to be all those things and more (less?) if you consider yourself a Republican. Or perhaps you need to be delusional. Yup, that too, I think. And then there are the intelligent folks who are Republicans. You know, the ones who are simply greedy. Did we leave anybody out?
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One thing for sure, we can look for this scholar to run for the 2016 seat. Seems far off and while we want to forget him in the meantime, like Sarah Palin, he’s not gonna let us.
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Nooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!
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The real problem? There are still so many that will vote for these ijits, because they do not understand what their vote means. They still believe that (R) means something. I had a discussion with two women yesterday who actually repeated the meme of “we don’t know what is in Obamacare, it is bad” and then when on to tell me they would pay capital gains on their houses if they sold, and they would be have to pay $10,000 in medical care before their Obamacare would kick in, I just stared dumbfounded.
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Yes, Val, you’re right. There are too many ijits that vote for these turkeys. Who swallow the hate and fear. Who are so ignorant that they don’t even know what it is they’re swallowing.
I am glad that the Dems have finally embraced the term “Obamacare.” I’ve always wondered what’s not to like about it. Obama cares; Romney doesn’t.
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Now we are suppose to “fear” smart people. What the hell does that mean!? He should be wearing an “I See Smart People” t-shirt to top off his craziness.
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The Democrats are losing a huge amount of $$$ by not printing all these dumb GOP sayings on t-shirts. It could make up for the millions being put in by the Koch brothers and Sheldon Adelson! Good thinking, Tops!
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Why would we need a smart president? It’s not like any of the problems we’re facing are complicated.
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True enough, Laura. George W wasn’t the brightest bulb and he did just fine. Right?
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Wow. I just love it when people talk of “American values” and never define which ones they are talking about. There are lots of values out there. But I guess, being a former college professor and smart person, I’m not on America’s side…
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You are an elitist, Lorna. I presume, therefore that you also pal around with terrorists. Or at least apologize to/for them.
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But I do have a family. Does that help make me more American?
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Well, Lorna, that depends. Is your family made up entirely of folks who cling to their guns and their religion? Do they believe in creationism and deny global warming? Are they survivalists who practice abstinence only? If not, then it doesn’t count that you have a family.
You are unAmerican. Even if you answered “yes” to only one of the above. Sorry.
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You know, I was brought up conservative, and was so for many years (and still have some right-ish leaning), but this current crop are their own worst enemies. If I were chief of the GOP right now, I’d be ordering duct tape by the MILE! These guys have taken “hoof-in-mouth” to a whole new level.
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I’m not sure that much duct tape exists, John.
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Gosh darn it! Why do those smart people have to vote?
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The GOP is working on cutting down those numbers< aren't they.
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That makes me madder than anything else that’s been going on – it’s reprehensible.
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Lisa, now why should blacks and women and folks who don’t have ID be allowed to vote?
Damn Democrats.
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The question in my mind is how they can talk about preventing voter fraud when they concede there hasn’t been any voter fraud. Seems like this creates a wee bit of a credibility problem…
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Well you are obviously one of those smart elite types. Don’t look at the man behind the curtain!
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Well, I have to admit I’m a big fan of education and I’m fond of reality too. I’m so ashamed.
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And so you should be!
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Wait, wait. You have to be fond of reality to be FOR America? Dang – I think I finally found the reason for my love of Canada and the UK…. 😉
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You commie. They BOTH have socialized medicine!
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Hmm, let’s think about that for a sec. We live off my wife’s slightly-above-minimum wage, neither of us has any insurance, I’ve got killer headaches needing 5 prescriptions, and the wife just turned 50. Now, where in all that mess would be a love of socialised medicine? 😉 😀
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“The premise of America… will always be sustained by the church.” Yep. That’s why the pilgrims came here, right? The founding idea behind our Constitution? To institute religious dogma and enforce it on people?
When the hell did we get so afraid of smart? When did “Smart” become an insult? Something to be avoided and treated with disdain?
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Well, I think that happened in 1980 with Ronald Reagan. I’ve been working on a post about that for a while but it hasn’t quite jelled.
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