It does seem weird to not even be done with the holidays less than 60 days from the midterms and already be bombarded with Sarah Steelman ads around the Internet. Yes, I want Claire McCaskill beaten, but does the old cliche of shining too brightly too quickly and burning out too soon going to come into play here.
I noticed a letter to the editor today in the Columbia Daily Tribune titled, "People need a break from election hooey." I agree. We shouldn't have to deal with Sarah Steelman getting as much press time in before the holidays as she can or watching Billy Long, who said during the campaign that too many politicians go to Washington and worry too much about getting reelected, begin his reelection campaign just nine days after he won his seat to Congress during the holidays. By the way, what a strange time to try to get press. Most of the media is on break through the New Year holiday and the big radio talk show pundits are enjoying their time off too.
The letter, which I believe sounds like it was written by a Democrat, has some valid points and some invalid points.
Editor, the Tribune: We have just suffered through an election, and now the politicians are revving up again.
An article said Jim Talent and Claire McCaskill might be headed toward a rematch in 2012, and Sarah Steelman might jump into the race. And Peter Kinder is moving toward challenging Gov. Jay Nixon.
During this season of the year, can’t we have a break from all of the election hooey? Bill Clark mentioned in his Dec. 3 article the vitriol that comes from politicians on both sides of the aisle.
That’s what wears us down: the vitriol. As Clark said, just give us the facts, folks, not the senseless, endless babble. During this season of the year, we need to nurture our souls.
As far as I am concerned, this election hooey can wait until January 2012.
Martha Willingham
304 E. Sneed B
Yes, I think we need a break.Politicians spend too much time worried about getting elected and keeping their jobs, and they don't spend enough time leaning the job according to the Constitution and being loyal to the limits the Constitution places on their jobs. Perhaps, their time would be better spent engaged in the lessons of the founding fathers than worried about which radio station will produce the next sound bite, or getting interns to run their campaigns while they are in Washington, or where to place their ads--gay hook up sites or not.
As for Jim Talent, he has honored the voter by keeping his political ambition away from the holidays immediately following the midterm elections, Ms. Willingham, and he said he would not make an announcement until after the first part of the year. You obviously haven't been paying attention because Sarah Steelman is an eager beaver and announced a few weeks ago she was running for the seat. Really, it sounds like people like Steelman and Long are the problems--too worried about getting reelected and not enough time studying the issues--and it shows.
