LETTER: Mockery lacks character
To the Telegram: If a man benefits by mocking the heritage, history, culture or personal choices of another, what does it say of his character?
To the Telegram:
If a man benefits by mocking the heritage, history, culture or personal choices of another, what does it say of his character?
The 7th Congressional District in Wisconsin is being targeted by one candidate’s TV campaign ad mocking his opponent.
The ad also contains a weak attempt to present a fact, but the real intent is to mock and ridicule. And, the “fact” stated is not true.
The ad claims Congressman Sean Duffy supports a plan that would cost Medicare subscribers an additional $6,400 yearly. This comes from an out-of-date, widely criticized Congressional Budget Office analysis of an obsolete plan. In doing this now irrelevant analysis, CBO ignored a critical fact: The plan allowed for lower income seniors to receive an annual assistance stipend of $7,800, according to FactCheck.org. CBO also failed to factor in free market efficiencies and productivities that will always compare favorably to government run efforts, which tend to inefficiency, bloating, waste and fraud.
Every candidate for public office has the opportunity to approach campaigning using tactics founded in civility, respect and truth.
By his choice to mock his opponent, Pat Kreitlow has apparently chosen to approach his campaigning using end-justifies-means tactics.
Kreitlow owes it to Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District to step up to the plate and explain his own ideas to save Medicare, and deal with other critical issues.
For any candidate who believes mocking an opponent is the right strategy to employ and fails to explain his own ideas, there are careers other than U.S. Congressman.
A gig standing under the Capitol rotunda dome telling knock-knock jokes between sets of the Solidarity Singers may be a better fit for a man who sees himself as cleverly funny and gains personally by mocking others.
In times of crisis, we need sincere, committed men and women. We do not need clever, funny guys. We do not need mockers.
Character counts.
Bill Fehrmann,
Merrill, Wis.
More from around the web
RSS Feeds