I have the dubious distinction of being represented by Thaddeus McCotter (MI-11) who, in recent months, has become one of the rising stars of the Right Wing Noise Machine. McCotter, it seems, loves the sound of his own voice and is enchanted with his clever turns of phrase (at least he thinks they're clever).
Since he was elected to Congress in 2002, McCotter has been portrayed in the local media as a thoughtful, mainstream lawmaker. Which raises the obvious question: aren't these people paying attention? For starters, they should take a look at the McCotter for Congress website....
Let's start with the milder stuff. A good examples of how not to write can be found on the website's "Advance Economic Freedom" section:
America is a country – a delicate mosaic of honest, hard working, and loving people pursuing their dreams. From their brows falls the salt of our earth; from their hands springs American prosperity. Be it for the Industrialization Generation or our Global Generation, advancing economic freedom empowers the majestic American people to expand prosperity and pursue happiness; and to show the world what a free people can economically achieve.
He's just getting warmed up. In the "Declare Energy Independence" section, he says:
Ignoring the international energy pressures of globalization, Leftists stubbornly cling to their failed 1970’s lethargy policy of higher taxes, government dictates and spending boondoggles.
In the "Fight for Fiscal Integrity" section, McCotter promises to "[d]ent the federal debt by directing all recouped revenues from prior appropriations and exactions be, instead, used to eliminate the portion of the federal debt held by communist China," and "[e]nd pork-barrel earmarks by passing the legislative line item veto, compelling transparency, and stopping all duplicitous practices." Got all that?
McCotter's economic views are mere throat-clearing compared to those on the Right's pet issues. On immigration, he says, "Big government, big business, the Left, and this trio’s elitist accomplices have all combined to cheat us of our sovereignty and tax money by enticing and exploiting illegal immigrants into America." Yep, people like you and me--not the meatpackers and other companies that exploit undocumented workers. He goes on to say, "while we cannot abide their illegal presence in our nation, we must strive to resolve this untenable crisis without animus or amnesty." How he plans to do that is not clear.
In the "Tame the Taxman" section, he really finds his voice:
Liberals scheme to soak your family budget and bloat the federal budget, because they crave control over Americans’ economic decisions. If nothing is done, liberals will replace free enterprise and property rights with envy and wealth redistribution as the basis of our economy.
Specifically, he says we should "REJECT ANY NEW TAXES ON ANYONE AT ANYTIME FOR ANY REASON" (the capitals are his) and "[a]bolish the redistributionist and outdated progressive federal income tax and adopt a more just and prosperous system immune to political abuse and socialist demagoguery."
But the real, radical, red-meat McCotter shines through in the "Win Our War for Freedom against Terrorism" section. He rejects the phrase "War on Terror" in favor of "War for Freedom." At the rate McCotter and the Republicans are going, the word "freedom" might have to be given a long sabbatical after this election.
On Planet McCotter, our immediate enemy is "Infidel Fascism":
Today in Iraq, Afghanistan, and throughout the world, humanity is battling Infidel Fascism. In Islam, Kufar means “infidels.” Because Al Qaeda and Bin-Laden butcher innocents, including Muslims, they are Kufar who pervert Islam’s peaceful path and sinfully seek to enslave others of God’s children. Intensifying the threat, the enemy’s is also fascist; and this hideous ideological concoction has too well adapted to globalization: organized, media savvy, technologically adept, and willing to kill their own children to kill ours, we confront a faceless foe along a million mile front that is waging its war, not on a map, but on your mind. It is global gangsterism – a moral cancer to be scourged from our world.
And our long-term enemy is "Iranian Imperialism":
Through a marriage of convenience with Sunni led Infidel Fascism, Iran (Shiia ruled) is complicit in compounding the spread of terrorism – often with the aid and comfort of Syria, with which the Iranians have signed a “mutual defense” treaty akin to the 1930’s Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Governed by a radical Islamic politburo of mullahs, the Iranian regime is bent upon exporting its revolution through the use of terror and intimidation, including the arming and shielding of our enemies in Iraq, and the development and proliferation of nuclear weapons. Fanatically committed to their imperial phantasm, these Iranian Imperialists are underestimated or ignored at the world’s peril.
Yes, he actually put that on his website.
In all probability, McCotter will be re-elected to a fifth term in the House, where he'll continue his climb up the congressional GOP ladder. His Democratic opponent, Joseph Larkin, is badly underfunded and both the national and state Democratic Party have ignored western Wayne County and southwestern Oakland County for years. So it looks like Kossacks will see at least two more years of "McCotter said WHAT?" diaries.