Ah, Politics!

The congressional district where I live is currently represented by Doug Lamborn. I had thought it would be impossible for anyone to get to the right of Mr. Lamborn, but he is facing a primary challenge from a man who criticizes the congressman obliquely as a creature of the Washington establishment. The challenger, who seems to be peculiarly well financed, runs television ads in which he says he wants to take America back before we are destroyed in the arc of history, whatever that means.

I'm posting about this because I also learned recently that the congressman where I used to live, Eric Cantor, House majority leader, and noted right-winger, also is being challenged for the Republican nomination back in Virginia. Once again, I thought Cantor was so far to the right that it would be impossible to criticize his record from a conservative perspective -  but it's happening.

What's going on? Has the radical right become so puritanical that they are dissatisfied with representatives who, even a few years ago, defined the limits of  right wing politics in our country? Has the Citizens United case opened the floodgates of anonymous campaign funding to the point where rich extremists think they can bankroll people with nineteenth century mentalities, and win elections? Are they so intolerant of any political compromises that they want only absolutely completely "drown the government in a bathtub" people in Congress?

I don't know, but I do know the irregular media sources, primarily on the Internet, are awash with extremist videos and polemics, and politicians are catering to the most extreme parts of  the electorate. Just to cite one example, one night last week I overheard a video of a man condemning any effort to raise taxes on people who make more than $250,000 a year, because it will stifle small businesses. He went on to excoriate President Obama and his family because the first lady has made trips abroad at taxpayers' expense. He used the phrase "unmitigated gall" to describe Mrs. Obama's travel.

My opinion is, if your business yields more than $250,000 a year it's not small, and you can afford to kick in some additional funding to help balance the national budget. Think of it as a purchase of kevlar vests for our soldiers if it helps you feel better. If you want my sympathy, talk about the plight of people who make $25,000 a year, not people who make ten times that amount. As far as the first family's travel is  concerned, all presidents use their spouses for travel as a means of building rapport and goodwill with the people of other nations. Michelle Obama is very effective in that regard. It's money well spent.

I'll close with one little irony. My congressman, facing a primary challenger and a Democrat in the general election - not much of a challenge here, where Republicans are a majority - is still sending out glossy news releases as mass mailings, prepared and printed by the government, and using his franking  privilege, to tell us how much he opposes government spending. You tell 'em, Doug!