Friday, August 04, 2006

Randy Kuhl: Still in Office, Still Delusional

Remember when soon-to-be-Governor Eliot Spitzer remarked that Upstate New York is like Appalachia? Remember how so many people got their panties in a bunch over it? The vast majority of these folks just so happened to be Republican, obviously trying to take political advantage of Spitzer's insightful/inciteful statement by casting him in a negative light. Of course, that didn't work, because any upstater with decent vision can see the similarities. Heck, I bet even most Republicans and blind squirrels could. All the upstate Republicans need to do is look at their proud U.S. Representative from Hammondsport, John Randy Kuhl. If his election wasn't proof that we're in Appalachia, I don't know what is.

Loyal Republicans in his district elected him relatively handily over his young opponent Samara Barend despite knowing that he once pointed a loaded shotgun at his ex-wife and threatened to kill her. I guess that's not really that big of a deal though. Men are always getting into tiffs with their women, it's just part of life. It's not like he actually shot her. But even if he did, she probably deserved it. Besides, her life isn't worth nearly as much as that of stem cells. Nice segue, eh? The out-of-touch Kuhl supports our esteemed President's position opposing federal funding for stem cell research. Despite the promise of curing a number of awful diseases, somehow the thought of harming poor little stem cells just doesn't sit well with this shotgun-toting maniac. Does he forget he represents the people of the State of New York? New York Democrats and (most) Republicans alike support stem cell research. Why? Because science is not something to be afraid of. What's next Randy? Are you going to propose they teach creationism in Hammondsport schools? My point is, if he gets re-elected, then I guess we know just how far into Appalachia our region has fallen.

But that's all in the past I guess. What's important is Kuhl's latest embarrassment. If you saw today's Democrat & Chronicle, then you had to do a double-take at the story entitled, "Kuhl, back from Iraq, says U.S. on right track". Huh? On the same day that the leading generals in Iraq are admitting that sectarian violence is spiraling out of control and that the country is on the brink of civil war, this guy has the nerve to come back to this part of the country toting the Republican party line that everything is fine and that we're "making a difference in liberating the people of Iraq"?!?!?! Clearly, Randy forgot to take his anti-vapidness medicine or else he actually thinks his constituents are mindless fools. Sure Randy, we're doing a fine job, the people are even less free now than they were before. We should all give our right-wing neighbors a pat on the back for a job well done. What was that phrase, mission accomplished?

Beyond the sheer ignorance of his statements, we should all be outraged that our taxpayer dollars are being wasted on transporting such idiotic people as Kuhl halfway across the globe just to return and lie to us that everything is fine. More than 2,500 US soldiers are dead and nearly 19,000 have been wounded in Iraq alone. Does that sound fine to you, Randy? Of course, you have no military experience, but you were once the Steuben County District Attorney, so why shouldn't I trust your bullshit? I didn't mean for this to turn into an election piece but the more I think about how awful this man is for our region, the angrier I get. His opponent, Eric Massa (who I admittedly know very little about), is a former Naval officer and assistant to General Wesley Clark in his failed presidential run. He supports stem cell research and he is not a fan of the Dukes of Hazzard. If I were in that district, he's the clear choice for me.

Did I forget to disparage Kuhl's haircut? Looks like Mr. Kotter got older, shaved his mustache, and ran for Congress!. Note the quintessential Republican blue shirt/red tie combo. What a jackass!