http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20110802/OSH0602/108020349/Editorial-New-low-politics-personal-destruction?odyssey=nav|head In a sea of swirling claims and counter-claims, truths, half-truths, white lies and gross exaggerations, it is tempting to throw up one's hands in disgust and resignation that such is the state of politics. Just seven days from a series of historic Wisconsin State Senate recall elections, it is especially tempting given weeks of bombardment by political messages.
To be sure, policing each and every phony, false and jaw dropping claim made in political ads would be futile. Even so, there are some cases that are so egregious and detrimental to maintaining a sliver of civility that remaining silent could be construed as tacit support. A mailer campaign against Sen. Randy Hopper, R-Empire, by the Greater Wisconsin Political Fund is so viscerally vicious that the only conclusion one can draw is that the group is intent on Hopper's personal destruction.
The mailers have attempted to make light of Hopper's divorce while highlighting a series of measures approved by Gov. Scott Walker and Republican majorities in the Legislature to balance the state budget. Certainly, controversial votes and positions taken by Hopper are fair game for criticism and rebuttal, even caricature, conjecture and exaggeration. The First Amendment, rightfully so, gives wide platitude and protection for commentary about politics and elections.
While we'd expect that Hopper's opponents in the 18th Senate recall election would strongly condemn his votes, making Hopper's personal life a crux of the ad campaign is wrong, particularly when recent mailers have made prominent use of phrases such as "Alleged Mistress" and "Cheaters Never Win."
Suffice to say Hopper is not alone nor a rarity in today's society in his divorce. If the intention of the Greater Wisconsin Political Fund is to make an appeal to some universal value of family, the mailers have instead made a mockery of that. The crass politicization of "family values" is gaudy by the politicians who make it a staple of their campaigns and those who'd mock a man for his perceived failure to live up to those standards.
The group's mailers are not just a tad distasteful or over the line. They exemplify an alarming – and disgusting - escalation in the politics of personal destruction that are polluting Wisconsin politics.
Just part of a 3 page article that shows how low both sides have gone to maintain their power. How do I vote? Easy, I vote for the most pro 2nd Amendment candidate.
