Written by Mary Tarkington   

I think it is fascinating that Joe the plumber, who does not appear to be very smart and who misrepresented his plumber status, was the keynote speaker at the tea party anti-union rally in Madison, Wisconsin last Saturday, February 19th. What does that say about this group? Why would a group of political activists have someone who is not smart and who misrepresents himself to the President as their inspiration for a political rally? Let’s think about that for a moment.

Well, it is the same group that picked a self-proclaimed witch who lied about her education; candidates who believe that Dearborn, Michigan is governed by Shari'a Law; that Mexican drug cartels were beheading people in the Arizona desert; and who, while criticizing an opponent for opposing the teaching of creationism in the schools, did not even know that the establishment clause is in the constitution. These are the same people who insist on carrying guns to presidential campaign rallies and into the local statehouses, just to prove they can. These are the same people who, despite all of the evidence to the contrary, believe that the president was not born in this country.

This is what I call the lowest common denominator approach to politics. Instead of electing the best and brightest to solve our nation’s problems and steer us into the future, tea partiers gravitate toward the least experienced, least intelligent, least educated, least talented candidate. They want a "Washington outsider." It is important to tea partiers that they would feel comfortable having a cup of coffee with their candidate and that they are able to identify with the candidate's lifestyle and background. To tea partiers, smart, intellectual candidates are aloof and "out of touch." They want someone just like them, someone to whom they can relate.

This lowest common denominator approach to politics is dangerous to our democracy. When was the last time you applied for a job where having no experience or any other qualifications was a good thing? It is obvious from their field of candidates this past November that the tea party does a poor job of vetting their candidates, if there is any vetting at all. So, they put forth candidates who were witches, who talk about the constitution without having read or understood it, who dress up like Nazis, lie about their education, believe that the President was not born in the U.S., believe the President is a Muslim, and who want to house poor people in prisons. These are the type of people don't want in government. They are too detached from reality and will say anything to win. If we elected tea party candidates we would have a congress consisting of liars, uninformed representatives, and people engaged in crazy talk, who may or may not actually be crazy. Would these people make smart, rational, informed decisions? I bet not.