(David Mansdoerfer) – As many of you will remember, Mystery Science Theater 3000 starred Joel Robinson and his robot sidekicks as they watched and commentated on terrible science fiction movies.
Well, as I have read through thousands of campaign websites (both good and bad), I think that someone needs to start calling politicians out for what they list on their websites.
Today, I will pull sections from Kate Marshall’s campaign website (www.katefornevada.com/issues) and provide a running commentary on how bad the rhetoric is.
Website: As Treasurer, Kate Marshall has a tried and true record of reducing spending and eliminating waste.
DM: Have you read through your job description lately? I’m pretty sure that while you manage the states money, you are only responsible for making conservative investments and paying the state’s debt on-time. As for reducing spending and eliminating waste, not-so-much.
Website: Kate Marshall has a proven track record of watching out for Nevada’s taxpayers, protecting middle class families and creating jobs in our state.
DM: You are the State Treasurer. That means you are an investment banker. Please explain how you ‘protected’ the middle class and created jobs. Even though you would like to think you have more power being the State Treasurer, you don’t have the capability to do either of these things. Besides, what about protecting all of the residents of Nevada? Are the rich and poor not worth protecting?
Website: In Congress, Kate will refuse a pay raise until the budget is balanced, bottom line.
DM: Hmmmm…. If I made $174,000 with awesome benefits, I would also refuse a pay raise for not doing my job.
Website: Kate will work tirelessly to help make Nevada competitive in the new global economy through workforce development and new investment in industries such as renewable energy.
DM: So, after talking about fiscal responsibility, you are all for earmarks – which is the only way you could guarantee that congress invests in renewable energy in Nevada. What is it – fiscal responsibility or personal earmarks?
Website: No one will be a bigger advocate for small businesses, especially when it comes to helping businesses to secure much needed capital. Kate will incentivize the banks to lend by creating special small business loans.
DM: Since when does congress determine how banks loan money? Keynesian economists are sure to love you.
Website: Kate believes that we must not, and cannot, end Medicare for our seniors and she will stand up to anyone who tries.
DM: Please tell me who, in congress, is advocating to ‘end’ Medicare. There are plans to change and alter Medicare. But calls to ‘end’ Medicare would be political suicide.
Website: In her first acts in office, Kate streamlined budgeting, commissioned an external audit of the Treasurer’s office and cut wasteful spending.
DM: So you paid for an outside company to do your work. That doesn’t seem wasteful…
Website: While most politicians are looking to spend your tax dollars, Kate has made a career out of making money for taxpayers and protecting their money.
DM: Do you understand the difference between being a State Treasurer and a Member of Congress? One manages money (State Treasure) and one spends money (Member of Congress). Are you promising only to make money (through taxes) and protect it (from Chinese debt collectors) when you are in congress? (Oh, and spend it on earmarks – see above)
What have we learned from this exercise? Well, for starter, Kate Marshall, or the person who worked on her website, clearly doesn’t understand the difference between being a State Treasurer and Member of Congress. Other than that, the bad political rhetoric tells us little or nothing about what she actually stands for. For this, let’s hope she redoes her website so that the residents of Nevada’s 2nd congressional district will gain a clearer picture of what she actually stands for.
(David Mansdoerfer is the Director of Federal Affairs for Citizen Outreach)
