Tea Party Politics 2010: Why Nevada's Sharron Angle Is An Idiot And What Must Happen Next

Accurate assessment of politicians is critical. In particular, our political system will crumble and, in turn, every other major system operating in American society and culture will worsen, if we do not separate the empty-headed fame hounds from the philosopher kings.

President Obama is a philosopher king, because he thinks deeply about important issues, draws coherent lines between his policies and his values and, most importantly, his values are American: equality for all, incentives for hard work, etc.

The Tea Party is, in all likelihood, not philosopher king material. Sharron Angle embodies the Tea Part movement as she is its representative in the fight against Harry Reid and Nevada’s Senate seat.

Who is Angle? Well, she’s a former state assembly woman (whatever that means) and she’s increasingly coming across as an empty-headed fame hound. The signs and symptoms are everywhere. When she is forced to talk about current and complex issues, she fails to exhibit deep thought or a precise grasp on proper values. She wants to phase out Social Security - the most successful governmental program in the 20th century and one that runs on a profit (read more here). She wants to eliminate the EPA, which is the only thing standing between us and things like salmanila outbreaks. She’s called the BP compensation fund for Gulf Coast victims a “slush fund.”

Thus, she tries to limit the focus on policy discussions and her governing skills as much as possible. She runs through parking lots to avoid questions from reporters. She recites stock answers and says idiotic things like “God has inspired her campaign.” She attacks Mr. Reid on Social Security only after an aid reminds her to do so, she discusses Mr. Reid and the stimulus without clarifying which stimulus, and more to the point she attacks Mr. Reid instead of promoting, well, anything of substance, anything that can even be misconstrued as a helpful solution during these difficult times.

She’s playing a smoke and mirrors game that special interests root for, that the media obliviously enables, and that too many voters fail to notice. The smoke and mirrors hide that she’s an empty-headed fame-hound. Hopefully people will see her core through the fake public image and note that Mr. Reid may not be perfect but he’s significantly closer to the much needed philosopher-king.