As medical science tries to cope with the effects of the coronavirus that have swept around the world, isn’t it time for political science to take a hard look at the stupid virus that has swept through the Missouri Republican party?
One of the most obvious symptoms of the coronavirus is a shortness of breath. The most obvious symptom of the stupid virus is the effusion of hot air. In both cases, quarantining may be required.
The outbreak in our state Senate got so bad recently that Boone County’s own Sen. Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia likened his even-more-conservative colleagues to a “clown show.” The sentiment is understandable, but the parallel is an insult to real clowns everywhere. They’re being ridiculous on purpose. The Republican clowns, by contrast, are taking themselves seriously.
Sen. Rowden spoke before Rep. Chuck Basye, R-Rochepor revealed his symptomatic stupidity by demanding that Columbia School District Superintendent Brian Yearwood resign because he had the temerity to allow into a course for college-bound high school students some material that shows less attractive aspects of American history.
Rep. Basye said in his news release that he doesn’t want his grandson, “who is white, by the way,” taught that he is racist. I suppose he also doesn’t want the boy watching the news video of white Border Patrol agents whipping Black Haitian refugees or reading about white cops beating Black suspects. Reality can be ugly.
Several Missourian readers have pointed that out to Rep. Basye in letters to the editor. I doubt, though, that he reads the paper.
The good news is that he hasn’t won a single suit. There’s no reason to expect that he will.
Of course, that’s not the point. The point is the sound and fury.
The proper name of the coronavirus is COVID-19. I suggest we name the stupid virus TRUMP-1. The reasons should be obvious.
The victims of TRUMP-1 include those I’ve mentioned plus Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, and former Gov. Eric Greitens. Sen. Josh Hawley’s supportive salute to the mob preparing to invade the Capitol last January shows that he may well be the primary carrier of the disease.
All these sufferers seem to have at least two things in common, in addition to their being Republicans. They have ambitions for higher office, and they all want to identify as closely as possible with the syndrome’s namesake.
For those of us who haven’t succumbed, the question is simple: Is there a cure?
The world’s best medical scientists haven’t yet discovered a cure for COVID-19, though they have developed vaccines that can limit its lethality — if only people will take the shots.
Fortunately for the democracy, an effective antidote to TRUMP-1 already exists — if only the citizens will use it.
That antidote is the election. We saw its healing effect on the body politic last year when more of us than had ever voted chose Joe Biden to replace Donald Trump as our president. But clearly, more doses are needed.
Now we just have to remember that lesson.
George Kennedy is a former managing editor at the Missourian and professor emeritus at the Missouri School of Journalism. He writes an occasional column for the Missourian.
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The 'stupid' virus seems to be endemic among politicians - Columbia Missourian
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