Monday, December 21, 2009
Should the Sixth District Look Outside the Box?
A.C. Kleinheider has a very interesting column in today's Nashville City Paper. In the column, A.C. posits that noted anti-tax advocate, award-winning blogger, and conservative activist Ben Cunningham should consider running for the recently vacated Sixth District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
A.C. notes that he has talked to Ben and that he has not warmed to the idea of himself as a political candidate.
I'm of two minds on Cunningham for Congress. For the people of the Sixth District, and the American electorate as a whole, Ben going to D.C. would be fantastic. Ben is one of the best economic minds I know, and given that our political leaders are about to vote us into economic armageddon (if they haven't already done so by the time you read this), we're going to need people of Ben's intellect, experience, and character on Capitol Hill.
That being said, I know Ben and have to openly wonder if this would be a good thing for him. I always have to consider what public office - seeking it, working in it, keeping it - does to people. I saw the toll the grind of the Senate took on Senator Fred Thompson. I saw how tough it was for Congressman Ed Bryant to deal with the campaign grind. And both of my former bosses were experienced politicians at the time.
If Ben does decide to enter the fray, I am sure that he would find friends aplenty for his campaign. Ben has helped people throughout Tennessee to keep taxes low and to fight government waste. He has helped organize more conservative issue discussions than anyone could possibly know. While a potential Mae Beavers entry into the field might partially disrupt its formation, a Cunningham candidacy could very well formulate a grassroots network - both within the Sixth District and outside of it - that could be the difference in a divided primary where all of the other candidates look fairly similar.
I keep hearing the libertarians, tea partiers, and conservative grassroots talk about getting back to basics and keeping the politicians out of office. If that's really what you believe and you aren't so filled with apathy that you're willing to do something about it, you might want to contact ol' Ben Cunningham. He could be exactly the guy you want representing Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives.
A.C. notes that he has talked to Ben and that he has not warmed to the idea of himself as a political candidate.
I'm of two minds on Cunningham for Congress. For the people of the Sixth District, and the American electorate as a whole, Ben going to D.C. would be fantastic. Ben is one of the best economic minds I know, and given that our political leaders are about to vote us into economic armageddon (if they haven't already done so by the time you read this), we're going to need people of Ben's intellect, experience, and character on Capitol Hill.
That being said, I know Ben and have to openly wonder if this would be a good thing for him. I always have to consider what public office - seeking it, working in it, keeping it - does to people. I saw the toll the grind of the Senate took on Senator Fred Thompson. I saw how tough it was for Congressman Ed Bryant to deal with the campaign grind. And both of my former bosses were experienced politicians at the time.
If Ben does decide to enter the fray, I am sure that he would find friends aplenty for his campaign. Ben has helped people throughout Tennessee to keep taxes low and to fight government waste. He has helped organize more conservative issue discussions than anyone could possibly know. While a potential Mae Beavers entry into the field might partially disrupt its formation, a Cunningham candidacy could very well formulate a grassroots network - both within the Sixth District and outside of it - that could be the difference in a divided primary where all of the other candidates look fairly similar.
I keep hearing the libertarians, tea partiers, and conservative grassroots talk about getting back to basics and keeping the politicians out of office. If that's really what you believe and you aren't so filled with apathy that you're willing to do something about it, you might want to contact ol' Ben Cunningham. He could be exactly the guy you want representing Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Labels: 2010 Congressional Races, Economy, Taxes
Permalink posted by Rob Huddleston @ 4:23 AM 
