Sanders v. Wheeler - Go With Sanders

The race for County Executive has been kind of a mess. A lot of the old-time democrats I know like Wheeler, for his years of service and quirkily charismatic manner. Sanders has done a good job as prosecutor, though, especially when compared to Wheeler's awful performance in Jefferson City, where he has been either inconsequential or absent.

Neither is a candidate I can feel overly positive about.

When it comes down to it, though, Wheeler must lose, because he made a conscious decision to side with the powerful in an ugly assault against the powerless. When Wheeler, a lawyer and a doctor, sided with the insurance companies in the tort reform debate, he knew exactly what he was doing. He was taking away rights from children hurt badly by faulty products. He was taking away rights from future innocent victims. He looked at the unknown person who will be horribly injured, and decided that the insurance companies make better campaign contributions. He sold you out. He sold me out. He sold our grandchildren out. Shame on him.

Wise readers may point out that tort reform is almost entirely irrelevant for the County Executive position. They are right, of course, but I have two answers. First, this is a character issue. He told people he would oppose tort reform, and then did the dirty work that the insurance companies demanded of him. Who knows what county issues will come up where he will side with the wealthy and powerful against the interests of Jackson Countians? He has shown in vivid detail that he is willing and able to screw each one of us.

Second, this is sheer political vengeance, and Wheeler deserves every bit of it. He deserves to be held accountable for what he knowingly did to us. He lied about it, and he hoped that the voters would forget, but I refuse. Wheeler told common Missourians to jump in a lake when he cast his vote for tort reform, and it's time we told him the same thing.

I heard Wheeler on the radio yesterday, and you can hear the desperation and anger in his voice. He feels entitled to this position, and is affronted that Sanders didn't run for Attorney General, as he instructed. Wheeler was negative and utterly classless, and sounded angry much of the time. He knows that he can't rely on the dotty grandfather act any more, and that pisses him off.

I'm not a huge Sanders fan, but I thank him from the bottom of my heart for giving Wheeler the ass-kicking he has richly deserved for so long.