No country for this old man

Normally, I give extra points to a political candidate with military service. Pennsylvania  Republican governor candidate Doug Mastriano retired from the U.S. Army as a full colonel before turning to politics. High five.

I confess I subtract points for advanced degrees. To my sorrow, I have learned the higher the elevation in the academic tower (with certain exceptions) the greater the separation from common sense. Mastriano has a PhD in history, plus four master’s degrees: Strategy, Strategic Intelligence, Military Operations, and Airpower.  Hmm. Lot of duplication, no? He earned his BA from Eastern University in St. David’s, Pa., and is now a state senator from the Red part of the state.

How could a man with so many degrees possibly believe — on the basis of no earthly evidence — that the 2020 election was stolen? 

It was not. All of Donald J. Trump’s inner circle, with the exception of certified fruit cake Rudy Guiliani, told him so, to no effect.

If Mastriano, 58, believes something that is demonstrably untrue, he is too dumb to hold public office. If he actually knows better, he is a world-class liar.

Choose A or B. Either way he is unfit for office.

Aside from that, he is dead wrong on a key issue — abortion. He takes the extreme position that he would outlaw abortion (if he could) even in cases of rape and incest.

Almost 2/3s of Americans accept abortion in most or all cases.

If you think that number is much smaller in conservative areas, guess again. Blood red Kansas voters just voted 60/40 to keep abortion legal.

Mastriano has called the separation of church and state a myth. It is not. An excerpt from the First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” That is a wall between church and state. 

He has made social media posts referencing wingnut QAnon and has spoken at events that promoted QAnon and 9/11 conspiracy theories. He was at the Jan. 6 rally/riot, and was seen on video passing through Capitol Police barriers after they had been breached by others in the crowd. He tried to overturn the 2020 election  also spent campaign funds — until it was reported — on a right-wing website with anti-Semitic views.

Speaking of things reported, Mastriano refuses to talk to reporters unless they are far right. He refuses to answer questions about his positions from the press, even from the conservative Broad & Liberty website, probably subscribing to Trump’s view that journalists are enemies of the state. Aren’t soldiers supposed to be brave? What is he scared of?

He has said he will appoint a secretary of state that will allow the governor to basically cancel any election he doesn’t like “with the stroke of a pen.” The man is dangerous in his disdain for democracy.

His platform can be found here.

Some highlights: He’s against CDC mandates, and sanctuary cities, and crime, and high taxes. He is for school choice, police, and drilling for oil.

I agree with some of those, but I can’t get past “election denier.” 

No one that dumb or corrupt belongs in American political life. These are the fools and liars in the MAGA spectrum that needs to be crushed. They are the 21st Century recreation of the Know-Nothing Party.  They need to be driven back under their rocks.

I’m voting for Josh Shapiro, a sane, moderate Democrat.