The vapid Vicky Hartzler
Yael T. AbouhalkahListening to Vicky Hartzler campaign for Congress brings new meaning to the words “empty vessel.”
The candidate for Missouri’s 4th Congressional district should have a great shot at knocking off the old, tired-looking Democratic incumbent Ike Skelton in this “Year of the GOP candidate.”
Yet even many Republicans are embarrassed when they hear Hartzler speak.
She says, to be blunt, nothing.
She wants to cut the budget, but has absolutely no clue about what big federal programs she would scale back. When asked that question directly at an Editorial Board meeting Monday, Hartzler mumbled about the need to get rid of the highway beautification program started under Lady Bird Johnson more than 40 years ago.
Taxpayers shouldn’t be planting roses near the highway, she declared earnestly, talking about a program that - if eliminated - wouldn’t slice the federal deficit by any appreciable amount.
But she wants to keep all the entitlements. And keep supporting the military. And keep the parts of the new health care insurance plan that cost money, such as allowing children up to 26 years old to stay on their parents’ insurance plans.
Hartzler was asked a number of other questions about her stands on issues, and almost every answer was a vapid, by-the-book, ultra-conservative answer.
It was excruciating to hear, especially when there are intelligent Republican candidates out there who have actually thought about why they want to run for office, have detailed responses on how they would like to reduce the federal budget and who offer well-constructed reasons for GOP positions.
Unfortunately for voters in the 4th District, Hartzler is not one of those candidates.
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