By Bruce Edward Walker
In his Parade article Sunday, “Mr. Smith Flees Washington,” Mitch Albom bemoans the outcast state of Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI). The Yooper politico as a Capra-esque Jimmy Stewart? Please. An arrogant, Shakespearean King Lear is a more apt analogy.
Stupak retired in ignominy from national politics this year after selling out his supposed anti-abortion principles in return for President Obama’s promise to draft an executive order prohibiting federal funding for abortions. This clinched passage of the Health Care Act last spring, and set the stage for Stupak’s persecution and exile.
The viciousness of the attacks on Stupak since his fateful vote indeed challenged civility. Physical threats on the representative and his family, if true, are reprehensible. Albom writes that the negative things said about Stupak led to the legislator’s decision to opt out of a reelection bid.
Albom establishes Frank Capra’s idealistic film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington as the conceit for Stupak’s cut-and-run. Jimmy Stewart’s Jefferson Smith, recall, uncovers chicanery in the nation’s capitol, and he uses this knowledge to push forth his agenda—in the film, a national government-funded campground for scouts.
But, while Stupak is indeed an Eagle Scout, the comparison between him and Mr. Smith ends there.
Stupak didn’t publicly uncover chicanery but instead allowed himself to be exploited by it. When his principles are challenged, Mr. Smith mounts a filibuster and challenges corruption. When Stupak’s principles were challenged, he caved.
A more fitting analogy for the fifth act of Stupak’s career would be Shakespearean tragedy rather than Capra. Albom casts Stupak as a King Lear of sorts, betrayed by the fickle daughters of public opinion who hatefully shun him.
Remember, however, that most great tragedies stem from hubris, the arrogance of believing rules and laws of nature—or, in this instance, politics—don’t apply to onself. To run staunchly opposed to or in favor of a hot-button issue, only to capitulate easily out of political expediency, and then not to expect negative fallout—that is nothing short of tragic hubris.
King Lear was swayed by the flattery of his daughters to make bad decisions, resigned his sovereignty, and descended into madness. Stupak was swayed by the adoration of his voters and the promise the President made in the national spotlight, was subsequently spanked by the public, and couldn’t muster the fortitude to run for another term.
And thus endeth Stupak’s 18-year public career, crashed on the shoals of the Isle of Anger as the nation’s trashy political culture descends full fathom five to Nastiness—or so the Bard of Bloomfield might have written.
There’s a simpler explanation, however. The voters held Stupak accountable for his Obamacare vote, and he attempted to save face through plaintive cries that only mean, thick-skinned, and/or rich candidates can survive in politics. Well, Bart, if you can’t stand the heat….
This turn of events inspires the best-selling sentimentalist Albom to plead for a return to national civility, leading to an easy guess about one person whose ox was gored in last week’s election.
Alas, it’s hard to recall Albom ever writing an anguished column calling for civility back when Bush Derangement Syndrome metastasized and spread ferociously throughout the national viscera—and that’s just fine. Nonetheless, the so-called “anger” of the Tea Party movement and voters in general is far less vituperative than in the days of WMDs and Bushitler.
This is not to suggest that Albom isn’t correct in calling for more polite discourse—it’s just that he’s eight to ten years too late. The expectation of civility should apply to all sides of any given issue.
Although a lightening of the tone of debate after the past decade of mass hatred is indeed “a consummation devoutly to be wished,” it will remain a wish unfulfilled until those who so dearly want to be treated decently start doing that unto others.
Bruce Edward Walker, a Michigan-based writer, writes frequently on the arts and other topics.
From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20101108/MIVIEW/11080400/Walker–Albom-s-Stupak-stupor#ixzz14mtskBDN