Barbarians at the Gates

25 August 2010



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US Political Insurgents Aren't Overwhelming the Establishment

Yesterday was Primary Day in five American States. It was also the 1,600th anniversary of the sacking of Rome by the Visigoths. If one listened to the American pundits talk about the attack on the political establishment by irate voters, one might have difficulty telling the difference between these events. Judging by the results, though, one is not impressed by the successes of the modern would-be Visigoths. Sarah Palin is clearly no Alaric.

One must concede that "outsiders" have had their share of success thus far in the political season. Conservative outsiders have scored impressive wins in Utah, Kentucky, Nevada, Colorado and Connecticut. Utah is such a safe seat for the Republicans that one must regard that race as a rubber-stamp election in November. In the others, nominating the Tea Party faithful might just have given the Democrats a shot at holding onto seats they would certainly have lost against more moderate opponents.

That said, John "I-am-not-a-Maverick" McCain saw off a challenge yesterday from J.D. Hayworth, a man not merely endorsed but blessed by the Tea Party. True, Mr. McCain had to tack hard to his right and outspend Mr. Hayworth 8 to 1, but the incumbent won. Meanwhile in Vermont (a hotbed of social rest), the Republicans selected Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie to succeed retiring Governor Jim Douglas; primogeniture is not a revolution. And while the votes are still being counted in Alaska, incumbent Senator Lisa Murkowski is in a tight race with Sarah Palin-backed Joe Miller -- hardly a glowing example of the Quitter's ability to deliver on her home turf.

It is when one looks beyond the high profile US senate and governor races that the power of incumbency remains. In many state house and senate races, there has been no primary. In most US House races, the party establishment candidate has, thus far, won. Indeed, only 6 incumbents have lost out of scores of races. Even in the wild west of Arizona's 3rd Congressional District, 10 GOP candidates were on the ballot, and the winner was Ben Quayle, son of the former vice president. One doesn't get more establishment than that.

All things considered, though, there is one parallel with the Visigoths that holds. Philipp Von Rummel of the German Archaeological Centre in Rome told the BBC the Visigoths "sacked a lot of towns but they acted in different ways, they also were a sometime partner of the Romans. The moment the Roman emperor did not pay any more they changed sides and sacked the town just to tell the emperor: 'You should pay us'." When they entered Rome 1,600 years ago, they did not storm the walls. The gates were opened for them by slaves, and after three days, they left to plunder the wealthy province of North Africa. They never made it; a storm sank their fleet and their leader Alaric died.

The same fate seems to await the Tea Party, which lacks an Alaric. Res ispa loquitur.

© Copyright 2010 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.

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