What do we want from politicians?
I met State Rep. Jonah Wheeler once when he spoke in Dublin. He is articulate, smart and willing to share opinions with people who may not agree with him. In other words, he is exactly the kind of politician we say we want.
One of Wheeler’s more contentious votes was to support a bill supporting separate bathrooms and locker rooms based on biological sex instead of gender identity. He told us that he listened to concerned parents and voted his conscience. He believes that this bill protects a woman’s privacy and safety.
Wheeler broke with the Democratic Party to cast this vote. When Wheeler spoke in the House chamber, more than 100 Democrats walked out in protest. Some stayed behind to heckle, with one comparing the bill to bathroom bans faced by black people in the segregated South. Wheeler reported being labeled a “puppet of the right,” a “transphobe” and a “fascist,” and faced emotional confrontations from constituents and party members during town halls and listening sessions.
A challenger, Amanda Allen, chose to run against Wheeler in the September 8th primary because of his position. Wheeler beat Allen by a 15-vote margin.
Trackers like Citizens Count list his average record of voting with his party around 75% – 80%. So he is aligned with them on the vast majority of issues.
We say we want competent politicians with a conscience. When we get one, his constituents and party punish him and attempt to replace him with someone more aligned with their beliefs.
The lesson any reasonably intelligent politician will draw is to ignore conscience, ignore input from parents, and vote in lockstep with their party. Gee, isn’t that exactly what most of these same people are complaining about in our current politics?