I received an email this morning from Dan Debicella who is running for Congress in my district against incumbent Jim Himes. Himes has held the office for a few terms and is heavily favored to keep it this year. The fourth district of Connecticut was Republican for many years, but in the recent past it has turned into a Democrat seat. Still, the battle this year is shaping up as one that may surprise some observers.
Himes has a problem. He has moved into a leadership position among Democrats in the House (as some sort of fund raiser). At the same time, however, he has done very little for his constituents. And it seems that he is getting worried about November.
Himes just introduced a bill in Congress to establish "National Charles Darwin Day". That is not a joke; he really did that. With all that is going on that needs attention, a holiday to honor Charles Darwin hardly seems important. It functions only as a political weapon. Those who do not believe in evolution may be upset at the idea of the federal government honoring Darwin. It would be a silly dispute, to put it mildly, but it would distract from the poor economy, Obamacare and the decline of America around the world (about which Himes has done nothing and seems to have no suggestions.)
Of course, the problem is that in the New York suburbs in Connecticut, there really is not much debate about evolution or Darwin. Himes may be trying to use a phony issue like those which were bandied about in 2012, but it would have to be an issue about which the voters here actually care. My guess is that a poll of Fairfield County residents would find not one in one thousands who would consider national Charles Darwin Day worthy of a second glance.
It is sad that we have to have a representative who thinks so little of his constituents that he tries garbage like this to divide people. National Charles Darwin Day is silly, even if one accepts evolution. It ranks right up there next to National Potato Week. Himes should spend his time working on real issues that concern real people.
Himes has a problem. He has moved into a leadership position among Democrats in the House (as some sort of fund raiser). At the same time, however, he has done very little for his constituents. And it seems that he is getting worried about November.
Himes just introduced a bill in Congress to establish "National Charles Darwin Day". That is not a joke; he really did that. With all that is going on that needs attention, a holiday to honor Charles Darwin hardly seems important. It functions only as a political weapon. Those who do not believe in evolution may be upset at the idea of the federal government honoring Darwin. It would be a silly dispute, to put it mildly, but it would distract from the poor economy, Obamacare and the decline of America around the world (about which Himes has done nothing and seems to have no suggestions.)
Of course, the problem is that in the New York suburbs in Connecticut, there really is not much debate about evolution or Darwin. Himes may be trying to use a phony issue like those which were bandied about in 2012, but it would have to be an issue about which the voters here actually care. My guess is that a poll of Fairfield County residents would find not one in one thousands who would consider national Charles Darwin Day worthy of a second glance.
It is sad that we have to have a representative who thinks so little of his constituents that he tries garbage like this to divide people. National Charles Darwin Day is silly, even if one accepts evolution. It ranks right up there next to National Potato Week. Himes should spend his time working on real issues that concern real people.
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