Jake DiMare thinks a wounded Iraq war veteran will make a better leader than a deadbeat dad.
In case you missed it, Tea Party Freshman Joe Walsh is back in the news. This time for making callous and belittling statements about the service record of wounded Iraq war veteran, Colonel Tammy Duckworth. Tammy, a pilot whose helicopter was shot down by insurgents in Iraq, is also Joe’s Democratic competitor in upcoming elections.
In addition to being a war hero, Tammy was the Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and the director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs. If that’s not impressive enough, a member of this true patriot’s family has served in every major US conflict since the revolutionary war.
“I have so much respect for what she did in the fact that she sacrificed her body for this country,” said Walsh, simultaneously lowering his voice as he leaned forward before pausing for dramatic effect. “Ehhh. Now let’s move on.”“What else has she done? Female, wounded veteran … ehhh,” he continued. “She is nothing more than a handpicked Washington bureaucrat. David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel just picked her up and dropped her into this district.” -Politico
This got me thinking…What has Joe Walsh done? Well, for starters, he’s the guy who was recently ordered to pay over $100,000 in back child support by a judge in Chicago. That’s right…He’s a deadbeat dad. In the context of this discussion it might also be easier to point out what he hasn’t done: serve one single day in the military.
So, yeah, partisan politics aside…my personal opinion is that Colonel Duckworth will make a better leader than Deadbeat Joe Walsh. If you agree with me, please don’t hesitate to let @RepJoeWalsh and @Tammy4Congress know how you feel!
Photo: Cliff Owen/AP
About Jake DiMare
As little as I respect him for belittling her contribution as a soldier, I’m not 100% behind belittling him because he owes child support. I’m not sure what the story is there (maybe he deserves the title deadbeat dad) but I’m sure there is one.
Fair enough. $100,000 isn’t exactly missing one or two payments…but I’m willing to admit we all deserve the benefit of the doubt.
I had to go back and check, I’ve mentioned the curious case of Joe Walsh in my writing before. I’d say the title of ‘Deadbeat’ is valid in his case:
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/09/15/319467/judge-rebukes-deadbeat-dad-joe-walsh-for-missing-child-support-hearing-hes-no-different-than-anyone-else/
His case is worse than many, many offenders who have earned the title.
100 grand! How is it this asshole’s not in jail! If nothing else, he has a governnment job with a government paycheck. So why is that paycheck not garnashiered? With all the scandels of congressmen from BOTH parties going on lately, all I can say is “We The People” deserve a much better class of representives!
I think the reason he shouldn’t be called a ‘deadbeat’ is because of the baggage that word has. If we go back into a woman’s past and find out she has slept with many a men, is it then fair to call her a slut? She fits the definition of the word.
Deadbeat is one of the words on the gender-specific list which has been abused in the past. You have enough to call him out on his insensitive words; don’t give others the opportunity to critique you by using loaded terms.
(Also, personally I would get the court records and their stories before saying whether something is deserved or not.)
Hear hear.
Sorry guys, I’m not very sympathetic on this issue. As a guy whose life was irrevocably derailed by a deadbeat dad, I really don’t care what baggage comes with it. It’s been well documented on more than one public record that Joe Walsh owes his family $117,000 in back child support as a result of YEARS of missed payments. In his case, as far as I am concerned, the label is better than he deserves.
I agree with the author on this issue even though I’m always concerned when someone is tarred and feathered by a single news story, especially with a lightning rod issue like child support.
$100,000+ in arrears is absurd and Mr. Walsh’s conduct is documented in the public record and the judge in this case has been clear that Mr. Walsh has not lived up to the court ordered child support payments.
Even more laughable is Mr. Walsh’s statement about the U.S debt, when he said “I won’t place one more dollar of debt upon the backs of my kids and grandkids unless we structurally reform the way this town spends money.”
Unless of course it means he doesn’t have to be part of living up to his responsibilities to his own children. Shame on Mr. Walsh for his hypocrisy and for not taking care of his kids.
“I have so much respect for what she did in the fact that she sacrificed her body for this country,” said Walsh, simultaneously lowering his voice as he leaned forward before pausing for dramatic effect. “Ehhh. Now let’s move on.”
“What else has she done? Female, wounded veteran … ehhh,” he continued. “She is nothing more than a handpicked Washington bureaucrat. David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel just picked her up and dropped her into this district.”
that really is disgusting, what a disgusting man.
on a related point, alot should more should be done for veterans, there should be more ongoing help. also, after a set number of years service a veteran should receive a house (a commission could monitor any government attempts to terminate contracts just prior to being eligible)
Being a deadbeat parent should come with baggage because it burdens a child for the rest of his or her life. A person who has a busy or crowded consensual of legal age, sexual past barring, them passing on sexually transmitted diseases and presumably uses birth control harms no one except themselves.
If he were the average citizen at the very least would have their wages garnished and certainly any other rank and file government employee. His actions say much about his lack of character.
It would appear to me that more than a few people don’t think too much about the wounded vets. Read on:
http://tomdegan.blogspot.com/2012/09/our-hearts-of-darkness.html
Tom Degan