2022 Midterm Election MEGATHREAD

[Sheilbh]

This requires a sense of shame. A quality our political class as discarded rather abruptly in recent years.

Or public opinion that responds to scandals which is also absent.

I could be wrong but my theory has always been that it's not about the virtue of politicians with a sense of shame, but responding to public opprobrium that drives resignations.

[celedhring]

It's so absurdly shameless though. "I didn't say I was jewish, I said that I was jew-ish" is the kind of thing I'd expect in a scene from The Office, not real life 

I saw someone on Twitter say this may be the closest we get to if George Costanza was elected

In Spain the most famous case I can think of is Luís Roldán, appointed general director of the Civil Guard in the 1990s with an entirely fabricated resumé - claimed to be an engineer and economist, with master degrees and shit (he never finished high school). Predictably, the dude stole hand over first and fled the country.

Not political but on fabricated lives I read that Javier Cercas novel about Enric Marco which was extraordinary - both the novel and just the story. And an interesting read of what is behind this sort of thing.

Never read it (I like Cercas' books a lot though, he has a knack for novelizing contemporary Spanish events/people). Does it touch upon Marco's time as head of CNT? IIRC that was also intertwined within a web of imposture. Quite the character.

[Jacob]

Or public opinion that responds to scandals which is also absent.

I could be wrong but my theory has always been that it's not about the virtue of politicians with a sense of shame, but responding to public opprobrium that drives resignations.

Agreed.

One of the key requirements to counter corruption - of whatever kind - is public outrage. And one of the fundamental enabling mechanisms of corruption is public sentiment that accepts, excuses, or otherwise normalizes it.

[Tonitrus]

This requires a sense of shame. A quality our political class as discarded rather abruptly in recent years.

Or public opinion that responds to scandals which is also absent.

I could be wrong but my theory has always been that it's not about the virtue of politicians with a sense of shame, but responding to public opprobrium that drives resignations.

I don't disagree.  It's a symbiotic relationship.

Much as in the same way that I think term limits are illogical (essentially an admission and surrender that an electorate cannot control itself)...but then the electorate will keep reelecting outmoded fossils, showing that any outrage/frustration against entrenched career politicians presents itself too much with apathy.

[Admiral Yi]

There are some parallels with Elizabeth Warren claiming Indian descent.

[garbon]

There are some parallels with Elizabeth Warren claiming Indian descent.

I think Santos created a much broader fake identity

[Admiral Yi]

I think Santos created a much broader fake identity

Surely.  He dialed it up to 11.

[Valmy]

Yeah. A non-Jew pretending to be a Jew to win on Long Island and the Democrats let him get away with it in a very tight national House election. Well played Mr. Santos.

One side acts unethically and the blame gets placed with the other side for not catching them, and congratulations are extended to the unethical actor rather than censure.

Sometimes the US seems very foreign to me, in spite of everything.

There is no mechanism to censure beyond not voting for him in the next election. So maybe he will pay dearly in 2024. I don't know.

[Tonitrus]

His gamble is probably that most people will forget over two years...his opponent might remind them when that time comes...but it will also be a Presidential election year, and if enough down-ballot voters are more "MAH GOP Majorituh!" then "my Rep is a fraud", it won't matter.

[grumbler]

I think that Santos will be in a lot of trouble over his financial disclosure statements, plus the fact that he didn't live in the Congressional district in which he ran.

He'll take his seat because Kevin McCarthy will suck even the most vile cock in order to become speaker, but after that, we'll see.

[Zanza]

You have to wonder why his opponents or the press did not point this out earlier. Or did they and voters did not care?

[Syt]

Maybe his mom was one of those who inhaled a whole bunch of debris dust on 9/11 and later died of cancer?

( j/k )

[Zanza]

She is probably alive and well. 

[Sheilbh]

That's incredible. I scrolled past earlier and just assumed they were years apart, not five months

It is also the sort of thing that you feel opposition research should pick up.

[Admiral Yi]

I would be interested in the reactions of the people who voted for him.  They might not care.