John Kasich Should Shut His Gob About What Qualifies as 'Extreme'

By Charles Pierce, Esquire

18 August 20

The Republican ex-governor has secured a speaking slot, along with three other Republicans, at the Democratic National Convention.

n 1996, the keynote speaker at the Republican National Convention said the following about the incumbent Democratic president.

Now, think about Bill Clinton. He promises one thing and does another. He hopes we'll forget his broken promises. But I ask you -- have you forgotten that Bill Clinton promised a middle class tax cut, then passed the largest tax increase in American history? I didn't think so. Have you forgotten that Bill Clinton promised common-sense health care reform, only to impose a huge Washington-run bureaucracy health care system on all of us? And have you forgotten that Bill Clinton promised to balance the budget, first in five years, then 10, then seven, then nine, then went on to veto the first balanced budget in 25 years? Americans know that Bill Clinton's promises have the lifespan of a Big Mac on Air Force One. 

Earlier that evening, another speaker at the RNC said the following:

You know, if you're like me, you grew up with parents who worked hard. My dad carried mail on his back for 29 years. My mother would rather walk than take the bus, just to save 50 cents. My parents educated three kids without a dime of student loans so their kids would have more than they had. I'm proud to serve in a Congress where our goal has been to make America better, with our children's future as our guiding star. As we approach the 21st century, we must all be part of an effort to guarantee the promise of a brighter future for all of those who will follow us, and ladies and gentlemen, that is America's greatest legacy, that our children are left with more than our parents left to us.

A big part of that promise has been our dedication and work to balance the budget. You may think that budgets are about green eye shades and numbers, but it's far more important that that. You see, budgets are about ideas. Budgets are about values. And most important, they are about people.

On Monday night, both of these people—former Congresswoman Susan Molinari and former Governor John Kasich—will be speaking at the Democratic National Convention. Julian Castro will not be speaking. Neither will Beto O’Rourke, to name only two actual Democratic politicians. They will be joined by dueling Republican Whitmans—Christie Todd and Meg. A bunch of people who thrived in the days in which the Republican Party was cultivating within itself the forces that produced the current president* will kick off a convention designed to crush the monster they helped make inevitable. This is guaranteed to make me slightly more than moderately crazy. 

Everybody’s gone all realpolitik on this, just as everyone suddenly developed a sweet-tooth for the likes of Bill Kristol and David Frum over the last three years as the prion disease for which they were primary vectors became full-blown. Big tent and all that. Which would be fine if Kasich hadn’t gone out of his way Monday morning to throw a ring-and-run elbow at one of the Democratic Party’s most prominent young voices. From Buzzfeed News:

“People on the extreme, whether they're on the left or on the right, they get outsized publicity that tends to define their party. You know, I listen to people all the time make these statements, and because AOC gets outsized publicity doesn't mean she represents the Democratic Party. She's just a part, just some member of it. And it's on both sides, whether it's the Republicans or whether it's the Democrats.”

OK, just to start, as my grandmother used to say, who the hell is this guy when he’s at home? Who’s John Kasich to decide where the “extreme” lies in Democratic politics? He still supports the damn Balanced Budget Amendment, not only an extreme idea, but also the worst one in American politics. He signed a bill that would imprison doctors for performing a common abortion procedure. Now, that’s extreme. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is one of the most popular figures in her political party; certainly, she’s a more popular Democrat than Kasich is a Republican. Her most prominent policy positions—the Green New Deal and Medicare For All—have widespread support inside and outside the party. And a helluva lot more Democrats would rather hear her speak than him. So John Kasich can shut his gob, take a seat, and be grateful that nobody throws produce at him from the audience.