Just after we published on Tuesday, former U.S. Senator from Nebraska Bob Kerrey announced a decision we were fairly sure of for some time now: that he would not seek the U.S. Senate seat he once held.
Kerrey's decision was compounded by the announcement earlier Tuesday that former Lieutenant Governor Kim Robak also declined to run for the U.S. Senate seat currently occupied by her former gubernatorial partner, Ben Nelson.
Unsurprisingly, there were all kinds of ridiculous overreactions and feigned surprise, both locally and nationally. These overreactions came from both Democratic and Republican politicians and pundits, and even national media outlets. On the left, Democrats seem to be left headless in a political contest with a filing deadline just a week away. On the right, Republicans are patting themselves on the back, for absolutely no reason. This was a decision by Bob Kerry, who likely could have defeated any of the clownish candidates the Nebraska GOP looks to put up.
Frankly, we're not surprised at any of this. We also won't be surprised at the likely outcome this fall, or in the years to come. This is what allowing nearly unlimited campaign finance donations, few real campaign finance regulations, and years of no real political competition brings.
For more than a few years now, neither major political party has done much real work at building their ranks for the future. As the number of truly competitive races has shrunk in every category from Mayor and Councilperson all the way to Congress, and in every city, state, and legislative district, neither party has had much need or desire to build a decent farm team.
That need diminished even further with the Citizens United ruling. Now both sides can simply bring out of the back rooms the habits they've been publicly denying for many years now, that only those who can beg, borrow, steal, or inherit a small fortune will be able to buy their way into politics in America.
In real terms, the outlook for Nebraskans is sad and bleak for the near future. It's now fairly likely that one of the many incompetent Republican candidates vying for U.S. Senate will pander, lie, and buy their way into Federal office, That is, though, with fewer TV, radio, and newspaper commercials than they might otherwise have purchased had Bob Kerrey decided to enter the contest.
After this fall, those Nebraskans who are not right-wing political extremists will have little real representation in their Federal government. Sadly, all that will be left in Nebraska's national political delegation are politicians who do not agree with, and will not fight for, anything other than extreme conservative points of view. We honestly recommend any politically displaced Nebraskan forward any appeals for Federal assistance to Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa - though they may only be able to do so for another couple of years. By then, the cannibals may have run him out of Washington, as well.
For those who want to curse out Kerrey or Robak, we think you should stop now. Who can blame them for not wanting to get back into the fray with the political landscape the way it now is?
For those on both sides of the common political divide who are decrying the dearth of worthwhile candidates, ask yourselves: would you want to do the pandering, the begging, the glad-handing, and even maybe some groveling just to get the money required to run for office? Would you rather become an incredibly high-priced plaything for a multi-billionaire, like Newt Gingrich seems to be? Would you want to put your family, your friends, your former co-workers - virtually anyone you've ever known - through the insane magnifying glass of a major political/slime campaign today?
We certainly wouldn't.
