Yes, it was an incredibly stupid remark made from an obviously ill informed person who displayed little critical thinking skills. Missouri congressman Todd Akin has a long way to go in his education.
The many errors in his reasoning have been addressed in enough places, so there is not a need to contribute further to that. What is interesting, though, is how much lambasting he’s receiving from his own party. They seem almost too eager to denounce him and distance themselves from him. Why?
It’s a classic technique, used by leaders such as Julius Caesar, Napoleon, and Jan Brewer. When your public support begins to wane, or if you are new to the game and trying to topple the current leadership, identify an enemy that nearly everyone dislikes, and draw a distinct line between you and him. An unthinking public will then assume you are on their side without further investigation into your own motives, agenda, or ideologies.
Akin made himself an easy target, no doubt, but since only a complete moron would vote for him now, he is no longer an issue. What is an issue is the kind of reasoning, education, and pseudo-scientific reports led someone to think the way he does. What is an issue is that political leaders in Kansas and Missouri are supporting agendas that would allow science education to slide backwards. What is an issue is women’s healthcare and what various leaders propose to do that will either improve it or decimate it.
These real issues are a few that voters should consider this season, instead of being fooled into thinking that because someone jumps on a low-riding bandwagon they are worth a vote.
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