2-10-02, Voice in the Crowd
The Heavy Cost of
Ambition
By Pete Chaney
IPS Features
It is tragic to see a man who has given so much of his life to public service become willing to sacrifice it all in surge of political ambition. Van Hilleary has represented his district in Congress to earn the respect of his party and the people of Tennessee.
He has been a credit to his political party and to this state with his service in the House of Representatives.
Many see that as where he should stay.
Somehow the drive to be governor has made him lose focus on the values he has represented.
He is attempting to turn the current gubernatorial campaign into a one-issue battle. Income tax. Whoever hates a state income tax most gets all the marbles. No other issue counts in his campaign rhetoric. No other ability matters in his platform except hatred of a state income tax.
It preys on the fears and emotions of people, without appealing to their common sense. It is inconceivable that a man of his intelligence could say there is no budget problem in Tennessee, that it’s all a myth that it can be fixed with a pencil. He knows the next governor must face some hard decisions.
It was an insult to the intelligence of the people to say the governor and legislators were fostering a fictitious myth on the people.
The problems can’t be dismissed with double talk or pretending they don’t exist. It’s going to take a man of experience and fortitude to face the rough days ahead.
Further insult to the intelligence of the people of Tennessee came with his bogus poll. No one could possibly believe that a canvass his office paid for would guarantee that 300 people decide the election for the whole state.
It was sheer ignorant arrogance to claim that “only an act of God” could change the outcome—this brazen assumption seven months before the election.
Surely, a man smart enough to sit in the halls of Congress wouldn’t expect anyone to swallow such a trumped up and tiny stack of figures.
It was not the Van Hilleary supporters thought they knew who came to an all candidates rally in Tellico Plains last month. He refused to speak first or even to accept a toss of the coin to determine speaking order.
Jim Henry spoke first—for five minutes. When Van spoke, he held the podium for 25 minutes. Nearly two dozen other candidates were waiting their turn. If everyone held the microphone that long, the rally would still be going on.
Using “income tax” hysteria; claiming budge problems are a “fictitious myth” and don’t exist; paying for phone calls to 300 selected people and proclaiming he’s elected by this; hogging a podium with disregard to other candidates—all this seems part of the campaign strategy.
This is not the actions of the Van Hilleary the people of Tennessee sent to Washington four times. This is not the Van Hilleary supporters worked for in the past.
Ambition has replaced reality. Everyone hopes this is just bad political programs, and not really the thoughts of Van Hilleary as a candidate. Still, the man at the top is responsible, for better or worse.
The next governor of Tennessee has to be someone with both feet on the ground, someone who can face reality, the touch choices and make honest decisions. It’s not a time or place for smoke screens and doubletalk.
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