Ron Swanson Commentary: “Talk About Outgrow’n Your Upbringing!”
There was a time when Southwest Virginia had politicians who knew their job — and they did it well. Folks like Congressman Rick Boucher knew their mission: bring home the bacon for their district. Whether it was funding for schools, healthcare, or economic development, Rick Boucher understood that his job was to make sure the people of Southwest Virginia weren’t forgotten — and by Goodness, he delivered.
But now? Now we’ve got folks like Congressman Morgan ‘Wood Booger’ Griffith and his silent sidekicks in Richmond, who seem to believe their job is to sit quietly while Washington and Richmond politicians rob their own people blind.
Just recently, Morgan ‘Wood Booger’ Griffith voted to cut Medicaid, gutting healthcare for thousands of seniors, kids, and hard-working families right here in Southwest Virginia. And it’s not just healthcare benefits being ripped away — with those Medicaid cuts, we’re also staring down the barrel of losing healthcare jobs in our communities. Hospitals, clinics, and home healthcare providers are already stretched thin — and Griffith’s vote just made things a whole lot worse.
And what did our local Delegates and Senators do while this was happening? Nothing. They sat in their cushy Richmond offices, quieter than a possum playing dead, while their own constituents’ benefits were slashed to fund tax breaks for Billionaires.
It’s enough to make you spit out your morning coffee. Our elected officials used to fight like hell to protect our folks — now they just roll over while the fat cats in Washington fill their pockets with gold. Instead of working on pay raises, better jobs, or better healthcare than what Ballad Health pretends to provide, they’ve perfected one trick:
The “Talk About Social Issues and Get Out of Doing Real Work” Card.
It’s easier for these politicians to fire off social media rants and yell about whatever hot-button issue’s on Fox News than to actually put in the hard work of passing bills that improve the lives of working people. Writing legislation that brings home the bacon? That takes time, effort, and guts — qualities that seem to be in short supply these days.
Folks like Rick Boucher knew you don’t go to Washington to play dress-up — you go there to fight for your people. But these new politicians? They’re too busy selling us out to the Billionaires — handing over our dinner buckets just so the rich can get another tax break.
Here’s a tip from Ron Swanson: folks in these hills have long memories. We remember who brought home the bacon, and we remember who sold us out. Next time we step into the voting booth, let’s make sure we elect folks who know their job is to work for Southwest Virginia — not the Billionaires sipping champagne on Wall Street.
It’s high time we had leaders who put on their work boots, roll up their sleeves, and get to work — because Southwest Virginia doesn’t need more speeches about social issues. We need politicians who know how to deliver for the working class.