An article authored by first-term Medina State Representative Steve Hambley attempting to draw comparisons between Donald Trump and beloved Ohio president, William McKinley, does more than exhibit Hambley’s tendency for ambiguity towards the details; it shows that he doesn’t care to write about what’s going on in his own race.
Hambley paints McKinley to be similar to Trump, by describing the two as political outsiders disliked by their own party. While McKinley certainly was brash, he doesn’t deserve a comparison with the Donald Trump. Most importantly, at a time when heroin overdose deaths are skyrocketing, a pipeline is ready to rip through our county, and tax-sucking private charters bankrupt our public schools, our representative feels discussions of history are the most effective use of his time.
McKinley was a highly decorated Union soldier, promoted from Private to honorary rank of Brevet Major. McKinley himself came under heavy Confederate fire at the infamous battle of Antietam running along the front to supply troops holding the line. Trump relied on a multitude of service deferments, lying about using his privilege to get them. Trump repeatedly insulted some of this nation’s most revered veterans, including John McCain and POWs everywhere, claiming he didn’t like those captured. Trump says this as if there’s a choice when and where one’s fighter jet gets shot down, or where one is deployed in the field. John McCain was repeatedly offered a pass home in captivity due to his rank and political stature, refusing every opportunity to instead stay with his comrades. John McCain and countless other Prisoners of War demonstrated this resilience in the face of crippling torture and conditions. Many never came home. This strength represents the best of the American spirit. You wouldn’t get that listening to Donald Trump. Worst, Trump insulted the Gold Star Family of Humayun Khan, an American soldier who gave his life protecting his unit at a remote outpost in Iraq. Consoling Gold Star Families is a duty the President has a unique responsibility to attend to. During the Civil War, it was something Lincoln often saw to personally. This simple and revered American duty Donald Trump seems incapable of fulfilling. No family should be insulted by a Presidential candidate after sacrificing a son or daughter for this country.
McKinley was a highly respected representative of the people, championing the working man. McKinley’s memorial stands as a reminder of Ohio’s appreciation for his service and sacrifice to this country. Donald Trump, who has never represented the needs of anyone but the Trump brand, currently holds a 57% disapproval rating by the American public, his numbers sinking rapidly.
I believe my opponent’s article is a cry for attention. By focusing on expeditions in history in articles such as these, Hambley can avoid the issues in his own community, including his failure to address the ongoing heroin epidemic in his career in politics, the continued degradation of our public schools in favor of fraudulent private schools, and the outrage over the proposed pipeline that Hambley has repeatedly dodged using excuses ranging from terrorism to it simply not being his job to address constituent concerns.
After his untimely assassination, McKinley was revered around the world as embodying the highest American deals. I think that Representative Hambley should take that into consideration when making his opinion of Donald Trump, and what those ideals mean in addressing the needs and concerns of one’s own constituents.
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About the Author
Frank A. Zona is a Neuroscience Researcher and Candidate for the 69th Ohio House.