Tom Delay: Political hack, or nutjob? You decide.

[Prudence]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

But, wouldn't it make you vote against someone that crazy?

If I heard an elected official was proclaiming that the South Beach Diet was the only, definitive answer on how to eat, I'd be horrified that such a nutjob was in power. Insert your diet program here.

For crying out loud, isn't an elected official supposed to be open minded to ALL of his electorate? If I had voted for him, I'd think he was calling me an idiot for not recognizing the one true path. What a jerk!

Personally, it doesn't bother me. Lots of people hold what I consider to be totally wackadoo ideas, and yet manage to accomplish their professional work. I don't care if they think the moon is made of green cheese, as long as they do their job. If my local elected official proclaimed that he felt the SBD was the one true way to eat, sure I'd think he was a little nutty. If he nonetheless understood and respected that his electorate have many and diverse eating preferences it would be fine with me.

Contrariwise, if my local elected official declared that the SBD was the one true way AND, as a result of his convictions, he was now sponsoring legislation to require all restaurant menus to conform to the SBD, I'd be mighty peeved.

I honestly don't think one has to be open-minded in the sense of embracing the validity of others' beliefs. However, I do think that one has to recognize that others are entitled to hold differening beliefs.