Contributor Post Created with Sketch. The American Experiment with Self-Government Is Over. It Has Failed.

 

From Natalie Andrews at the Wall Street Journal’s Washington Wire:

While many lawmakers spent the summer break campaigning or with constituents, Senators Jeff Flake (R., Ariz.) and Martin Heinrich (D., N.M.) spent a week stranded in Eru, a deserted island in the Marshall Islands, with nothing but their clothes and three items between them – and a TV crew. The senators paired up to create “Rival Survival” – a reality show set to air on Discover Channel about two political adversaries spending six days and six nights on a deserted island.

Two senators, I’m sure, chosen totally on the basis of their survival skills:

Jeff-flake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heinrich

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tune in next year when John Thune and Kirsten Gillibrand have to hash out their partisan differences in a sauna!

Now, I don’t want to tell the folks at Discovery how to do their job (my TV production experience having ended with my abrupt dismissal from the Oxygen Network), but this strikes me as a missed opportunity:

The island is truly deserted, said Discovery Channel spokeswoman Laurie Goldberg. There was no source of freshwater and the waters surrounding the island are home to “the largest shark sanctuary in the world.” There was also no source of food on the island, making it likely that the senators had to wade into shark-infested waters to eat.

“There was no cheating, they had to work together, they had to play nice together,” said Ms. Goldberg.

Wait, let me get this straight: You had the opportunity to put members of Congress in water teeming with aquatic death machines… and you thought the ratings hook would be how they worked together? Get back to me when you produce the show where Barbara Mikulski has to fight off a hammerhead. If you’re going to kill off whatever modicum of dignity remains in American government, at least do it with some panache.

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  1. Misthiocracy got drunk and Member
    Misthiocracy got drunk and Joined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    Merely being members of different parties does not make them “adversaries”.

    They represent different states. When have they ever, in their political careers, directly competed against each other? Are they on the same committees, or something?

    Fail.

    • #1
    • September 11, 2014, at 3:23 PM PDT
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  2. Amy Schley, Longcat Shrinker Moderator

    Misthiocracy:Merely being members of different parties does not make them “adversaries”.

    They represent different states. When have they ever, in their political careers, directly competed against each other? Are they on the same committees, or something?

    Fail.

    The states are neighbors … anyone know if there’s a big Arizona/New Mexico rivalry, like Kansas and Missouri?

    • #2
    • September 11, 2014, at 3:26 PM PDT
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  3. Misthiocracy got drunk and Member
    Misthiocracy got drunk and Joined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    Amy Schley:

    Misthiocracy:Merely being members of different parties does not make them “adversaries”.

    They represent different states. When have they ever, in their political careers, directly competed against each other? Are they on the same committees, or something?

    Fail.

    The states are neighbors … anyone know if there’s a big Arizona/New Mexico rivalry, like Kansas and Missouri?

    A friendly rivalry is one thing. In order to be “adversaries” they would have to actively work to harm the other state! IMHO.

    • #3
    • September 11, 2014, at 3:30 PM PDT
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  4. Casey Inactive

    Isn’t this how Australia got started?

    • #4
    • September 11, 2014, at 4:06 PM PDT
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  5. SecondBite Member

    Casey

    Isn’t this how Australia got started?

    Stranded criminals. Yep.

    • #5
    • September 11, 2014, at 4:16 PM PDT
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  6. Tom Meyer, Common Citizen Contributor

    I feel bad for the sharks.

    • #6
    • September 11, 2014, at 4:17 PM PDT
    • Like
  7. Joseph Stanko Coolidge
    Joseph Stanko Joined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho for President!

    • #7
    • September 11, 2014, at 4:19 PM PDT
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  8. Randy Webster Member

    They won’t be bothered. Professional courtesy.

    • #8
    • September 11, 2014, at 4:20 PM PDT
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  9. Jimmy Carter Member
    Jimmy Carter Joined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    I’m more interested in the coping skills of Wilson “The Volleyball.”

    • #9
    • September 11, 2014, at 4:27 PM PDT
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  10. DrewInEastHillAutonomousZone Coolidge

    While I can’t imagine such a show having any viewers at all, I’m not sure how the headline fits with the story. Troy, you’re certainly creative enough to come up with something better. Please see me after class.

    • #10
    • September 11, 2014, at 4:29 PM PDT
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  11. Vance Richards Member
    Vance Richards Joined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    In 2016, no debates. Just have Clinton and Christy square off on Naked and Afraid.

    • #11
    • September 11, 2014, at 4:30 PM PDT
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  12. Profile Photo Member

    Vance Richards:In 2016, no debates. Just have Clinton and Christy square off on Naked and Afraid.

    That’s just an unnecessary visual brain plant. Now I’m going to have to have a cocktail. Or 2.

    • #12
    • September 11, 2014, at 4:49 PM PDT
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  13. Profile Photo Member

    Vance Richards:In 2016, no debates. Just have Clinton and Christy square off on Naked and Afraid.

    Of course, they’re naked and we’re afraid. Very afraid.

    • #13
    • September 11, 2014, at 4:51 PM PDT
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  14. Fred Cole Member

    Excuse my French, but come the [expletive] one. This can’t [expletive] possibly be [expletive] real.

    • #14
    • September 11, 2014, at 5:06 PM PDT
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  15. Joseph Stanko Coolidge
    Joseph Stanko Joined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    Troy, are you sure you weren’t watching an old rerun of Gilligan’s Island?

    • #15
    • September 11, 2014, at 5:13 PM PDT
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  16. Jon Gabriel, Ed. King

    Flake does this desert island trip every year. He went alone the first time, then brought his eldest son the second… I should have guessed a reality show as the next logical step.

    • #16
    • September 11, 2014, at 6:03 PM PDT
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  17. wilber forge Inactive
    wilber forge Joined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    Leave them there alone for six months, then evaluate. No film crews onsite. Now that would be a telling tale.

    • #17
    • September 11, 2014, at 6:29 PM PDT
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  18. Tuck Inactive

    Flake sounds like a decent guy…

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Flake

    • #18
    • September 11, 2014, at 7:00 PM PDT
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  19. Eeyore Member
    Eeyore Joined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    Troy Senik, Ed.: Tune in next year when John Thune and Kirsten Gillibrand have to hash out their partisan differences in a sauna!

    Actually, they’re under contract with Dating Naked.

    Tuck: Flake sounds like a decent guy…

    He was. When first elected, conservatives hoped he would go up against Boehner for Speaker. Now his Reach-Across-The-Aisleness is one of the most saccharine and squishy in Congress. Rob Long is further to the right than Flake. Nice pecs, tho.

    • #19
    • September 11, 2014, at 11:10 PM PDT
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  20. Fred Cole Member

    Tuck:Flake sounds like a decent guy…

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Flake

    Any senator with a chest like that should be voted out of office on general principle.

    • #20
    • September 12, 2014, at 3:55 AM PDT
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  21. DrewInEastHillAutonomousZone Coolidge

    Fred Cole:

    Tuck:Flake sounds like a decent guy…

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Flake

    Any senator with a chest like that should be voted out of office on general principle.

    Because . . . ??

    • #21
    • September 12, 2014, at 6:47 AM PDT
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  22. Fricosis Guy Listener

    Joseph Stanko:Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho for President!

    The producer’s next show will indeed be “Ow My [expletive]!”

    • #22
    • September 12, 2014, at 7:17 AM PDT
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  23. Misthiocracy got drunk and Member
    Misthiocracy got drunk and Joined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    DrewInWisconsin:

    Fred Cole:

    Tuck:Flake sounds like a decent guy…

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Flake

    Any senator with a chest like that should be voted out of office on general principle.

    Because . . . ??

    Because that sort of physique requires many hours of daily exercise, time that the senator in question could be using to be a senator…

    …on second thought, every senator should be required to have a chest like that. They can do less damage to the nation if they spend more time in the gym.

    • #23
    • September 12, 2014, at 8:30 AM PDT
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  24. DrewInEastHillAutonomousZone Coolidge

    Hey, courting the female vote is important. Here’s what Democrats have offered.

    • #24
    • September 12, 2014, at 9:02 AM PDT
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  25. Misthiocracy got drunk and Member
    Misthiocracy got drunk and Joined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    Joseph Stanko:Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho for President!

    Apropos of nothing: You can now have President Camacho give you GPS directions:

    http://www.nerdist.com/2014/09/make-your-gps-sound-like-terry-crews/

    • #25
    • September 12, 2014, at 9:14 AM PDT
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  26. Jon Gabriel, Ed. King

    DrewInWisconsin:Hey, courting the female vote is important. Here’s what Democrats have offered.

    You are a cruel, cruel man, Drew.

    • #26
    • September 12, 2014, at 9:15 AM PDT
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  27. Fred Cole Member

    DrewInWisconsin:

    Fred Cole:

    Tuck:Flake sounds like a decent guy…

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Flake

    Any senator with a chest like that should be voted out of office on general principle.

    Because . . . ??

    That man isn’t just in shape. He took time to make himself look that way. I don’t care for that kind of vanity. (That excludes myself. For what it’s worth, I look the same way with my shirt off.) But also, he shows it off.

    • #27
    • September 12, 2014, at 10:07 AM PDT
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  28. Misthiocracy got drunk and Member
    Misthiocracy got drunk and Joined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    Reason has a great take: WHY STOP AT TWO?

    http://reason.com/blog/2014/09/12/reality-show-traps-two-senators-on-a-des

    • #28
    • September 12, 2014, at 10:58 AM PDT
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  29. Misthiocracy got drunk and Member
    Misthiocracy got drunk and Joined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    Fred Cole: But also, he shows it off.

    So would I. So would I …

    • #29
    • September 12, 2014, at 11:00 AM PDT
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  30. Misthiocracy got drunk and Member
    Misthiocracy got drunk and Joined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    • #30
    • September 12, 2014, at 11:00 AM PDT
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