The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    BTS stars shine brighter as solo artists

  • 3

    N. Korea holds politburo meeting to discuss Kim-Putin summit: KCNA

  • 5

    30 people purchased 8,000 homes: data

  • 7

    Rowoon leaves SF9 to focus on acting career

  • 9

    Korea urged to adopt China exit strategy amid hegemonic war

  • 11

    INTERVIEWPutin uses summit with NK leader to stop Seoul from helping Ukraine: expert

  • 13

    Netflix's 'Song of the Bandits' blends western action with Korean period series

  • 15

    Unfreezing of funds not likely to restore Korea-Iran ties

  • 17

    Merck emphasizes digitalization in semiconductor market

  • 19

    All BTS members renew contracts with HYBE: agency

  • 2

    '30 Days' promises laughter, unlikely romance

  • 4

    North Korean escapees tell how nuclear tests ruined their health, hometown

  • 6

    ITZY's Lia takes break to put mental health first

  • 8

    USFK soldier, 2 women arrested for drug trafficking

  • 10

    Seventeen to drop 11th EP next month

  • 12

    Foreign ministry asks Japan to investigate case of Korean poisoned with bleach in Tokyo

  • 14

    Lamborghini driver suspect sent to prosecutors over parking dispute in Gangnam

  • 16

    Seoul plans to build Jamsil Sports MICE Complex

  • 18

    Invasion of 'smart' albums

  • 20

    National Assembly passes motion to arrest DPK chief

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Fri, September 22, 2023 | 12:54
Today`s Column
Missouri Senate race serves as model
Posted : 2012-10-22 17:03
Updated :  
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Star Parker

A new poll from Wenzel Strategies shows Rep. Todd Akin leading incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill in the race for the Senate seat in Missouri.

It's big news that Akin is still alive and kicking despite being abandoned by the national Republican Party leadership.

Akin, who refused to succumb to pressure from his own party leadership to get out of the race after poorly expressing himself in an interview on the issue of rape and abortion, has been left to his own resources and friends to raise funds.

According to the just-published fundraising report for the last quarter, going through September, McCaskill outraised him by a ratio of almost 4-to-1.

Yet, it's still a race.

This contest captures the stark contrasts that delineate the most fundamental, rawest political currents of the country today.

On one side, we have McCaskill mouthing every predictable liberal position on all issues. You wouldn't really even need her if you could operate a Senate seat off your iPad with an app called "liberal."

Meet every challenge with more government. Spend, tax, regulate, subsidize, abort.

Meanwhile, in Akin we have a conservative who actually believes that the blessings of freedom depend on traditional values, limited government and personal responsibility. This opens him to caricature from liberals and provokes fear in establishment politicians.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, in its recent endorsement of McCaskill, "Todd Akin ... comes out of the new incarnation of the Missouri Republican Party, the one based on peddling simplistic solutions to fearful "values voters."

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that for the years 2006 through 2010, 26 percent of the population of St. Louis, which is almost half black, lived below the poverty line.

It doesn't seem to faze the Post-Dispatch's editorial board that poverty in its own city persists at levels 60 percent above the national rate. It's more concerned about a conservative getting elected, who might actually try to do things differently.

Whereas insanity is doing the same things and expecting different results, doing things differently ― like freeing up poor parents to send their kids to church schools and promoting politically incorrect traditional values ― is, for liberals and the Post-Dispatch editorial board, simplistic.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, St. Louis' black unemployment rate in 2011 was 14.9 percent ― the ninth highest among metropolitan areas in the country.

In 2010, the graduation rate in St Louis public schools, according to the school district, was 60 percent.

In Education Week's recently published ranking of public school systems nationwide, Missouri is rated No. 41 out of 50 states and the District of Columbia.

These bleak statistics are not new. This has been going on for years.

In St. Louis, and in the nation's largest urban areas, we see all the same chronic and persistent pathologies.

Poverty, hopeless urban schools and chronically high unemployment among minorities are becoming a way of life in our country. What really should be provoking fear is not that there are committed conservatives who want genuine change but that Americans are becoming resigned that real change is not possible.

The McCaskill-Akin faceoff is really about what is happening in the country nationwide.

Maybe in the best of times, views from different political parties can be about splitting hairs. But in times like this, we're talking about being at a crossroads and recognizing that our problems exist at the core of how we choose to see the world and define our lives.

According to the latest Gallup poll, only 3 of 10 Americans are satisfied with how things are going.

The fact that a persistent, principled and uncompromising conservative like Todd Akin can keep his candidacy viable under such challenging circumstances shows there's a healthy constituency of Americans who understand that what is wrong is we've lost our principles and values.

Star Parker is an author and president of CURE, Center for Urban Renewal and Education. Contact her at www.urbancure.org.
 
miguel
Top 10 Stories
130 people purchased 8,000 homes: data 30 people purchased 8,000 homes: data
2National Assembly passes motion to arrest DPK chiefNational Assembly passes motion to arrest DPK chief
3Gender equality minister nominee in hot seat over remarks on abortion Gender equality minister nominee in hot seat over remarks on abortion
4Seoul invites ambassadors to introduce new halal foods in Korea Seoul invites ambassadors to introduce new halal foods in Korea
5S. Korea condemns Russia, seeks to mend ties with China S. Korea condemns Russia, seeks to mend ties with China
6KG Mobility seeks breakthrough in Europe KG Mobility seeks breakthrough in Europe
7Honey-dipped cookie to represent 'K-desserts' at global food expo in Germany Honey-dipped cookie to represent 'K-desserts' at global food expo in Germany
8COVID-19 deaths hit record high in Korea for 2022 COVID-19 deaths hit record high in Korea for 2022
9Shilla hotel in Da Nang recognized at World Travel Awards Shilla hotel in Da Nang recognized at World Travel Awards
10Civil servant mentor reappointed as labor ministry spokesmanCivil servant mentor reappointed as labor ministry spokesman
Top 5 Entertainment News
1BTS defies K-pop's 'seven-year curse' BTS defies K-pop's 'seven-year curse'
2Aespa's VR concert to hit theaters Oct. 25 Aespa's VR concert to hit theaters Oct. 25
3Gang Dong-won becomes exorcist con artist in 'Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman' Gang Dong-won becomes exorcist con artist in 'Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman'
4[INTERVIEW] Virtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels INTERVIEWVirtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels
5Hebrew University students travel to Korea to explore musical landscape Hebrew University students travel to Korea to explore musical landscape
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group