It’s refreshing to see an elected official stand their ground against their own party and against the other party.  We don’t see that much these days – probably because elected officials are so worried about the next election, they bend over not to tick off their own party – so they can raise money and get reelected.  That’s partly what is wrong with Washington, D.C. these days.

U.S. Senator Jim Bunning is retiring at the end of his term.  He was basically pushed out by his fellow senator in Kentucky, Mitch McConnell.  The weak leader of the Republicans in the senate, Mr. McConnell, did not think Bunning could win, so he encouraged the political machines he controls to withhold donations from Bunning.

It worked.  McConnell probably wishes Bunning would have left office early after the hell he put the Senate GOP through in the last few days.

Of course, McConnell has been in the leadership for most of the losses the GOP has suffered in the last four–six years.  He has loser-ville written all over him.

It seems to me that we need more elected officials like Bunning and less elected officials like McConnell.  It would be nice if elected officials would stand for something on their own, instead of waiting for weak leaders to tell them what to do.  Bunning did something on his own, without following anybody, and I say good for him.

In a recent column Bunning explains his reasons for his stand better than I can.  You can read it in his own words (instead of hearing some commentator tell you about it) by clicking HERE.

I’ve always believed that we could have a great politician if we had one who had built up some seniority and then decided to retire with some time left in their term to actually to be their own person.  They wouldn’t have to worry about ticking off their lobbyists, their friends or their party leadership.  They would not have to worry about raising money for reelection.  They could actually stand for something.

It seems Bunning is doing just that and for that, I salute him.  I’ll bet he sleeps better at night than McConnell.