Tea Party follower runs for Campbell County Sheriff

The last thing any county needs is a Tea Party follower with a sheriff's badge. Why, that's like appointing True the Vote members as election judges.

The Democratic and Republican parties in Campbell County seldom fail to disappoint, and I'm declining to endorse any of the 3 candidates for sheriff. But Republican candidate Jeff Kidwell appears to stand alone in publicly supporting the wasteful, much-maligned Tea Party.

This is not hyperbole. This is not a debunked conspiracy theory like the Tea Party's birther garbage. This is a verifiable fact: Jeff Kidwell backs the far-right Tea Party!

The Tea Party has an atrocious track record in Campbell County. Years before it was even called the Tea Party, it chugged along in Campbell County with almost no limits. I personally learned the hard way what the Tea Party in Campbell County is capable of, so wipe those smirks off your faces, teagaggers.

I shouldn't have to rehash the local right-wing machine's activities one by one. It's hard to say what incident represents the crest of their arrogance, but I think their successful efforts to have teenage victims of school harassment locked up without charges or a trial takes the cake. The political guild that later became the Tea Party had no respect for basic human rights, civil liberties, economic justice, or the Constitution. This is why Campbell County became nationally known as shorthand for incompetent right-wing government and authoritarian rule. (It's also related to the region's historic glut of teen confinement cults, for the industry thrives on totalitarian appeals.)

When the future Tea Party wasn't covering up cronies' misdeeds and punishing the victims, it was also engaging in other social engineering such as trying to outlaw contraception. It finally boiled over in the late '90s when local citizens held a demonstration against that effort. But the county has never fully recovered from the right-wing machine's peak. Ghastly ideas continue to be honored by our public officials.

It's become an attractive nuisance that draws right-wing carpetbaggers. Poking around a bit, I'm not seeing much from past suspects (with the exception of a former school principal who posts anti-Muslim harangues on Facebook); rather, I'm seeing more vitriol from new hacks who are also involved in the Tea Party in other counties.

For years, Democrats in Campbell County have let down constituents, including me. But the Republicans are of course worse. And Jeff Kidwell - the GOP sheriff candidate - openly supports the Tea Party. The prospect of a Tea Party sheriff is a very, very troubling notion indeed. Sheriffs in Kentucky have full police powers even in urban areas. They're also in charge of enforcing involuntary commitment orders, which are already widely abused, as many dissidents know. Plus, if Kidwell is elected - which is entirely possible - we can forget about a foreclosure moratorium.

If Kidwell wins, we in the northern half of the county will have yet another justification for breaking away and forming a new county. Since the Tea Party doesn't want to get along with us, what business do they have imposing their will on us?

Sooner or later, Campbell County voters will come to their senses and oust these extremist whack-a-doodles once and for all. Occupy has proven anything is possible. Occupy is a David-and-Goliath story that shows the power of action and conviction in fighting all the shit the Far Right shovels out.

But until the Far Right's last stand comes, enjoy watching the Tea Party clown car. That is, if they don't come for you.