Members of the Republican establishment, especially members of Congress, are in a bind.
In general, they don’t support Trump or Cruz, the two individuals with a realistic shot of the Republican nomination. (Only 3 Republican Senators, for example, have endorsed Trump or Cruz.) On the other hand, they really don’t like Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders. So how do they muster enthusiasm for the Republican candidate?
Congressman Don Young (R-AK) has one solution: ridiculous conspiracy theories.
Young told WFQD on Wednesday that he initially supported Jeb Bush because he knew his “old man” and now prefers John Kasich. But, Young says, Kasich has no chance of winning because he has no “charisma” and people “don’t think anymore.”
Still, Young is seeking to rally Republicans around whoever is the nominee, calling this “the most crucial election” for Alaska and the nation. Why? Because Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton will seek to have the government “control everything you do.”
Everything? Yes, everything. Young goes on to earnestly explain that Sanders or Clinton would mandate “when to get up, what to eat, what you are thinking, what school you are going to go to and what you are going to believe.”
Listen (beginning at 6:00):
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The language around controlling what Americans eat mirrors conspiracy theories about Michelle Obama’s initiative to promote healthy eating, particularly among children at school. In fact, Michelle Obama is simply championing a 2004 bill that was passed with bipartisan support and signed into law by George W. Bush.
Young’s other claims appear to break new ground.
While Young is not a fan of Trump, he has participated in a style of bombastic, factually unencumbered and incendiary commentary that has paved the way for his rise.