I’ll give Steve Smith some credit where credit is due. Apparently he’s good at directing a talent agency with models and actors. Perhaps that’s why he so accurately embodies a famous quote by William Shakespeare: “… a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage … a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
Should anyone expect any more from Smith? Actually, everyone should. There is something happening during this election season called the “Empty Vessel” phenomenon. With the tide surging in the direction of the Republican and Tea Parties, candidates only have to spout the rhetoric of those parties to seriously contend for seats.
Nothing more and nothing less.
Here in Arizona all anyone has to do is hitch a ride on the “SB1070, Illegal Immigrants are the Root of All Evil” bandwagon. Just take a look at Jan Brewer. She couldn’t fight her political way out of a paper bag without that one issue, and neither can Smith.
Yes, Illegal Immigration is a huge issue and needs to be addressed, but let’s face the facts: People in Arizona are losing jobs and their homes right and left. Our children’s education has been last in the country for years and it’s been axed to death. Our biggest issues should be about our children, our families, our homes and our jobs… not the day laborer at Home Depot.
Even Smith acknowledges SB1070 doesn’t secure our border so why does he ride that bandwagon?
Because Steve Smith doesn’t have an actual platform. If you really research it, he’s merely cut and pasted rhetoric from Republican and Tea Party websites, rehearsed the slogans like a good actor, and shouted them out at the top of his lungs.
Smith’s lived in Arizona for close to eight years and yet he only registered to vote two years ago. He’s been a complete unknown on the political scene.
So why is he so passionate now? Perhaps this director of a talent agency has aspirations for a little limelight himself. Heck, his flyers have his face plastered on them with the likes of Arizona’s biggest media hogs: Good old boys Joe Arpaio, Paul Babeu and Russell Pearce.
Let’s face the facts, Steve Smith is an empty vessel “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
Right now we need and deserve better. That’s why my vote this election season is for Rebecca Rios.
Maricopa resident Dave Johnson is a retired English teacher
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