There's been a lot of criticism leveled against Republican U.S. Senate candidate Sharron Angle, and much of it has been legitimate. But two lines of attack that popped up again this week are way off base.
The first criticizes Angle for being rated the "worst Assembly member" in two of her four legislative sessions in Carson City, while landing second-worst and third-worst in the other two. Those ratings were based on a "poll" of fellow legislators, members of the media and lobbyists.
Oh, puh-lease. As a conservative who usually voted on bills out of principle, one can easily understand why Democrats would rate her low, as well as unprincipled go-along-to-get-along Republicans who wouldn't know a conservative principle if it bit them in the butt.
Lobbyists? Are you serious? In order to get a high ranking from lobbyists, you pretty much have to kiss their ... er, rings and do what they want you to do, regardless of core beliefs or what your voters want. Being ranked "worst" by lobbyists should earn you a Merit Badge, not criticism.
And is it really all that shocking that a "poll" which included members of the media would show that the Legislature's most conservative member was judged to be the "worst" member? I mean, come on.
And if you still don't think there's an anti-conservative bias in this "poll," consider the fact that the "worst senator" from the 2009 legislative session was Barbara Cegavske, the most conservative member of the Senate, and the "worst assemblyman" was Ty Cobb, the de facto leader of the seven-member Conserv-ative Caucus during that session.
The second unfair criticism leveled at Angle is for not getting many of her bills passed. And that, too, is bull.
Somehow legislators got it in their heads that to be considered "successful" in Carson City you have to get bills passed. It doesn't matter if the bills are any good, or relevant or substantive. Just pass something. Anything. Which is why you have legislators proposing stupid bills such as naming an official state bug.
I suspect that Angle's bills had a lot more meat on the bones, along with a strong conservative flavor. Is it any surprise that such bills were routinely killed by the Democrat majority which ruled the roost during Angle's four terms in office?
The conservative Republicans who elected Angle to represent them for four terms in the Legislature didn't elect her to pass meaningless bills; they elected her to fight for limited government and lower taxation. To that end, she represented her constituents quite well, thank you very much - despite what liberals, RINOs, lobbyists and members of the media thought.
• Chuck Muth is president of Citizen Outreach, a non-profit public policy grassroots advocacy organization.