...But the winner, State Representative Cynthia Davis of Missouri. When she first won this award hands down on Monday we told you that Miss Davis had had attached a series of what she called commentaries to a report on the state's meal program for underprivileged kids while school was out for the summer, insisting that these meals should be curtailed.
Among her original observations: " Anyone under eighteen can be eligible? Can't they get a job during the summer by the time they are sixteen? Hunger can be a positive motivator. What is wrong with the idea of getting a job so you can get better meals? Tip: if you work for McDonald's, they will feed you for free during your break."
Representative Davis has not apologized for, retracted, nor clarified her remarks. She has blamed "an editorial that misrepresented my views." Even though her views were in her editorials which she wrote. She continues to believe that one fifth of school age children in Missouri who face hunger every day have somehow chosen to do that, that this is a family rights issue.
Quote,"We all agree on the importance of feeding children, but we differ on who should do this. I believe this duty belongs to the parents. Instead of respecting this time honored jurisdiction of the family, the summer feeding program treats families like they do not exist." You're wrong. It treats families like they don't have enough money to get meals for their kids and they need our help.
"When government takes over a family function, like feeding children on a daily basis, we take a group of people who are capable and treat them like they are incapacitated...Look into your own heart and ask, 'What made a difference in my life as a child?' Was it standing in a line for a cafeteria style meal at school or was it sitting around the kitchen table with others in your family?" You're wrong. Gosh, Miss Davis, I think more than either of these things what would have made a difference in my life as a child was if one day there was no breakfast and some idiot politician was trying to make sure I couldn't get one. And cafeteria style meal at school? You're wrong. Missouri's summer meals are given out in churches. Your own state and you don't even know the simple facts?
"My goal is not to replace parents, but to reinforce them. The solution is found in helping those near us, not in yet another gigantic federally funded mass market approach. Bigger government invites fraud and robs people of the dignity of personal human relationships." You're wrong. Your goal here is to try to take an efficient program providing needy kids millions of healthy meals at about two and a half bucks each and turn it into another wedge weapon of paranoia to use on the buffoons who would vote for a political hack like yourself.
"My weekly Capitol Report is a way for me to have two-way communications with my constituents and not a national manifesto for you to mock, distort, and to be quoted out of context." You're wrong. There was no distortion, no loss of context, and any mocking done here you have richly earned, for today, for tomorrow, and for the rest of your tenure in public life, brief though the rest of us hope that might be.
"Yet to dare suggest there are alternatives for rational people to discuss and consequences of government taking over so much in people's lives is to be branded an inhuman monster..." Hey, on this we agree. Well phrased. You're right. You're an inhuman monster. And you chair the state's permanent committee for children? You are a positive menace to the health and well being of the children of Missouri. Resign. State Representative Cynthia Davis of Missouri once again, today's Worst Person in the World. And not for the last time...
