Mullin: People Put Off By Contentiousness of American Politics Today
Rep. Markwayne Mullin says Oklahomans put off by contentiousness of American politics
By RANDY KREHBIEL World Staff Writer
VINITA — Americans in general, and Oklahomans in particular, seem to be increasingly disengaged from politics, and 2nd District Congressman Markwayne Mullin thinks he knows why.
“How many of you wake up every single morning and say, ‘I can’t wait to get into an argument today,’?” Mullin asked the meager turnout for a town hall meeting in Vinita on Thursday afternoon.
“We teach our kids to respect what someone else is saying,” Mullin said, “but in politics … if you don’t agree with me, you’re an idiot.
“What do you see on TV every single day? Politicians griping at each other. But you also see the same people over and over and over and over. You might see 10 or 15 (on TV), and there’s another 420 of us in the House (of Representatives) and 100 senators. We might disagree, but we’re cordial.”
Whether through disenchantment or complacency, Mullin and other members of Oklahoma’s congressional delegation have seen a steady decline in the number and intensity of those turning out for town hall meetings.
Only about a dozen people attended Thursday’s meeting, and Mullin and his staff said that has been the recent trend in the 2nd District.