Jason Smith Reeks of Self-Importance

 

by Pa Rock

Citizen Journalist

My congressman, a 42-year old bachelor Republican by the name of. Jason Smith, has represented most of southeast Missouri in the US House of Representatives since a special election ten tears ago.   Smith's district, Missouri's 8th, is the largest district by land area in the state and was described by the Cook Political Report as being the sixth most consecrative congressional district in the nation.

Smith, who considered running for the US Senate seat that Roy Blunt vacated earlier this year, ultimately chose not to leave the safety of the House, and was rewarded for his fear of unemployment by being selected to head the occasionally prestigious House Ways and Means Committee when the new (barely) Republican House officially formed last month.

Congressman Smith sends out an email newsletter each week to residents of his district who go to the effort of subscribing.   Smith has smugly referred to his weekly newsletter in the past as form of a "town hall," as he remains resolute in his intention to never hold actual town halls or other unscripted affairs where he could  be confronted face-to-face with surprises or unanticipated concerns from his constituents.  

The tenor of Smith's newsletters has changed markedly since his selection as chair of the Ways and Means Committee last month.  Before his ascension within the GOP congressional power structure, Smith's newsletters, to the fortunate few who signed up to receive them, were roughly equal parts unhinged complaints about President Biden and local news - much of which featured photos of the ambitious Missouri politician and area farmers along with their prized farm machinery and livestock.  There was also always a short listing of commonsense legislation that Smith had voted against during the previous week, as well as right-wing hyperbole posing as serious legislation which he favored.

But now Rep. Jason Smith, as the Chairman if Ways and Means, suddenly has a national perch from which to pontificate, and his self-aggrandizement is truly starting to blossom.

Prior to his political facelift, the congressman was usually pictured in faded blue jeans and untucked shirts as he drove around his district most weekends posing and backslapping.  This week in his most recent newsletter, there were nine photos of the congressman, and in each he was wearing a suit and tie.  He mentions in the very first paragraph of the current  newsletter that he is the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and his new position within the House hierarchy is mentioned at least nine other times in the weekly newsletter - along with several other references to the work of that committee. Each of the political news stories that the congressman addressed in his newsletter, in fact, mentioned the Ways and Means Committee and used it as the focal point for the story.

All of that, and his farming costume was gone..  

It's almost like we have a new congressman here in southeast Missouri - and that could very well be for the best!