Sununu vs. Pappas: Like Sherlock Holmes and ‘the dog in the night’
Political campaigns and positions can be understood by what is said and what is not said. Mr. Sununu’s ads talk about eliminating wasteful spending, lowering taxes, being independent of national politics, supporting “NH First,” and being honest about his dealings. All of that sounds good, but it’s what he is not saying that is more revealing.
Reducing waste? Not a peep about his stance on Trump’s numerous vanity projects, which is costing us billions. The Ballroom, the Arch, the public golf course, the helipad, renaming the Kennedy Center and a battleship, refurbishing a luxury jet to be Air Force 1, and so on.
Being independent of national politics and supporting NH First? How is this possible, when Republicans take their cue from President Trump before they announce their positions? Not a peep about the transactional, pay-to-play rules now extant at the federal level, cryptocurrency and bitcoin promotion, and the deafening silence on Congress ceding the constitutionally mandated Power of the Purse to the Executive Branch, thus allowing dubious and expensive military actions against Venezuela and Iran, and threatened actions against Cuba and Greenland.
He has said nothing about our alliances. Europe is beset by Russian electronic hacks, flyovers, and drone attacks, yet Mr. Trump berates our allies and continues his curious hands-off stance toward Putin.
He has said nothing about the retribution claw backs of support for higher education. This is another Power of the Purse degradation of how our government was built to function.
The list of issues Mr. Sununu is silent about could go on. But his silence is like that of the dog that lived in the stables with the racehorses in the Sherlock Holmes story “Silver Blaze.” When the premier racehorse in England is stolen just before The Big Race, and Holmes is called to investigate, he comments on the “curious incident of the dog in the night.” Scotland Yard’s detective responded, “The dog didn’t do anything.” Holmes pointed out. “That was what was curious.” The dog remained silent because he knew the criminals.
Mr. Sununu’s silence indicates what kind of Senator he will be.