Why Traficant Matters

Last night I had the occasion to attend a TEA party rally in Rogers, Ohio. For those of you not from this area, Rogers is a TINY burg in Columbiana County. It is home of the most notorious “flea market” in Ohio, often raided for sale of certain types of contraband and illegal goods. It is off the beaten track, and not freeway accessible. The venue for this event was the Rogers Auction Barn. This is the real McCoy. It is difficult to find…way off the road. It is a stark room made of concrete block, with a “stage” in front and a huge warehouse behind it.

This was my first trip to this facility. The event was supposed to be a Town Hall meeting. Charlie Wilson, the current 6th Ohio District Congressman, was invited to speak. Also on the agenda was a presentation by former Congressman James Traficant (17 District – OH), fresh out of jail. Traficant has taken out petitions in several Congressional districts stating he will run for Congress as an independent in a district that he thinks he can win. Odds are it will be the Ohio 6th District, which stretches from the southern Youngstown suburbs 350 miles down the Ohio River to Ironton.

Mr. Traficant is somewhat of a pariah to the political powers that be in all of the districts, but especially the 17th which includes Youngstown City. The press continually ridicules him. He is a joke on the national media with recent appearances on Greta Van Susteren’s show, among others, making local politicos wince. You either like this guy, or you hate him, with few in between. He is known for his antics in Congress. And since being released from jail, has chosen to hang out with some Native Americans in hopes of establishing and Indian Casino in the Mahoning/Trumbull Counties area.

Charlie Wilson, true to form, was missing in action. Traficant was a given. He can’t resist an audience and a microphone. But the folks from Rogers, and surrounding Columbiana County, aren’t his constituency. He does well with blue collar industrial workers with strong ethnic backgrounds. So when I walked in the door last night, my teeth just about dropped out of my mouth. The hall was packed.

I estimate about 200 or more heartland Americans showed up to hear what the disgraced, convicted felon former Congressman from Youngstown had to say. They applauded when he walked into the room. They laughed at his self deprecating jokes about his unfortunate incarceration. They listened when he talked about the unbridled power of government, the IRS, and the Justice Department. The applauded at his anecdotes about his days in Congress and his legislative coups, particularly changing the burden of proof in IRS audit matters.

At the end, they lined up at two microphones asking him questions that many of them had either typed or written out. This wasn't your normal political audience. These folks were angry. They were very angry, and were looking for a voice. They came to check Traficant out. And many of them stood up and said that they heard he was a crook, but after listening to him it didn’t matter any more given what is going on in Washington today. The livelihood of many of these folks have been lost to bad trade policy, bad tax policy, and bad environmental policy. The only thing government has done for them is to go back for more when there is nothing else to give.

Whether or not you agree or disagree with Traficant, or support or oppose him, is irrelevant. These folks are looking for a voice, and they want an angry voice. An Associated Press reporter was there to report on the proceedings. I am not sure she understood the importance of what was happening last night. I am not sure she understood the frustration of the “just plain folks” who made the effort to find this auction house looking for a voice. They are as mad as hell, and they aren’t going to take it anymore. Charlie Wilson and his ideologue cohorts are tone deaf to their demands and needs.

If Traficant decides to run in the 6th District, he could win. The disdain for Charlie Wilson and those in Washington was as clear as could be. They called Charlie Wilson “the Ghost” because he is never around. The Democratic establishment doesnt care; and the national Republican Party is not paying attention notwithstanding pleas from several Republican candidates to look over here.

Traficant is a force to be reckoned with. There are those who feel that the best way to get back at Washington is to send him back to Congress. The major parties cannot be dismissive towards his efforts. His anger and the anger of the voters are simpatico.

I’m just sayin’.