Debbie the 'coward' vs. Alien...er, Allen

“You want a personal fight, I am happy to oblige…stop being a coward…Focus on your own congressional district!”

It stands to reason that Allen B. West would be anxious to challenge Debbie Wasserman Schultz in 2012. He lives in her congressional district; he must mean that he is no coward; and he would “oblige” her in “a personal fight.”

West has more than a year to prove to her constituents that she is “the most vile, unprofessional and despicable member of the U.S. House of Representatives.” Both represent adjacent districts, but fences will not make them good neighbors. He would still need to pass through each night to return home. He lives in a portion of Plantation located within her district that covers parts of Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

West ran for Congress twice, losing to Democrat Ron Klein in 2008 and then ousting him in 2010 as part of the nationwide Republican sweep. Under the Constitution, he is allowed to run for Congress in any district in the state, so long as he lives in that state.

So why didn’t he run where he lives? In a September 2010 Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel article, West explained why, as Seinfeld would put it, “I choose not to run”…against Schultz: “People thought Congressional District 22 was a better fit for who I am. Me not being a political expert, I listened to people who are better (at strategy)…You have a very good and competitive race.”

In other words, West was afraid to face Schultz in a mano y hairdo political duel. He feared he could not convince voters they were mistaken in sending Schultz to Congress by large margins. Instead, he chose to run in a region that has emerged as a swing district covering parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties.

The Sun-Sentinel reported that their differences boiled over on the House floor on Tuesday, July 19, 2011, when West advocated for a bill that would reduce Medicare and other spending, prompting Schultz to take to the floor herself and declare: “The gentleman from Florida, who represents thousands of Medicare beneficiaries, as do I, is supportive of this plan that would increase costs for Medicare beneficiaries - unbelievable from a member from south Florida.” (Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, 7/19/11)

West, who left the chamber immediately after his own speech, fired off this memo to Schultz and House leaders: “Look, Debbie, I understand that after I departed the House floor you directed your floor speech comments directly towards me. Let me make myself perfectly clear, you want a personal fight, I am happy to oblige. You are the most vile, unprofessional and despicable member of the U.S. House of Representatives. If you have something to say to me, stop being a coward and say it to my face, otherwise, shut the heck up. Focus on your own congressional district!”

West must have serious mental-health issues to have sent that e-mail to Schultz. His poor judgment will likely influence his constituents in the 2012 election, but that’s the whole point. Many of them have probably decided weeks or months ago how they will vote.

No doubt West has been flooded with letters and phone calls protesting his ultra-conservative agenda. Early on, he chose between the demands of his political cronies and the needs of his constituents. Did he think it was going to be easy?

In a fundraising letter, West wrote that Schultz “attacked me personally for supporting the legislation.” He has also griped about criticism for being a black conservative, sort of the Clarence Thomas of Congress.

Schultz’s criticism of West on the House floor is known as “fair game.” Politicians habitually snipe at each other over policy issues. The grown-ups take it in stride, but West could not, well, take it.

Schultz was on target when she told The Miami Herald: “It’s not really surprising that he would crack under the pressure of having to defend that. If he feels that concerned and gets that churned up over having to defend his position then he probably should reconsider his position.” (Miami Herald, 7/20/11)

It is understandable if West tries to survive in his district - the district he represents, not where he lives - rather than challenge Schultz. He is already in way over his head.