NUKES: A Nuclear Weapons Congressional Candidate?

Is being a single issue member of Congress a smart move?

What if we could elect someone to the U.S. Congress who proudly declared themselves to be a single issue politician focused exclusively on nuclear weapons? That is, a member of Congress who would focus every minute of their time in office on the threat presented by nuclear weapons, ignoring all else, including their own re-election.

The candidate who wishes to run for that job has a simple argument to present. They can make the case that…

“Nuclear weapons are the biggest threat to the security of America. They merit my undivided attention.”

Shouldn’t we have _at least one_ Congressperson focused full time on the single biggest threat to America?

A candidate might make the following case to voters.

FOCUS THE POWER: Freshman members of the House have very little power. Thus, it makes sense to have the Representative focus all of their limited influence on a single important issue, arguably the most important issue, such as the ever imminent existential threat to everything we hold dear presented by nuclear weapons. Any freshman Congressperson who tries to address all issues of concern to all people dilutes their power to the point of near nothing.

NO FUND RAISING: The candidate promises to spend none of their time in office raising money. Not a day, not a minute. This means the Representative will have a lot more time available, and the nation will get every minute of it. It would also mean that when voters in their district are ready to return to a multi-issue Representative the single issue candidate will not have a lock on the seat. A Congressperson who doesn’t beg for money. How refreshing! Who knew that could happen?

FEED THE MEDIA: A single issue candidates who proudly states they will work on no issue other than nuclear weapons will be interesting to the media, which will raise the Representatives profile and influence beyond that of the typical freshman Representative. They may get so much free media they don’t need to fund raise anyway.

A HISTORIC VOTE: The single issue candidate can impress upon voters that this is their opportunity to do something historic, an attempt to save the world. By attaching themselves to a very large issue, the candidate makes themselves appear large at the same time.

A UNITY ISSUE: The candidate can impress upon voters that nuclear weapons are a topic which has the potential to transcend partisan divides and help unite the country, because we are all under equal threat. It’s the illusion that we are safe which gives us the idea that we have the luxury of being divided.

Finally, should such a single issue politician devoted to nuclear weapons happen to still be in office when the next nuclear detonation happens, as it inevitably will sooner or later, that politician’s credibility, prominence, power and career options would go through the roof. All the other politicians would then be seen as amateurs fiddling around with details, while only this single issue nuclear weapons politician had the vision to focus on that which matters most, our survival as a nation.

If the cards fell this way, such a single issue nuclear weapons politician might soon find themselves sitting behind a desk in the Oval Office.