Minnesota Rep. Randy Demmer, R-Hayfield, announced last week that he is challenging Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., to represent MinnesotaâÄôs First Congressional District in Washington. In making his announcement, Demmer stated he opposed the second-term congressman because of his support for a âÄúculture of dependency, entitlementâÄù and the âÄúidea that government is supposed to provide for everybody.âÄù The trouble is, Demmer himself has leeched taxpayers of $75,000 in farm subsidies over the course of a decade. After the Minnesota Independent exposed this hypocrisy, Demmer defended his government support by saying he was neither âÄúentitledâÄù to be a farmer nor was he âÄúdependentâÄù on the government funds. Taking from the government, it would seem, is fine if you are wealthy, but poor people in need of aid are on their own. This is the same mentality that brings no-bid contracts to Halliburton but blocks increased veteransâÄô benefits and that refuses to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices but stops sick individuals from importing drugs. Opposition to government intervention is an honest intellectual position, but paired with corporate giveaways, it exemplifies political posturing of the worst kind. Walz is a moderate who voted against bailing out banks and the automobile companies âÄî hardly the scion of dependency that Demmer presupposes. But perhaps worst of all is that DemmerâÄôs behavior hardly surprises. The American public must thoroughly re-evaluate its political expectations, because the smug assertion that honest campaigning has gone the way of the Bull Moose Party only enables DemmerâÄôs behavior to become the rule rather than the exception.