Duck Dynasty fans and detractors alike recently learned that Zach Dasher, the nephew of the controversial Duck Commander Phil Robertson, has thrown his hat in the ring for the 5th Congressional District of Louisiana. Fans of the show – or at least those who generally agree with the Robertsons’ values – will recognize the family’s faith and values in the platform he’s running on.
According to a report on CBS Affiliate KNOE 8 News , Dasher had this to say about his candidacy:
“The reason I am running is because when I look at Washington D.C., I see a group of intellectual elitists that don’t know where our rights come from. Our rights come from God Almighty. They don’t come from a group of politicians, and I want to go there to be a voice for the people and say enough is enough. Your government control of our lives is out of control. It’s too much and I want to put a stop to that.”
Dasher’s platform will be familiar to conservative Republicans, with the possible exception of the fact that the Duck Dynasty -related congressional candidate does not appear to be making any bones about the role Christianity plays in his political position. According to a report in The Shreveport Times , Phil Robertson’s nephew said this:
“I want to help restore America to what she once was — a nation that builds freedom and prosperity on the anchor of God.”
Duck Dynasty family member Al Robertson – eldest son of Phil Robertson… diehard Duck Dynasty fans will know him, more causal fans may not, as he doesn’t make regular appearances – had this to say about his cousin Zach Dasher running for Congress:
“We speak and talk about how the Godly need to be involved in politics and in our government. When we see someone come along that fits that narrative, we want to get behind them.”
Duck Dynasty’s Robertson family have endorsed Zach Dasher, claiming that they’ve had 36 years – the candidate’s entire life – to vet him.
Here’s the Duck Dynasty nephew who is running for Congress himself, offering his suggestions for how to reclaim America:
[Video via YouTube/Republican Leadership Conference]
In addition to his stand that Americans’ rights come directly from God Almighty rather than politicians – echoing a notion Thomas Jefferson expressed in the Declaration of Independence – Zach Dasher’s political stands are in line with the conservative wing of the Republican Party. According to the report on KNOE, Dasher believes that most government programs are overly intrusive, that free markets are the best way to improve the economy and health care system, and that our tax code unjustly punishes success. In the words of the Duck Dynasty kinsman himself:
“Every time you turn around you are finding a federal government that thinks they know better than, we the people, know how to run our lives. I want to go to Washington and tell these folks get off our backs. Let us get back to the business of what we do and that’s making things happen.”
As for the beard, according to Zach Dasher’s speech to the Republican Leadership Conference in 2014, Dasher always keeps a beard during hunting season, so unless he allows Washington to change him, chances are that we will see him again with a full beard at some point, though it’s unlikely to reach true
What do you think? Do you agree that Americans’ rights come from God Almighty? Would you vote for a member of the Duck Dynasty family for Congress – and why or why not?
[Image via Bing]