Dori: Maria Cantwell thinks hiking is community service

In the voters’ guide that went out to Washington residents, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) was asked a few questions about her education, elected/professional experience, and her community service efforts.

Cantwell has been a senator for 18 years. She was in the U.S. House of Representatives for two years before that, and in the state Legislature before that. You’d think she would have some pretty deep community roots. There is probably quite a lot of stuff she does for the community.

By the way, how would you answer that question? Do you help out at your kids’ school? Maybe you are active at your church? Do you make food at a soup kitchen or volunteer at an animal shelter?

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Well, here is what Maria Cantwell does as community service, according to the voters’ guide:

Maria is an avid hiker and outdoorswoman who has summited Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, Grand Teton, Kilimanjaro, and hopes to tackle more of our nation’s highest peaks.

That’s your community service? You climb a mountain? That’s doing something for you. Oh, wait … your community, in your view, is Maria Cantwell. Like so many politicians, you couldn’t possibly think about helping other people. All you think about is yourself.

“I climbed Grand Teton — look at me.” That’s her community service. She has climbed a few mountains.

For reference, Cantwell’s opponent, Susan Hutchison, lists a wide variety of community service efforts that actually benefit people besides herself, ranging from Seattle Children’s Hospital to Seattle Symphony to the Salvation Army.

I’ll bet the needy really appreciated Kilimanjaro. Thank you, senator. That’s really reaching out to the least fortunate around us.

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