Pete Kaliner is the host of a daily radio talk show on Asheville’s WWNC (570-AM) that airs from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. This column features posts from his daily blog.

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The following was posted on June 21:

Congress actually is a pretty good representation of the general population. The people that walk the Capitol halls of power are just like us. Some smart. Some not. Some ethical. Some not.

Despite our expressed desire to have elected officials exhibit a higher standard than we exhibit ourselves, we also believe they are all worse.

However, a brief scroll through social media shows many of us are as incapable of thoughtful, logical, and respectful debate as elected leaders.

The gun control “debate” is a perfect example.

Progressives spent the week after the Orlando massacre arguing that Islam has nothing to do with the attack, and any attempt to punish or demagogue Muslims is shameful and un-American.

They then promoted a measure to deprive American Muslims due process rights if they are put on a secret government list. I am old enough to remember when liberals railed against such lists as modern McCarthyism.

Conservatives argued that secret government watch lists (populated primarily by Muslims) deprive citizens of their constitutional due process rights.

 So, naturally, this means the GOP wants to arm ISIS.

 The message, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said in an interview with Washington Post reporters, should be that Republicans are partially culpable for attacks such as the Orlando nightclub shooting.

“We’ve got to make this clear, constant case that Republicans have decided to sell weapons to ISIS,” Murphy said.

This utterly repugnant and insipid statement is made by a U.S. senator. A man who swore to uphold the Constitution advocates a violation of it, and accuses opponents of arming terrorists.

And whether it’s intellectually lazy, dishonest, ignorant, or all of the above... the irrationality of this argument is exactly the sort of 4th-grade dumbassery on full display in any comment section of any news website.