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An Open Letter to the Conservative Pundits

A BUZZFLASH READER COMMENTARY
by Barbara in NYC

Last night I had the opportunity to listen to my party’s presidential candidates, really for the first time in a format where they could be asked questions and answer them, instead of being verbally beaten up by the conservative punditry.

From what you’ve all been saying for the past 6 months or so, I was expecting a circus. Actually, I saw the real Ringling Brothers event the night before in the form of Arnold Schwarzenegger, a new found hero for many of you. Now that was embarrassing.

What I saw last night surprised and delighted me. Ten people who all had something of substance to say, who were all intelligent, informed, patriotic and yes, had differing opinions on many things. In listening to some of your analyses after the debate, you would think that these differences of opinion are the scourge of the Democrat party and will cause them to lose. Oh my goodness! People disagreeing in a debate. Who ever heard of such a thing?

I went to the dictionary to look up the definition of debate, just to make sure that my understanding of the word was correct -- "a contention by words or arguments: as a : the formal discussion of a motion before a deliberative body according to the rules of parliamentary procedure b : a regulated discussion of a proposition between two matched sides."

I also feel that you might want to become reacquainted with the concept of debate since it hasn't really been permitted in the republican party, especially under the rule of GWB. If the candidates agreed on everything, there would be no need for a debate. Get it? And that’s why I’m proud to be a Democrat. Because our candidates can disagree just as we all can -- without consequence. There’s no threat, there’s no enforcement of "loyalty," and there’s no obligation to blindly follow any leader. We get to listen, argue, ponder the differences, and decide for ourselves.

And thank goodness they have differences or we would have no criteria with which to make any kind of judgment about a candidate. Besides, by pretending you have no differences, you only fool and cheat yourselves. I know and have heard about large numbers of republicans who wish to god that someone in the GOP could have challenged Bush for the nomination, but that could never happen. That person would be harmed in some way -- so you all agree and follow your leader out of fear. Some of you are still trying to sing the tune of "great and popular wartime leader." You’re all intelligent people, and I don’t believe for a minute that you don’t know that this is the worst president in American history, yet you will go on repeating that mantra because you are too afraid not to.

Democrats understand that you cannot have a democracy without discussion and dissent, and that is what is missing from the republican party today. We will listen to our candidates many more times, we will get to know more about their positions and yes, their differences. We are not afraid to ask questions of our candidates or challenge them on their positions. I guess that’s why they call it the Democratic Party.

At some point we will elect the nominee, despite our differences, and we will all get behind this candidate. Judging from what I saw last night, Bush couldn’t last 2 minutes in a debate with any of these people. Depending on how much voter fraud the GOP engages in in 2004, I don’t even believe that Bush has a chance. But it remains to be seen how far Bush & Co. will go to steal this election, so no one can say for sure that he won’t get a second term.

I heard Chris Matthews ask last night how someone like Joe Lieberman can possibly get behind Howard Dean (because of their strong differences), if Dean were to win. Well I ask you, Chris, how was John McCain able to get behind George Bush after the cruel and out-and-out personal beating he took from Bush in the 2000 election? I can’t believe you could even ask that. So you will all continue pounding on our candidates, but we will be listening to them, not you, and I believe we will win in the end.

By the way, I believe it was Peggy Noonan who last night said that wanting to get rid of George Bush is not an issue, it's just a "feeling." I think the 3,000,000 (and growing everyday) people who've lost their jobs might beg to differ with that. I think the 5,000,000 people without health insurance might beg to differ with that. I think the families of soldiers lost in this war with no end in sight might beg to differ with that. I think all of the people who give a hoot about the environment would beg to differ with that. I think all of us (many who have lost their retirement money) watching the corporate thieves (i.e., Ken Lay) getting away with grand theft would beg to differ with that. I think the many millions worried about losing their civil liberties would beg to differ with that. I think the families of 9/11 victims, who have yet to see a real investigation of 9/11, not to mention the rest of us who would like to see one, would beg to differ with that. I think all of us who are fed up with GWB's tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires at the expense of public schools, prescription drugs, healthcare, child care, Social Security, Medicare, etc., etc., etc., would beg to differ with that. I think those who have watched the world's opinion of us sink to the lowest levels imaginable would beg to differ with that. Yes, Peggy, getting George Bush out of office is the biggest issue this country has faced in about 50 years. And we can do it.

Barbara in NYC

A BUZZFLASH READER COMMENTARY