Lessons
To Be Learned
Southern
Style
by Rebecca Knight
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"The first lesson is that if you're a Democrat in the House or Senate, it doesn't matter how you vote or what you say or how patriotic you try to be. The Bush machine will try to smash you anyway. Consequently there is no percentage in making nice with this administration, especially after it showed its willingness this fall to politicize security issues."
--
E. J. Dionne, The Washington Post, Dec. 10, 2002
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Amen, Mr. Dionne, amen. Democrats should heed Mr. Dionne's statement. Bush and company play smash-mouth politics regardless of how many times a Democrat has voted their way and regardless of how patriotic a Democrat is. To them it's not about policy. It's not about political stances. It's not about patriotism. It's about winning.
It's about winning. Period. In a previous column, "Why I Am A Democrat," the take-no-prisoners style of the Republican Party was laid out for the reader by using Republican words and strategies from one of their own publications. That column was vindicated by this year's mid term elections. Their attacks on Max Cleland, the Democratic Senator from Georgia and Vietnam veteran who lost limbs in combat, were vicious and disgraceful. Proof positive that they will do anything and say anything to win.
Democrats, meanwhile, stammer, stutter, and squirm out of opportunities to lay claim to issues that are extremely vital to the American public for fear of being labeled unpatriotic. Unpatriotic? How is it unpatriotic to stand up for what is right, for what is best for poor Americans, working-class Americans, and even wealthy Americans. How is it unpatriotic to get the facts out about how policy decisions by the current administration impact the daily lives of every American? Is it unpatriotic simply because we are in a time of "war?"
Hypocrisy is at work here, ladies and gentlemen. Technically we are not at war. Congress has not declared war. Yes, we are fighting terrorism all around the world and God bless our military men and women who serve with honor. But since when did having our military in action prohibit the scrutiny of a sitting president? Apparently, it was prohibited upon the installation of George W. Bush in the White House. Oh, but it was okay to criticize Bill Clinton. Never forget the famous line of Senator Trent Lott in 1999: "We can support our troops without supporting our president."
While our Democratic candidates tiptoe around for fear of some Republican accusing them of being less than a true blue American, the Republicans are walking off with elections! It is as simple as that.
Ralph Nader recently wrote an article entitled "The Robo Candidate," which describes a type of standard issue Republican campaign strategy. This is how it goes: "We now can select the candidate from any state to beat the Democrats, frame the issues, convey the slogans, raise the money, buy the TV ads and even provide the robo-rebuttals for the debates. And we bring in Bush and Air Force One for the finale with total media coverage totally unchallenged. It's working again and again. The Dems are in a panic, falling all over themselves to agree with the President."
Sadly, there is some truth to this supposedly mythical Republican campaign belief. Just why is that? Ralph concisely summed it up this way: "Somehow, the Democrats believe that they can beat the opposing Republican Party by never criticizing its leader – George W. Bush – America's burgeoning Big Brother whose snooping, liberty-violating and anti-worker ways are getting a free ride on the backs of our crumbling democracy, while giant corporations are laughing all the way to the bank on the backs of the small taxpayers who are forced to subsidize them."
Democrats, the issues are on our side. We know that. We just have to insist that our candidates prove it. We have to insist that they stop their squeamish, cowardly ways. We have to take the offensive rather than remaining constantly on the defensive. That is where the Republican tactics have put us, but that is not where we belong.
How do we accomplish that goal? Know the facts. Speak up about the facts. Write letters about the facts. Pound the facts home on as many issues as possible. Protest!
Protest the media, which is complicit in allowing a forum for Republicans to spread their falsifications about Democratic ideals and policies. For far to long Democrats have allowed Republicans to paint us into corners. It must stop. It must stop right now!
Republicans call Democrats the party of tax and spend. Is that a fact? No, it is not. In reality the Republican Party is a party of borrow and spend. Republicans say that Democrats practice class warfare. In fact, Republicans have been practicing class warfare for many years through tax policy and corporate welfare. Bush recently cut the pay increase due federal employees, but re-activated bonuses for appointees. There can be no better example than this.
Okay, unemployment rose to 6% recently. Thank you George W. Bush. This means that 94% of Americans are employed. The rest are having a difficult time. If we cannot afford to help 6% of the American populace, we are, indeed, in severe trouble. In the late 1990s social welfare programs cost the average American taxpayer $400 per year. Corporate welfare programs cost the average American taxpayer about $1,400 per year. Those numbers are probably even more slanted in favor of corporations now. Who deserves help more? Who would most Americans prefer to help with their tax dollars? The Democratic Party stands for helping the people. This is a winning issue.
Check these out:
DEMOCRATS
VS. REPUBLICAN on the issue of THE U.S. ECONOMY:
http://www.eriposte.com/economy/other/demovsrep.htm
Bush's
Tax Cut Tilts to the Very Rich: http://usgovinfo.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?
site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ctj.org%2F
Some
Companies Pay No Taxes and Even Receive Rebates:
http://www.cfo.com/printarticle/0,5317,1080,00.html
Giveaways
to the Rich and Corporations:
http://www.ctj.org/html/publist.htm#corporate
Corporate Tax Payments Near Record Low This Year: http://www.ctj.org/html/corp0302.htm
Facts
On Corporate Welfare:
http://www.ombwatch.org/article/articleview/428/1/87/
Economic issues are not the only area where Democrats represent the majority of Americans. There are many others, including the environment, social issues, civil liberties, civil rights, etc.
And don't let Republicans take the moral high ground! Their vitriol directed at the Democratic Party resulting from the Clinton scandal does not hold up when the light of day is shined on members of their own party. We know that. They attempt to paint the Democratic Party as corrupt, yet they defend the likes of Nixon, Agnew, G. Gordon Liddy, Oliver North, John Poindexter, and the numerous adulterers within the Republican Party.
It's time to set our own agenda and get it before the public. Some are attempting to do just that. Al Gore, for example, has been speaking out. He strongly criticized Trent Lott for his racist statement made at the birthday gathering for Strom Thurmond. Gore also challenged Bush not to invade Iraq now, but to focus on fighting terrorism. Gore also said that Bush should remove his entire economic team. Sure, Gore takes a lot of heat from the media, but he is right on these issues. Look what happened. Lott weakly apologized and is still under fire for his remarks. Bush fired his economic team. Perhaps not because of Gore's comments, but at least Gore led the way in speaking out. See how easy it is. When Democrats start speaking out, they will get enough attention to make a difference.
There are many lessons to be learned from the recent mid-term elections. The most important one is to stand our ground, speak up, tell the truth to the people, and demand that Democratic elected officials and candidates fight the Bush administration. Obviously that is the only way!
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PERSONAL NOTE: BuzzFlash has informed me that some faithful readers are inquiring about the infrequency of my columns recently. Please bear with me and have patience. I have not given up, nor will I ever give up. This may be the busiest time of my personal life as my daughter and only child is celebrating her 18th birthday on Friday, graduating from high school in a few days, and going away to college the first week of January. All of this and Christmas, too!
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Rebecca Knight is a native Tennessean, who grew up in Nashville, and currently resides in a small town near Nashville. Ms. Knight's political awareness evolved through the civil rights movement, the Vietnam era, the Watergate era, and the cold war. The debacle of the 2000 election increased her sense of responsibility for political activism. You may contact Rebecca Knight via e-mail at tennessee_gal655@yahoo.com.
© 2002 by Rebecca Knight
