“I have an axe to grind, and plenty of fury to turn the
wheel.”
Arthur Allen Leff
They can't find an issue to call their own these days that the
public gives a damn about.
Quick now—the Democratic leaders are calling a press conference
this afternoon to announce their great new plan for the American
people. It is … what? What does the Democratic party stand for
today? Can they think of anything? Can they define themselves other
than by being against whatever the Republicans are for? Would any
reporters even show up?
The pity of it all is that there are real issues out there crying
out for attention. Ending the compleat failure of the “War On
Drugs” would be one. Getting our somnolent, lazy asses up and
off this rock and out into space would be another. Revising
copyright law to relax the deathgrip the publishing companies are
keeping on artists completes the trifecta. Any of those
issues alone would be enough to change my vote in a presidential
campaign.
Rational regulation on environmental issues, easier approval of new
drugs, privatization of many government functions, (start with the
Post Office) clueful airline security, solving the “last
mile” problem for high speed information access, protection of
personal privacy, more R&D funds for universities researching things
such as nanotech, I can imagine many issues that are not inherently
wedded to to one school of political thought, and are wandering
around as orphans, largely ignored by both parties.
Devoid of both creative thinking and charismatic leaders, (Gore?
Gephardt? Lieberman? gimme a break) Liberalism, at least as
manifested by the Democratic party, is on the ropes.
The DoJ has come out as officially supporting the 2nd Amendment.
They're losing the Jewish vote, one of their traditional
constituencies, as Bush hangs tough with Israel. Al Freakin'
Sharpton is wanting to run for president. I dearly pray that he
does, as the totality of his vote will come from the group of people
known as Too Stoopid To Have The Franchise, immediately improving
the average IQ of the voters for the other candidates. A better
outcome would be inevitable.
The public is solidly behind Bush, (approval ratings steady at
around 70%) even though the market is tanking, and none of the
financial scandals are affecting the Republicans more than the Dems,
as the public seems to recall the antics of one William Jefferson
Clinton, and thinks just maybe the fine integrity he showed in
office might have set the tone for nineties.
“Is there collusion between the auditors and the companies
they audit to cook the books?”
“Well, sir, that depends on what the definition of 'is'
is”.
The real meaning there? It's OK to lie, (under oath) cheat, (on your
wife) and steal, (even White House furniture) if you're rich and
powerful. That differs from the Enron folks just how?
It's not looking too good for the liberals on the international
front, either. Communism is dead, and the Euro socialist utopia is
starting to smell like last week's fish, as the economy tanks and
they slide further into the backwaters of history.
We ran the Taliban outta Afghanistan without breaking a sweat, and
Osama is fertilizer somewhere. After we take down Saddam, and Iran
falls of it's own weight, there will be the first real progress
toward liberal modernity in the Middle East in centuries. (and if
you truly consider yourself aligned with the “liberal”
issues such as women's rights, freedom of religion, and freedom of
expression, and think those rights should extend to humans that
didn't have the happy accident to be born here in the States, then
you oughta be marching in the goddam streets demanding that Dubya
send in the troops yesterday)
Bush is about to liberate more people from the yoke of oppression
than any president since, hmmm... Reagan, finally doing the job that
WJC and, to be fair, his daddy, should have done.
The Dems are running on prescription drug benefits for seniors.
Could the contrast be any greater?
