"The Weakest Adminstration on Defense We Have Seen in Many, Many Years"
Posted by on February 28, 2006 at 02:15 PM
(From a speech given by Governor Dean earlier today at the the Annual Conference of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. -- Tim)
"Karl Rove says that the Republicans are going to win on the issue of defense. I submit to you that if the issue is defense, the Republicans will lose because this is the weakest Administration on defense that we've seen in many, many years. What I mean is this. For five years this President has been in the White House. For five years North Korea continues to possess nuclear weapons. For five years this Administration has been in the White House, Iran moves closer every day to producing nuclear weapons. For four years, Osama Bin Laden has been on the loose and remains so. And today we see the specter, as reported in the Jerusalem post- of a company that is about to take over American ports, which actively continues today to boycott Israel.
"The Democrats have a better idea. First we will conclude the negotiations with the Chinese and the North Koreans to disarm North Korea. Secondly, under no circumstances will a Democratic Administration ever allow Iran to become a nuclear power. Three, we will kill or capture Osama bin Laden and four, the authority and the control of the ports of the United States must be retained by American companies.
"We are not simply speaking about the United Arab Emirates -- we are also speaking about the western ports which are controlled by companies controlled by the Chinese government. Foreign governments of any kind ought not to be controlling American ports, especially when the Coast Guard already recommended that they could not guarantee the security of the ports."
"We will defend America."
"Republicans have been in power long enough to show that they can't be trusted with your money, your defense or power. The truth is today, 34% of the American people think that the President is doing a good job. So, we're not talking about a fifty-fifty country- we're simply talking about a country that wants competence and honesty in their leadership again"
"While the Republicans have done a good job winning elections the. . .way they win elections is the root cause for why they've done such a terrible job governing America. . .
"If you divide people in order to win elections, you can't govern. . .The president has to understand that they are the President of all people, not just 50.1%."
Together, America Can Do Better - A Positive Democratic Agenda
"So our strategy is very simple- we want to make it clear to the American people what the Republicans are about and what their discrepancies are between what they say and what they do. We also want to make sure the American people understand what we are going to do differently.
"One- we will pass ethics legislation within the first 100 days of our re-ascension to power, and eliminate the scandals and the corruption that the Republicans have brought to power. We want honest and open government in America again.
"Two- we want a strong national defense which begins with telling the truth to our citizens and our soldiers and our allies before we send troops abroad.
"Three- we want American jobs that will stay in America by creating a new energy independence industry, creating thousands of manufacturing jobs and construction jobs to retrofit our homes and businesses.
"Four- we want a health care system which works for everyone, just like 36 other countries in the world have.
"And five- we want a strong public education system so we can have opportunity and optimism back in America again. . ."
Comments (38) «
FOLLOW THE MONEY
Our Democratic leaders should keep repeating this line this week in response to the Dubai Ports deal. We need to keep emphasizing the relationship between the Bush family and the royal family of the UAE. It would make for great sound bites. And it would inform the American public as to why this administration is so vigorously supporting this deal. Remember the president was promising a veto before he supposedly knew the details. In addition we need to take a page out of the Republican playbook and point out the FLIP-FLOPPING of the Republican leadership on this matter. I am suggesting that as many people as possible send a pair of flip-flops to Bill Frist and other Republican leaders that seem to be changing their opinions on this matter. Actions such as these will help people remember in Nov. who was willing to sell the nations security.
PLEASE, Howard. I am so tired of reading in articles and on the blogs, that Democrats have no plans themselves! Please keep it up out there, with what our plans are!!
Get these out in the media, and in speechs by not only yourself, but Democratic Politicians! Let's shut up the Republican Rhetoric once and for all!
Posted by PamB on February 28, 2006 at 02:55 PM
Here! Here! Seize the Day!
This is such an important message. Please have it appear in as many newspapers as possible and get on the TV talk shows to repeat it over and over. Also tell them how Bush is balancing his budget on the backs of wounded veterans.
Great speech (at least the excerpt that was posted). A couple of thoughts:
1) The media continues to genuflect to Karl Rove by pushing the storyline that Democratic criticism of the Dubai ports deal is an attempt by the party to “move to the right” of President Bush and Republicans in Congress on issues of national security. There should probably be a sentence in future speeches emphasizing that some of the Democrats who have strongly criticized this deal have been actively advocating enhanced port security since Sept. 11. Security concerns are not exclusive property of the Right.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, the administration has spent $18 billion securing airports—but just $630 million to improve security at the nation's ports. Even the DHS Inspector General has criticized the port-security program, saying it didn't direct funds to the most vulnerable ports and compromised the nation's ability to stave off terrorist attacks. (“Security Gaps Already Plague Ports,” Wall St. Journal, Feb. 23, page A12). In comparison, the 2006 budget provides more than $206 million for abstinence-only activities this year. $630 million over 5 years vs. $206 million for one year.
2) The Hill reported today that “Senate Democrats have declined to support legislation proposed by Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) to reform lobbying, even though he is their point man on the issue.” After the hoopla surrounding the Honest Leadership and Open Government act last month, this makes it appear that the party isn’t really serious about ethics reform.
PamB -
Bravo!!!
No go out and find me a dozen DLC Dems who will line up four square behind Howard Dean and that agenda.
When your count gets up to 12, let me know.
Someone posted this on the Huffington blog and I found it very informative:
It's been widely noted that two of the 9/11 hijackers were from the UAE. One of the two was Marwan al-Shehhi, the pilot-hijacker of United Flight 175. It was Al-Shehhi who piloted that aircraft into the South Tower of the World Trade Center, killing over 650 people.
Al-Shehhi first joined Al Qaeda while he was a student in Hamburg. He went to school there on a military scholarship, which he received after joining the UAE Army in 1995. In fact, he continued to receive stipend payments from the UAE Army through December 23, 2000, using part of that money to pay for the flight lessons he took in preparation for the attacks. So the same government that will be running our major eastern ports helped finance the 9/11 attacks. I haven't seen anything to suggest this wasn't inadvertent on their part, but if they had no idea that one of Al Qaeda's deadliest killers was on their military payroll, how can we trust their assurances about Dubai Ports World?
Dear Dr. Dean
Three points of great concern...
1. The National Guard is being treated as "Active Duty." The NG has sustained the lion's share of injuries and deaths. They have been sent to Iraq without the proper armor.
This weakens the NG and the defense of our homeland.
2. Americans should realize that the many Iraqi civilians that have been killed have family members, cousins and tribal members that will seek revenge against Americans. The seeds of hatred have been planted and our children will be the target.
3. We now have NO leverage to be a moral leader in the world because we have been caught in a lie. The republican leadership has abandoned our values and promote torture and deceit.
Three Strikes
Point 3 is very much an idea I've had for a long time - not only retrofit existing buildings and homes but for the future, homes and businesses should only be built using alternative fuels. Taking this business model to places like West Virginia and Pennsylvania would take these people out of the bowels of the Earth and bring them to the light. How can you vote against something that will save lives? Oh, you could if you were in the pocket of the oil and gas companies. But for those who would use that to vote against a bill like this, they must be exposed. Democrats are too nice - we don't lie (well, not too much) and don't spin like the GOP.
Is this the entire speech by Dr. Dean?
Do we have a link to the entire speech?
Everytime I hear those five initiatives, I believe them more and more that we can get them achieved if we just win one house of Congress in 2006.
Great speech indeed...
Hit on all major points.We don't really have to do much-they're doing plenty of hurting on themselves.All we need to do is keep telling the truth about them,about what they've achieved and what we are planing to do about it.The American people will see for themselves that GOP(Great Oppression Party)has been a massive,massive failure in all aspects that effect an ordinary people.They do not have any genuine best interest at heart for average American family.
We have to rejoice in glorious opportunity that has been presented to us to take back our country,our freedom in names of all those poor souls who parished in 9/11 attacks,Iraq war,Katrina disaster...we owe it to them and to our children,to our country..
America is Not country of few but country of all.America is not black or white,red or blue.America is the land of trust in God but not the rule of God.America is the privilage,not possession.
America belongs to all Americans,not to God or to those who playing one....
Someone said;Freedom,Freedom,give me one more breath of freedom so I can die a free man..
It all comes down to that word that is often used and missused,as in words of Sir James M. Barrie;"... If you have it,you don't need to have anything else,and if you don't have it,it doesn't much matter what else you have."
DNC must give the promise to American people that it will give them back the most precious thing that anyone will have... the true Freedom.
Being free of fear,being free of worries about job,sickness and all other calimities that they had to contend with..
And most of all-being free of fear of its own government.
As for DNC and whatever had happened in past five years,all missfortunes,all sufferings,all bitter defeats,all hoplessnes that had to endure...rise up! The skies are clearing,hope is in the air,the final victory is in sight.New motto should be the words of one very old man who said and I can freely attribute to all of us:
"The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another,not because he does not feel them,but beacuse he is a man oh high and heroic temper."
Aristotle
We are the men(women) of high and heroic temper and we'll believe because our morals,our hopes,our cause is high and righteous.
I beg the Democrats to please reform the Lobbying regulations! Don't you realize the
commoners are silanced by the big money Corporations. There is no way that my $100. or $150. could possible buy anything I want to be regulated or put into law? Unless there are several million commoners that want the same thing? However one Corporate CEO can buy anything he wants with his millions. I promise to give up on all partys that don't get the Big Corporations out of the Bribe Business. If enough people don't vote or give what little they can then maybe the money people mouths will be shut. Because the Big Money Corporations have shut the commoners mouths long enough.
"Under no circumstances will a Democratic Administration ever allow Iran to become a nuclear power." Under NO circumstances?
What if the Iranians flout a dozen UN resolutions and kick out UN weapons inspectors so they can violate every arms limitation treaty they make? That's what Iraq did. In that case, would a Democratic Administration order an invasion and occupation of Iran? That's what Bush did with Iraq. If Dean says that under no circumstances would a Democratic Administration permit Iran to become a nuclear power, is he willing to invade Iran to prevent it? If so, then how does the Democratic policy differ from the Republican one?
Good point Jack Olson. My question for Dean (or any other leaders of this party) is: How?
It's nice to say you will wrap up talks with North Korea and catch Bin Laden. But anyone can say that. If all we do is say it, elections are going to be a gamble. Both parties can say they plan to neutralize nuclear threats and catch terrorists. We can only win if Dean and others start telling American people HOW?
Yes, we know Bush can't catch Bin Laden. He's doing something wrong. What is it? How can we do it better? I'm a computer programmer, my job is to create computer programs. I don't know how to catch terrorists. If you are President or you're in Congress, your job is to solve these problems. I want to hear real, action-oriented plans for doing it better. Answer the question "HOW?"
We need a government that takes care of this country. This is what my party stands for and I'm excited to get some real plans in front of the masses so we can turn things around in government and start turning things around for this country!
To win in 2006 and 2008, the Democratic Party cannot afford to re-offer the voters policies which have already failed whether they were Republican or Democratic failures. Clinton's diplomacy toward North Korea failed to deter them from seeking nuclear weapons. Had Clinton captured or killed Osama bin Laden after the first World Trade Center attack, Dean wouldn't be criticizing Bush for failing to kill or capture him after the second one. Even a 40% tax credit for solar energy equipment failed to make solar energy a major energy source. Neither the creation of the Department of Education under Carter or the big expansion of federal education spending under Bush has improved American public schools. Dean's proposals sound an awful lot like policies which have already failed. If we only offer the voters more of what we've been giving them--more government instead of better government--they'll give us more of what they've been giving us: defeats at the polls.
FOLLOW THE MONEY
It was reported this evening on NBC Nightly News that the UAE has been, and continues to be, a major transit point for shipments of sensitive dual use nuclear technology to Iran.
In the spirit of the time-honored American Tradition of biting Political Satire, please join me in raising your right hand with your Proud Patriotic Single Finger Salute and repeat after me:
I reject allegiance to the corporate seal of the United Federation of the Carlyle Group and to the global transnational military–industrial-intelligence complex for which it stands, one wholly owned subsidiary of BushCo., under an angry vengeful fundamentalist God, invisible, with liberty and justice for the Executive Board Members.
I'm a Reagan Democrat. Before that I was a Truman democrat. Where is the party of Harry Truman, FDR, JFK and LBJ? Our proud party has been hijacked by these clowns called Howard Dean, John Kerry, Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer, Chuck Schumer. And shame on Teddy Kennedy. He is not the same as his proud brother JFK. He is an embarrasment to our party. I'm embarrased for Carter. We will continue to lose as long as these ultra left wing liberal clowns control our proud party. Harry Truman where are you? We need someone like "give em hell Harry". Where is Henry "Scoop" Jackson? Out with Dean, Kennedy, Shumer, Boxer, Feinstein, Durban, Reid. Let's take back our proud party of FDR, Truman, JFK, LBJ. It hasn't been the same since that moron Carter became president.
I wrote this poem. Please use it in any way that will help people to understand the wrongness of torture and violations of human rights. Please pass it on to others to use.
A Child’s
Pledged of Allegiance to the Flag
When I Was Just a Small Lad
I Looked up So Proud,
I Saw the Stars and Stripes
And I Recited out Loud!
I Pledge Allegiance
My Young Voice Cried,
To the United State of America
And to the Freedom for Which -
So Many Have Died!
I Pledged Allegiance
To the Republic for Which it Stands,
To the One Nation under God
I Folded My Hands!
As I Recited My Pledge
To the Indivisible Country,
I Whispered a Little Prayer
That Really Seemed -
Very Important to Me!
I Was Pledging to a Country
That Promised Liberty and Justice for All,
Not Just for a Few
No ! Really, Really -
They Meant it for All!
So Everyone Can Be Free
We Go to the Polls and Vote,
Everyone Has a Voice
We Proudly Gloat!
No One Is Supposed to Be Left out
We Should All Have a Say,
But I Find That Is Not Always True
I Just Found That out -
Just the Other Day!
I Found That Some of the Meanings
Of the Pledge Have Changed You See,
They No Longer Seem to Mean
The Same Things -
That they First Meant to Me
I Recently Read That an Iraqi
General Had Died,
Around His Face an American Sleeping -
Bag Had Been Tied!
An American Military Officer
Who Also Recited the Pledge Right Along,
Sat on the Generals Chest
Until All of His Air Was Gone!
I Don’t Think it Was
Was the Right Thing for Him to Do.
And I Find Myself Wondering
If He Thought He Was Doing it -
Doing it for Me and for You!
I Wonder Which Clause of the Pledge
He Thought the Generals Death Would Uphold,
Was it an Act under God
Or Was it Liberty and Justice -
For All to Behold!
I Read That Yet More
Of Our Soldiers Across the Sea,
Were Fighting in Afganastan
They Claimed They Were Fighting -
Fighting for You and for Me!
But I Never Recall
Casting a Vote to Tell,
Those Soldiers That They Could Murder
A Prisoner in a Jail Cell!
They Went into His Cell
To Question Him You See,
And While They Were There
They Beat Him -
Unmercifully!
When They Came Back
Some Time Later That Day,
The Found That the Man Was Dead
They Really Felt -
Like They Had Earned Their Pay!
When Their Commander Was Asked
If These Murderers Would Go to Jail,
The Prisoner Could Have Died of Natural Causes
That Was His Tale!
So All of this Makes Me
Makes Me Wonder Some How,
How Did Our Pledge Change
Why Are We the Way -
The Way We Are Now!
Didn’t Enough of Us Go
Go to the Polls and Vote,
Maybe Too Many of Us Just Sat
Just Sat at Home and Gloat!
Or Did We All Decided
That Our Pledge Should Permanently Change,
The Whole Constitution
We Should Conveniently Rearrange!
If We Are Truthfully a Noble Nation
A Nation under God,
Can We Really Give These Murders
An Approving Nod!
If Our Pledge Does Mean
Mean Anything to Us,
Openly These Murders
Our Country Should Discuss!
If We Don’t Believe in Liberty and Justice for All
As the Pledge Does Say,
Then Lets Start Teaching Our Children
The New Words Today!
Liberty and Justice
the New Words Might Be
God Lets Us Kill
If Public Homage -
They Don’t Pay to Me!
I Write this Anonymous Poem
Anonymously You See,
For I Now Fear That My Government
Might Do the Same Thing -
to Me!
The weakest defense we had was under the moron Carter. Clinton wasn't much better. Us Truman democrats want a strong defense and strong presense in the world. We can thank the moron Carter for all of our problems we have to day. If he would have backed the Sha of Iran then the Islamic fundamentalist wouldn't have gotten a foot hold. He let the communist in Nicaragwa and El Salvador. Thank god for Reagan who fought them. Truman would have kicked their butts also. That man Jimmy Carter was a disaster. We're still living with what he did to this very day. Our party, the party of FDR, Truman, JFK, LBJ must purge all the hate America weak kneed pinko commie liberals from this party such as Boxer, Schumer, Kennedy, Dean, Reid, Feinstein and get some common sense Democrats in. Our party, the Democrat party is weak on defense. Truman wasn't. FDR wasn't. Kennedy had the biggest military build up in peace time history and the biggest peacetime tax cut (bigger than Reagans). Yep, at one time proud Democrats such as Truman, JFK, Sam Nunn, Scoop Jackson were pillars of strong defense. Not the liberal big mouth crew we have in their now. They're cut and run hate America commies. Where's Harry?
i stand by what dean during yesterdays speech from dean posted by tim.it is true,the republicans are nothing but a bunch of lowlife pieces of trash,backstabbing,duble talking,2 facing scumbags beyond reason.i cant believe how republicans have behaved the past 5yrs,i see the republican scumbags have spent 2.5 trillion defense,plus more than 400 billion for wars in afghanistan and iraq,who knows how much oil is being stolen from iraq by haliburton during these past 5yrs.then nearly 3 trillion or perhaps well over 3 trillion in tax cuts given to the wealthy that keeps on taking from the low-middle class every week,think about it tomorrow and friday is where everyone gets paid every week,and this is where we pay into social security,medicare,medicaid,pension trust funds and such every week.but none of those trust funds are there are they,because republican scumbags acting like gangsters double dipping in it every week and every month.i cant believe the deficits are over 8 trillion national debt load that the republicans created,plus over 44 trillion in debt from those trust funds that the republicans screwed over.s if you factor in all the cold cash that the republicans have spent,the deficits are as far as the eye can see and then some.but when the next democratic president gets into offfice can you imagine all the tons and tons of work that he or shee will have to do for many years to pay down those debts and have giant surpluses
... and six- a lot of these problems that were aggravated by the current Bush regime began with Reagan and Bush I. Corporate swindles of the Enron variety are a direct result of deregulation and privatization. Our Democratic leaders have not only sat still for these outrages, but have in some cases been willing participants. The Roosevelts knew full well that capitalism left to self-regulation cannot be trusted. Restoring governmental control and taking back public services must be made a top priority. The party needs a push to the left, not to (or worse yet, over) the center!
While I am still allowed to post hear, I encourage you to read this article about the perils of the "energy indepedence" called for on this site - http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/28/news/economy/pluggedin_fortune/index.htm
There has to be an economic reason to go to alternative fuels, since the rest of the world isn't exactly using them. And god forbin (sorry for the god reference) we require the use or overtax conventional fuels while our global competitor undercut us, which would have a huge negative economic impact.
I worked with a number of alternative fuel companies during the Clinton admin. Most of them failed. Not for lack of gov't support, but for lack of a market.
I am so sick of hearing how we are disarming other countries of nuclear power. Why arent we disarming ourselves or entering agreements to get rid of all nuclear weapons? Why should we or UK, Isreal, Russia, China be the only ones to have nukes? All WMD must be erradicated from use. Another problem I have with all this gung ho stuff is killing Osama Jeezus stop the killing already, Lets get over the revenge, lets rebuild america set ourselves up as a humanitarian culture. I know this is impossible because of greed, selling weapons, using weapons, controlling weapons and resources is just to lucrative. I'm so sick of it.
Lets just start with cutting back funding to the military and all the profiteering from the suffering our military causes and start using our military for preventative strategies and humanitarian causes. I'm sure anyone coming back from a campaign that aids starving, diseased people would not suffer from PTSD. I think we need to rearrange our priorities. Let Osama live out his life in a cave, and after we have straightened out America we can bring him in front of the court along with the real Axis of Evil and try them all for crimes against humanity.
Why dont the Dems try something new and campaign on a platform of truth. Dont be afraid to offend a voter, but speak the truth if anyone knows what that is anymore or maybe that cant be done. I think Dennis K tried to do that, he didn't have the charisma, the $$$ or the media, but if we could find someone who wasn't afraid to shout the truth, about how we have gotten ourselves into this disgusting position by being greedy, and power hungry, we have done the world a grave injustice and we need to find a way to pull ourselves out, or we may just have to start all over again the evolutionary way. What have we got to lose? we have just about lost our humanity as it is and without that we have nothing.
There is no security when the Congress Lets a forgien government that is for terroism as ever.
They hve no problem insupporting hamus and they hate or best ally Iseral.
There is no security when the Congress Lets a forgien government that is for terroism as ever.
They hve no problem insupporting hamus and they hate or best ally Iseral.
Dear formercalifornian,
You didn’t really expect an article from Fortune Magazine to conclude anything other than “let’s just keep on a drillin” did you?
I’m sorry about your unpleasant experience back in the 90’s….but oil was about $28-32 a barrel in those days. As the economies of China and India continue to grow, the moment of Peak Oil is rapidly approaching. Add in the volatility of most oil producing regions of the world with the gamesmanship of the oil futures market and the pure greed of Big Oil, and…well…you ain’t seen nothing yet.
As for the Presidents Energy Initiative…it’s a joke. The big winners are…yup, you guessed it, the Nuclear and Fossil fuel Industries. Come on…safe, clean, nuclear energy ?…clean coal?........sounds like “Jumbo Shrimp”, and “Military Intelligence” to me.
> sounds like “Jumbo Shrimp”, and “Military Intelligence” to me.
or "compassionate conservatism"
> How does Dr. Dean reconcile his stance against the port deal with the
> fact that the real leader of the party, Bill Clinton, is directly
> involved in it going through....
How does one explain Clinton's palling aound with former president Silverado, or the fact that nearly 50% of Americans wanted to give Silverado & Sons another opportunity to destroy America? Here's what I've said on the subject of Reaganomics, which likely had a hand in the globalization of our ports in the first place:
> Our Democratic leaders have not only sat still for these outrages,
> but have in some cases been willing participants.
Kerry stood for all of the above. He will do better. I hear his name mentioned as having it right but I do not hear Dean ever support his position. He offered a health program and Bush gave it to the drug companies by privatizing part of Medicare drug coverage. Kerry wanted a United States of America, stop talking about the "southern states", it is a loser a dividing. Kerry would build America up to "do better" and still have many allies around the world and we would not have to cow tow to the UAE. Kerry would bring back Kennedy's "ask not what this country would do for you..." and have a government for the people, of the people, by the people. He is the leader we need and Dean can stop bashing Bush, they have done it very well. Get Kerry's message out, they cannot swift boat him again. Hillary is carrying too much baggage and the Rove machine is loaded. They can't gat away with the ammo they used on Kerry. Flip flop is explained away and the GOP has more than proved their flip flop morphing position. Promis them anything, give them nothing is the GOP motto. Kerry for President
To Maryt...we need to stop the killing, but we need to build up our naval capabilities and our defenses at home. Good article
To Dialmut...I agree we need to state "HOW" the promise is not enough and it will take some dedication on behalf of Americans to accomplish but after the exposure of the wizard behind the curtain it would seem we are now ready for some tough talk..Now that they have our attention.
How can any thinking person believe the UAE ports deal will enhance national security, especially when looking at the illegal arms, drugs and slave labor brought through the West Coast's Chinese Government owned ports of Long Beach, CA and San Diego? If two administrations cannot stop contraband from flowing through these foreign government owned ports, what makes us believe UAE controlled shipping through the East Coast makes us more secure?
As for offending Arabs and UAE if the deal doen't go through: we had two days' warning of the Katrina Catastrophe and had accurately simulated the horrors a year in advance. Now we have months' warning of potential devastation, no simulation to speak of, and we are expected to LIKE this deal?
This 45 day review should be focused on the paperwork generated by the original Administration's review to see if all the proper people were involved and fully engaged, what elements of security are missing, what simulations were used, and how Federal Laws can be enforced when business records are housed on foreign soil.
> Kerry stood for all of the above. He will do better.
Well, I voted for Kerry because he got the nomination, and Edwards was a good VP choice. Kerry also did well overall in the debates, but one flub stood out glaringly to me. When Bush insulted Ted Kennedy by calling him "the conservative senator from Massachusetts," Kerry should have demanded an immediate apology for the slander.
We need proud liberals, not weak-kneed centrists. I mean no slight to Kerry's courage in his military career--or in ending it--which was likewise slandered by the G.reedy O.bstinate P.igs' smear machine (in place since at least the late 60's)--but he doesn't seem to have the full conviction of our ideals, IMHO.
JackOlson, You are uninformed? If you don't know the basics of what happened about BinLaden in the Clinton Administration or what has happened under Bush, should you spew your venom?
Patriot Act, Paul Hackett, Alito, ...
I do not relly have to ask myself weather or not this is a party I would like to be affiliated with. Although it is just slightly less corrupt than the Republican party it is still very corrupt. The Democratic party stands for almost the same thing as the Republcian party stands for, except to a slightly lesser degree. Keep the rich in power, keep the middle class a little larger and a little more educated, and expoit the people and the economy and the rest of the world just a little less than the Republicans would. The recent renewal of the patriot act says it all. This is a criminal act against the people of the United States. The Democrats widely supported it. They for the most part support most of the President's nominations, his legislation, and turn a blind eye to most of his evil ways. The Democrats cannot win me over and I do not have the energy to try to change their party. So party on, passengers of the Titanic. Enjoy yourself, the end of our two plus century long cruise will come to a screeching halt, in the infancy of this great nation. I will stay on deck and stare into the darkness while you wine and dine yourselves, and why not. What else are we to do? We paid for our ticket, we got on board, the captain has commanded the pilot to full steam ahead, and the board has their complete faith their chosen captain. The media and the passengers are dazzled by the pomp and circumstance. It will be fun while it lasts, but when we have to abandon ship, oh will the waters be cold and the future so uncertain.
I think JoeinCT is exaggerating a little--very little. Despite Vietnam, Johnson showed himself to be a good Democrat in many ways: civil rights, Medicare, the war on poverty. We've had two Democrats as presidents since then, and they've both been to centrist or conservative to get excited about. Lately, the only thing good about having a Democrat in the White House is a breather from the more oppressive and psychopathic Republican presences we've had, especially within the last 25 years.
Do you people even remember what it means to be liberal???
> JackOlson, You are uninformed? If you don't know the basics of
> what happened about BinLaden in the Clinton Administration or
> what has happened under Bush, should you spew your venom?
A good start, but it lacks the educational aspect of a link. I'll try putting it here and find out, once and for all, whether HTML is supported here (or to what extent): http://www.mikehersh.com/Republicans_sabotaged_Clintons_Anti-Terror_Efforts.shtml.
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