Steve Savicki
06-27-2005, 01:40 PM
http://www.winonadailynews.com/articles/2005/06/25/opinion/01comcol23.txt
Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, "gets it!" You go, boy! Speaking on behalf of Democrats everywhere, Howard Dean is finally laying out his party's platform. After all those years of Republicans urging Democrats to tell us what they really think, there is finally one liberal courageous enough to articulate the Democratic Party's message. Well done, Mr. Dean! Please keep reminding us of who the Democrats really are.
Much has been said about the content of Dean's recent speeches; however, no one has really pointed out Mr. Dean's First Amendment right to say whatever he darn well pleases. If he feels we conservatives are evil, lazy, scheming, white, Christian racists, it's his constitutional right to say it. People shouldn't try to define free speech because in so doing, the very meaning of the First Amendment has come under attack. In short, you can't define a right. It exists or it doesn't. All you can do is defend it. Mr. Dean has his rights!
I think the larger question is where does this anger come from? Many years ago, I can't say when, the Democratic Party came up with its divide-and-conquer tactics for winning elections. Democrats knew full well minorities, businesses, unions and ideological groups could be managed more easily than the nation as a whole. It was a great idea until the party was hijacked by the extreme far left. Gone then, hopefully not forever, is the party of lower taxes — a Kennedy idea long before Reagan — and the party that championed freedom and equality.
Why so angry? I think it's because the party of talkers has been ripped off. That's right, I said ripped off, and not by left-wing fanatics. George Bush is the culprit here. Sorry, George, I truly am.
When Bill Clinton, Democratic icon, ran for office against George the First, he promised tax relief for the middle class. In February, after winning the election, Mr. Clinton said tax relief for the middle class was never an issue. Of course, he said a lot of things during his eight years of barely distinguishable leadership. When Mr. Clinton stated Saddam Hussein was a threat and had weapons of mass destruction he was applauded as the world's savior. But, when President Bush said it, he lied.
Bill Clinton continued his "stand up to terrorists" rhetoric by letting us know what a danger Osama Bin Laden was to this country, then proceeded let him go when he had the chance to nail him. President Bush just went after Bin Laden too fast and too furious.
Social Security was in deep trouble according to Mr. Clinton, and he spoke endlessly on the need to fix an antiquated system that couldn't possibly last. George Bush wanted to fix Social Security, and the Democrats wanted to start the impeachment process.
If we take a serious look back, we will find President Clinton spoke of many things, and talk was about all it ever amounted to. Now comes this "God-fearin' redneck Texan" with the audacity to actually do something more than "talk the talk" and actually "walk the walk," and the Democrats are furious. Why shouldn't Democrats be angry? Who does this guy think he is? Mr. Bush has stolen every great talking point Democrats ever had and began systematically attacking these issues, not for their merit, but for their need to be fixed.
I think any reasonable person would agree it's pretty hard to develop a political platform on an issue that doesn't exist. There may be more than one way to solve our nation's problems on terrorism, economy and social concerns, but we need to hear the plan before scrapping the one we all ready have. OH MY DEITY! I just quoted a Democrat! Can you guess who?
Howard Dean has become the center of the Democratic Party's universe, developing a gravity of his own. The extreme liberals will orbit him like bees around the hive. So it appears the time has come for the voters to start doing a little homework. With the Internet (thanks, Al Gore) all you have to do is type in the name of any special interest group supporting Mr. Dean and his party and see first hand what the Democratic Party stands for. I suggest starting with PETA and Green Peace.
When Howard Dean speaks, we should listen. Closely! He tells what the liberal thinks and who the liberal really is. When a liberal vents about a conservative it inevitably tells us more about the liberal than the conservative. If you disagree with a liberal, they consider it an attack, not just a difference of opinion. So for those reading this who think I'm attacking Mr. Dean, I'm not. I just have a different opinion. I love the Dean commentary. I've heard some Republicans are saying that Howard Dean is the gift that just keeps giving. I couldn't agree more.
In one final note to Judge Peterson. Nice try, sir. Unless you yourself had been at the CIA briefings, then your assessment of Reagan's column being "factually incorrect" would be an opinion. Here are some historical facts for your review. Aug. 20, 1998, Monica Lewinsky is going to testify before a grand jury, and Mr. Clinton bombs Sudan and Afghanistan. Dec. 16, 1998, impeachment proceedings begin on President Clinton, so naturally he bombs, of all places, Iraq! Wag the dog, sir!
I love liberal commentary.
Dam, talk about Howard givin' 'em hell!
Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, "gets it!" You go, boy! Speaking on behalf of Democrats everywhere, Howard Dean is finally laying out his party's platform. After all those years of Republicans urging Democrats to tell us what they really think, there is finally one liberal courageous enough to articulate the Democratic Party's message. Well done, Mr. Dean! Please keep reminding us of who the Democrats really are.
Much has been said about the content of Dean's recent speeches; however, no one has really pointed out Mr. Dean's First Amendment right to say whatever he darn well pleases. If he feels we conservatives are evil, lazy, scheming, white, Christian racists, it's his constitutional right to say it. People shouldn't try to define free speech because in so doing, the very meaning of the First Amendment has come under attack. In short, you can't define a right. It exists or it doesn't. All you can do is defend it. Mr. Dean has his rights!
I think the larger question is where does this anger come from? Many years ago, I can't say when, the Democratic Party came up with its divide-and-conquer tactics for winning elections. Democrats knew full well minorities, businesses, unions and ideological groups could be managed more easily than the nation as a whole. It was a great idea until the party was hijacked by the extreme far left. Gone then, hopefully not forever, is the party of lower taxes — a Kennedy idea long before Reagan — and the party that championed freedom and equality.
Why so angry? I think it's because the party of talkers has been ripped off. That's right, I said ripped off, and not by left-wing fanatics. George Bush is the culprit here. Sorry, George, I truly am.
When Bill Clinton, Democratic icon, ran for office against George the First, he promised tax relief for the middle class. In February, after winning the election, Mr. Clinton said tax relief for the middle class was never an issue. Of course, he said a lot of things during his eight years of barely distinguishable leadership. When Mr. Clinton stated Saddam Hussein was a threat and had weapons of mass destruction he was applauded as the world's savior. But, when President Bush said it, he lied.
Bill Clinton continued his "stand up to terrorists" rhetoric by letting us know what a danger Osama Bin Laden was to this country, then proceeded let him go when he had the chance to nail him. President Bush just went after Bin Laden too fast and too furious.
Social Security was in deep trouble according to Mr. Clinton, and he spoke endlessly on the need to fix an antiquated system that couldn't possibly last. George Bush wanted to fix Social Security, and the Democrats wanted to start the impeachment process.
If we take a serious look back, we will find President Clinton spoke of many things, and talk was about all it ever amounted to. Now comes this "God-fearin' redneck Texan" with the audacity to actually do something more than "talk the talk" and actually "walk the walk," and the Democrats are furious. Why shouldn't Democrats be angry? Who does this guy think he is? Mr. Bush has stolen every great talking point Democrats ever had and began systematically attacking these issues, not for their merit, but for their need to be fixed.
I think any reasonable person would agree it's pretty hard to develop a political platform on an issue that doesn't exist. There may be more than one way to solve our nation's problems on terrorism, economy and social concerns, but we need to hear the plan before scrapping the one we all ready have. OH MY DEITY! I just quoted a Democrat! Can you guess who?
Howard Dean has become the center of the Democratic Party's universe, developing a gravity of his own. The extreme liberals will orbit him like bees around the hive. So it appears the time has come for the voters to start doing a little homework. With the Internet (thanks, Al Gore) all you have to do is type in the name of any special interest group supporting Mr. Dean and his party and see first hand what the Democratic Party stands for. I suggest starting with PETA and Green Peace.
When Howard Dean speaks, we should listen. Closely! He tells what the liberal thinks and who the liberal really is. When a liberal vents about a conservative it inevitably tells us more about the liberal than the conservative. If you disagree with a liberal, they consider it an attack, not just a difference of opinion. So for those reading this who think I'm attacking Mr. Dean, I'm not. I just have a different opinion. I love the Dean commentary. I've heard some Republicans are saying that Howard Dean is the gift that just keeps giving. I couldn't agree more.
In one final note to Judge Peterson. Nice try, sir. Unless you yourself had been at the CIA briefings, then your assessment of Reagan's column being "factually incorrect" would be an opinion. Here are some historical facts for your review. Aug. 20, 1998, Monica Lewinsky is going to testify before a grand jury, and Mr. Clinton bombs Sudan and Afghanistan. Dec. 16, 1998, impeachment proceedings begin on President Clinton, so naturally he bombs, of all places, Iraq! Wag the dog, sir!
I love liberal commentary.
Dam, talk about Howard givin' 'em hell!