Reagan and Clinton both wore suits.
Reagan and Clinton both had wives.
Reagan and Clinton both gave speeches
It did not make them the same, your premise is faulty, and your thinking flawed.
Beauseant!
Posted on 07/11/2004 8:25:50 AM PDT by PhiKapMom
Mark Green, The Oklahoman
July 11, 2004
WASHINGTON - Thanks, John Kerry. Bring it on!
You've made sure the months leading up to the quadrennial presidential derby will be exciting and no holds barred. As they say, that's entertainment.
Kerry is indeed pro-choice. His selection of fellow senator John Edwards to be his running mate means we will have clear ideological choice in November. The namby-pambies who always complain about the lack of contrast between Democrats and Republicans can just shut up. Houston, we have contrast!
Even now voters are awakening from their four-year slumber to an eye-gouging, hair-pulling contest in the making. Editorialists and pundits are happy, their troughs filling with choice fodder. Vice President Dick Cheney has been spotted thumbing through a thesaurus, searching for new verbs and adjectives to employ in the upcoming veep debate.
Now, the safe pick for Kerry would've been someone like Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt or Sen. Bob Graham of Florida. Both are old war horses who would pass the experience test a significant hurdle for Edwards, who looks 23 and hasn't yet completed a full term in the Senate. Either Gephardt or Graham also would've given the Democrats a shot at a key toss-up state.
That's fine, but those two would've been bor-r-r-r-r-r-ring.
Instead, Kerry went for sizzle and as a byproduct, the country gets a clear, unmistakable election ballot variety.
By now probably everyone knows John Kerry is numero uno in the Senate when it comes to liberal pedigree, put there by the nonpartisan National Journal. According to the publication's analysis of voting records, Kerry is more liberal than Hillary Rodham Clinton, even more liberal than Teddy Kennedy. But guess what? So is John Edwards!
Edwards comes in at No. 4, which means the two of them together average out at 2.5. That's way, way out there. You have to flip back to Mondale-Ferraro (1984) or McGovern-(Eagleton)-Shriver ('72) to find a tandem as liberal. I think it's safe to say the Democratic Party's strategic, centrist tack under Bill Clinton was a detour. And it's over.
Terrific!
Democrats trying to reside in the moderate middle just confused voters, anyway. They were like the folks who move into the neighborhood and immediately decorate the front yard with an old junker on cinder blocks.
Again, the Naderites and Greens and Mugwumps can't complain that the two national tickets are just alike. Not this year.
Republicans will go with a team that is Reagan conservative. Democrats are decked out in Great Society retro. Lots of choice, little echo.
Look at the major issues. Tax-cutters vs. bigger spenders. Free traders vs. thinly veiled protectionists. Family values vs. gay marriage. On foreign policy, the Bush doctrine of protecting U.S. interests first is matched against the Kerry doctrine of first checking with the United Nations to see if protecting those interests is OK.
Edwards is a pretty face, a syrupy drawl and a compelling life story. But he's also like Alka-Seltzer to the Electoral College watchers in the GOP, who were worried sick that Kerry would pick Graham, gift-wrapping Florida's 27 electors for the Democrats and making Bush's re-election pretty dicey.
Edwards doesn't really deliver any state to Kerry. For every vote in North Carolina or Louisiana gained by the aw-shucks drawl, there'll be two or three lost when folks see that most of Edwards' positions get a big hug from Michael Moore.
Edwards' trademark "two Americas" speech plays well before red-meat Democratic audiences, but it just sounds goofy and conspiratorial to the average bear in America. As one business community rep said on a national radio talk show this week, there are two Americas: the one that works to create wealth, and the one that works to redistribute it.
Most Americans are glad there are rich people in this country, because they themselves want to be rich some day and are working toward it. Most don't believe the rich got rich by victimizing the rest of us, one of the central themes in Edwards' "two Americas" rant.
In a way this smells like a Republican set up. Those rascally Republicans! They won a nail-biter in 2000, and they've watched with glee as Democrats stayed angry indeed, got angrier. Now it appears the Dems have given in to their fury by trotting out a far-left ticket.
This is as clear a choice as America has seen in two decades. I think Republicans are glad Democrats did them this favor.
Green is national editorial writer for The Oklahoman.
Yep, just like Churchill and Hitler were twins...
In many ways they are. Reagan went to that - foreign policy, taxation, federal spending. The latter seems to be rejected by the Bush GOP. It's very unfortunate.
But everyone points out the obvious. The issue is - abortion. Always has been. Always will be. For others, it might be the war, or the pocketbook and mortgage payments. But the real divide is - abortion, or now also the sundry 'gay rights'. That's how the 'base' break, I think, for either party. That's the clear choice.
And I think, ultimately, that's also how the 'undecided', or whoever decides in each state as the marginal group, will decide.
I do think there is a terrible similarity between the two parties when it comes to federal spending. Reagan was spot on. He was absolutely right. And GOP big-spending, these days, is absolutely wrong.
Yeah, right.
An unemployed computer programmer who lives with his mother.
He's the guy I want fighting the war on terror!
The one issue votes will be the ones to moan and groan about hanoi john's black robe tyrants who with one stroke of the pen will make the laws they want and the one issue voters don't. Laws we will be stuck with for DECADES until we can replace these life time 2-3 USSC justices that the next president will appoint.
May I conclude from that you were moral in 2000 and are immoral in 2004?
This election is very partisan and I will continue to press for Bush-Cheney's re-election against two shyster lawyers who want to redistribute wealth and errode our military and intelligence communities once again. I will spend every last minute I have working to elect Conservative Republicans this November and that includes Bush-Cheney.
BRAVO BUMP..........Exactly my thoughts!
Issues Abortion Appoint Judges Who Will Outlaw Abortions Strongly Opposes Strongly Favor
Outlaw "Partial Birth" Abortions Strongly Opposes Strongly Favor
Outlaw Abortions Except for Rape/Incest Strongly Opposes Strongly Favor
Parental Notification for Minors Under 18 Strongly Opposes Strongly Favor
Gay Rights Constitutional Gay Marriage Ban Somewhat Opposes Strongly Favor
Equal Rights for Civil Unions Strongly Favor Somewhat Opposes
Allow Gays to Openly Serve in the Military Strongly Favor Strongly Opposes
Religion in Government Organized Prayer in Public Schools Strongly Opposes Strongly Favor
Commandments Displayed in Federal Buildings Strongly Opposes Strongly Favor
Federal Funding of Religious Charities Strongly Opposes Strongly Favor
Gun Control Safety Devices on All New Guns Strongly Favor Strongly Opposes
Background Checks on Gun Show Purchases Strongly Favor Somewhat Opposes
Require Safety Course, License Before Gun Purchase Somewhat Favor Strongly Opposes
Allow Lawsuits Against Gun Manufacturers Somewhat Favor Strongly Opposes
Death Penalty Abolish the Death Penalty Strongly Opposes Strongly Opposes
National Review of Death Penalty Fairness Strongly Favor Strongly Opposes
Education No Child Left Behind Act Somewhat Favor Strongly Favor
Vouchers for Public, Private or Religious Schools Strongly Opposes Strongly Favor
Increase Federal Funding for Higher Education Somewhat Favor Somewhat Opposes
Homeland Security The Patriot Act Strongly Opposes Strongly Favor
Tighter Immigration Controls Strongly Favor Strongly Favor
Iraq The War in Iraq Somewhat Opposes Strongly Favor
Turning Over More Political Authority to U.N. Somewhat Favor Strongly Opposes
Immediate Withdrawal of U.S. Troops Strongly Opposes Strongly Opposes
Foreign Trade Embargo on Cuba Somewhat Favor Strongly Favor
U.S. Involvement in NAFTA Strongly Favor Strongly Favor
Mandatory Labor/Environment Standards in Trade Agreements Somewhat Favor Strongly Opposes
Health Care Universal Government-Supervised Health Care Somewhat Opposes Strongly Opposes
Medicare Prescription Drugs Coverage By Private Insurers Strongly Opposes Strongly Favor
Expand Medicaid to Cover More Uninsured Americans Strongly Favor No Opinion
Limit Malpractice Suits Against Doctors, Insurers Somewhat Favor Strongly Favor
Welfare Reform Hiring Welfare Workers Tax Incentive No Opinion Somewhat Opposes
Welfare Benefits for Legal Immigrants Strongly Favor Somewhat Opposes
Child Care Services for Getting Off Welfare No Opinion Somewhat Opposes
Social Security Raise Retirement Age Strongly Opposes No Opinion
Privatize Social Security Strongly Opposes Strongly Favor
Cap Payments to Wealthy Somewhat Favor Strongly Opposes
Tax Cuts Roll Back the Bush Administration Tax Cuts Somewhat Opposes Strongly Opposes
Roll Back Cuts for People Making Over $100,000 Strongly Favor Strongly Opposes
Additional Tax Cuts for Businesses Strongly Opposes Strongly Favor
Jobs Raise the Minimum Wage Strongly Favor Strongly Opposes
Extend Unemployment Benefits Strongly Favor Strongly Opposes
Environment Oil Drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge Strongly Opposes Strongly Favor
Mandatory Clean Air Emissions Standards Strongly Favor Somewhat Opposes
Tougher Fuel Efficiency Standards Strongly Favor Strongly Opposes
The fight remains with the Democrats who advance the liberal agenda and their endless attempts to employ pure propaganda to discredit the President, denounce the economic recovery and undermine the war effort. With their crazed rhetoric, the liberal establishment is making every effort to appeal to the paranoids and sickos in our society. Rational folk will reject this effort at every opportunity. Hang on though, its gonna be a bumpy ride on a rough road to victory.
Reagan and Clinton both wore suits.
Reagan and Clinton both had wives.
Reagan and Clinton both gave speeches
It did not make them the same, your premise is faulty, and your thinking flawed.
Beauseant!
Bravo!!! Anyone who doesn't get the difference between the Democrats and Republicans this year is hopeless, in my opinion. Anyone who doesn't get just how serious their vote will be this year has a death wish, in my opinion.
bttt
You can conclude anything you like.
In 1996 I supported Buchanan. I liked what he had so say on more issues than I did Dole. Dole might have been good during his military years and I appreciate that, but in the Senate Dole was a major embarassment. Time and space don't permit me to go into that now.
When the Republican party leaders attacked Buchanan as the next Hitler, they lost me. Even Bob Dole wouldn't stand up like a man and say those tactics were uncalled for.
That November I voted for Bob Dole. It's the first time in my life I've felt soiled after voting for a guy, and I'd never voted for anything but Republican candidates for President. I promised myself that I would never again cast a vote that would make me feel dirty.
In the year 2000, I re-registered as a Reform Party member and voted for Buchanan/Foster. I know Ezola Foster. She is a person who's ideals are firmly grounded. I've sat on planning committees with her. I've talked to her at length regarding her views. I've read her book. Her husband Chuck is a great guy. She is articulate and about as well grounded in conservatism as it gets.
Today we have around five million more illegal immigrants than we did in the year 2000. Tha's a real shame.
If Bush/Cheney would have come out in favor of fixing illegal immigration, they would have gotten my vote in 2000.
I felt that I owed Buchanan a vote in 2000, after the way his candidacy was attacked in 1996. I will NEVER forgive the players who participated in that attack. Never was Republican leadership represented by more craven/democrat like a.h.s.
Speaking of morals, did you see any of those people appologize?
Bumpin' a righteous "mini-rant". LOL
Dr. Coburn is outstanding. I remember the salad days of the Gingrich Congress, when GOP freshman like Dr. Coburn, J.D. Hayworth, Jack Kingston, Lindsey Graham, Joe Scarborough, David McIntosh, Sue Myrick and others would have 11 pm Special Order House Floor sessions where great Conservative philosophy and strategizing took place.
My thoughts about the worth and motives of single-issue "holier than thou" Third Party folks around here mirrors your own.
Unfortunate but true. Kerry-Edwards is a very anti-jobs ticket.
My mini rant for the morning.And a FINE rant it was, too !!! :^D
From the article:
By now probably everyone knows John Kerry is numero uno in the Senate when it comes to liberal pedigree, put there by the nonpartisan National Journal. According to the publication's analysis of voting records, Kerry is more liberal than Hillary Rodham Clinton, even more liberal than Teddy Kennedy. But guess what? So is John Edwards!
Edwards comes in at No. 4, which means the two of them together average out at 2.5. That's way, way out there. You have to flip back to Mondale-Ferraro (1984) or McGovern-(Eagleton)-Shriver ('72) to find a tandem as liberal. I think it's safe to say the Democratic Party's strategic, centrist tack under Bill Clinton was a detour. And it's over.
They are exactly right !!
Kerry-Edwards are the #1 and #4 most LIBERAL Senators.
They are THE MOST LIBERAL ticket ever!:Senator John Kerry (D)
Massachusetts
Democrat, Years of Service: 19
ACU Ratings for Senator Kerry: Year 2003 13 Year 2002 20 Lifetime 5
Senator John Edwards (D)
North Carolina
Democrat, Years of Service: 5
ACU Ratings for Senator Edwards: Year 2003 13 Year 2002 30 Lifetime 12
November 2nd, the two Johns will flush themselves:
Kerry: "I want to kiss you, Johnny."
Edwards: "Go for it, Johnny."
Edwards: "Your mouthwash just ain't cuttin' it!!"
So Mr. Morality, perhaps you can share with the forum what political steps you, and the rest of your California pals here in FRs anti-immigration banshee brigade, specifically undertook when Proposition 187 was stayed in Judge Pfaezer's court and Gray Davis and Bill Lockyer buried it in mediation? Surely there are FR threads from '98-'99 that evidenced you and the other purists turning your angst and energy toward a legal, political challenge to the Democrats who have enabled this illegal immigration "invasion"?
Thanks in advance for your response and supporting evidence.
Otherwise, blaming it on Bush is just a lazy con-job.
Mark Green's better mantra:
"Democrats are decked out in Great Society retro. Lots of choice, little echo."
Terrific editorial! Thanks for posting it, PKM!
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