Wellstone Service Turns Into Political Rally 30 Oct 2002
Still pretending to bite their lips in grief, senate Democrats, are adding partisan insult to political injury by disinviting Vice President Cheney from the funeral of Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN). The family of Wellstone, who, with all aboard, was killed in the crash of chartered plane eleven days before the election, has informed the White House that the administration's personal representative is not welcome to attend the memorial service. Even more shocking is the way the service degenerated into a political rally reminiscent of a party convention.
It began when the PARTISAN CROWD booed Republican Trent Lott (D-MS). Similar treatment was meted out to every GOP member introduced. Still, this was not nearly the reason that many politicians, from both parties, were upset at the political tone of the event. Nearly every Democrat speaker pumped his fist, and shouted predictable campaign rhetoric at the top of his lungs. Loving every minute of it was the party elite, past and present, from Bill and Hillary Clinton to Al Gore to every liberal Democrat engaged in a tight race and praying for a sympathy boost from the unfortunate incident of one man's untimely death.
The Wellstone family deserves no kudos either. Wellstone's eldest son made a moderately partisan speech but Wellstone the younger, looking for all the world like the rabid 60's hippie type maggot infested human debris that Wellstone himself would have been proud of, made no pretense at being in the grief mode. Exhorting the 20,000 or so mob of political hacks masquerading as mourners, Wellstone claimed that "We will win this election for Paul" and ended his harangue, shaking his finger towards his mother, "Mom, you were right. WE WILL WIN! WE WILL WIN! WE WILL WIN!WE WILL WIN!".
Governor Jesse Ventura, however, was not present for much of these festivities, having left in disgust during the opening remarks of Wellstone Campaign manager Rick Kahn. Ventura, accompanied by his tearful wife, claimed to have been "used, violated and duped" and that "the Democrats should hang their heads in shame". Minnesota Democratic party leaders tried damage control after vehement reaction from around the country overnight. " It was what Paul would have wanted" claimed one. "The Republicans started it!" another chimed in. "This wasn't planned, but I take full responsibility" quoth the party chairman. The GOP is demanding a full four hours equal time. With only six days left until election day, it is doubtful the demand will even be considered.
To his credit, Norm Coleman, Mondale's designated victim in next Tuesday's election, conducted himself as he stated he would when informed of Wellstone's death; "I will suspend all political campaigning until after Sen. Wellstone has been laid to rest".
The only other positive thing to come out of the shameful mess is the fact that Governor Ventura who had planned, out of respect to the Wellstone family, to appoint a Democrat to complete the final two months of Wellstone's term, has indicated that he may instead appoint an Independent to the post. That would be no small matter, since that event could possibly upset the balance of power in the Senate, if only for two months.
While few pundits give Coleman much of a chance in one of the most liberal states in the country, there may yet be a chance for GOP mischief in the intervening months until January 20, 2003. If Jesse "The Body" makes good on his threat, it would bring the balance to Democrats 49, GOP 49 with two Independents. This would mean that Vice President Dick Cheney would break all ties, thus returning control of the Senate to the GOP until January, when the new congress convenes. If it turns out that public reaction to the fiasco last night in Minnesota results in an "indignance vote" against Mondale (Minnesota has a large Independent voting population) that situation could very well carry into the next congress.
How sweet would THAT be!
Chaos Along Our Southern Border
HUNDREDS of illegal Haitian immigrants, still dripping wet from the salty Atlantic, were strolling down the middle of a bridge in Miami, Florida, banging on car windows, jumping onto trucks and into vehicles, disrupting traffic, waving their arms and cheering as if they were the guests of honor at a parade. The fact that most of them should be on the way back to Haiti within a few months (hopefully) does not detract from the fact that a whole boatload of foreigners could get that close and actually make landfall without being stopped. Coast Guard spokesmen claimed that the organization actually interdicted the boat well offshore but made a determination that it was not a terrorist related threat and decided to use "minimum force" in trying to prevent a landing.
A rope was fastened to the bow of the boat by Coast Guard personnel but was cut by someone on board as the overloaded craft drifted toward shore. Once the boat had beached, hundreds of men, women and children jumped, fell or were thrown overboard in a frantic effort to "touch dry ground", referring to the U.S.'s policy towards Cuban immigrants, who are automatically granted near citizenship upon reaching our shores.
It is true that the Bush Administration last year instituted a policy that Haitians (and others) who come here illegally would be sent back as soon as possible, however, in most cases everyone who comes here gets a hearing before the INS and THEN gets sent back. BRAVO! The liberals are whining. Predictably, the African-American politicians in Florida and across the nation are screaming "RACISM", completely ignoring the fact (or perhaps not even being aware of it) that everyone except Cubans are treated the same way.
I personally do not agree with Bush's policy on Haitians and others being different from that on Cubans. I personally would like to see the same policy applied to ALL illegal immigrants. If they come here by any means other than application through the embassy, they go back WITHOUT a hearing. Period.
And while they're at it they can round up the 9,000,000 illegals that have been here for years and send them back too.
http://www.theblackmarket.com/turncoat.htm
by Stephen Frazier, US Army Retired, 1992
Bravo.