Shape Up Democrats: Anybody But Bush Will Not Do
http://www.bestcyrano.org/THOMASPAINE/?p=58
By Paul A. Donovan
5/30/07
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With the 2008 election approaching fast, I find myself with the same
unsettled feeling I had in the last presidential race to the bottom.
Perhaps it is because I feel that the age-old maxim, Those who fail to
learn from history are doomed to repeat it, is as true for today as it
was in 2004. Fact is, if we do not wake up quick, and start pressing
the current Democratic Party frontrunners Hillary Clinton and Barak
Obama, to be more leftist, or in other words to be more like
Presidential candidate Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), then we can
hope for little substantive change in the next administration.
Recent polls reflect that President Bushs approval ratings have fallen
to a staggering low of 28%. As a result, many feel confident that it
may very well be an easy stroll into the Oval Office for most
Democratic hopefuls, who seem to be operating under the false illusion
that Bush himself is running for a third term. If this assumption were
false, how do we explain how little the frontrunners have done to win
our affection? Leaving all the spin-talk aside, what is their true
vision for a new America? (I guess that in itself is a useless
question, especially when attaching it to a professional pol.) And why
are they so confident that they can defeat Time Magazines 2001 man of
the year Rudy Giuliani with such ease? As a native New Yorker I know
first hand how slippery Giuliani is, and he should not be
underestimated ever.
So far, the Democratic Party frontrunners are behaving like a bunch of
out of touch, over-privileged elitists. The frontrunners need to learn
that the publicespecially the Democratic base wont tolerate any more of
the G.O.P-lite formula, which, to the party establishments shame, has
come to typify recent elections. Contrary to their old stratagem of
playing it safe, of cynical triangulation, a new formula must be
adopted, one which presents the candidates as people of real conviction
(assuming, of course, that there is someone in the front ranks who
possesses this admirable quality). Without that there is no way to
invigorate an otherwise alienated public, an electorate that feels more
disenfranchised and apathetic than ever in regards to the search for a
principled winner....
....Meanwhile, Congressman Kucinich, who, unsurprisingly, receives
little to no media attention, and for some odd reason which defies all
reason, is every realistic voters worst nightmare, has a concrete plan
to end the war in Iraq starting right away, as outlined under bill H.R.
1234, as well as the Universal Health care bill known as H.R. 676 which
is brilliantly designed as Medicare for all. What are the frontrunners
plans to handle the health care crisis, and a clear exit strategy for
the troops in Iraq? So far I have seen them do nothing but pay lip
service to the issue that effects 46 million Americans, and many more
under insured, not to mention the 600,000 plus dead Iraqis and
Americans, who suffered and are suffering for a war Hillary Clinton
voted for. I suppose the largest demonstrations in the history of
humankind didnt signal to Senator Clinton that maybe voting for this
debacle was a bad idea, and then afterwards continuing to attack Bush,
while slipping a blank check under the table so he may carry out his
exploits. Furthermore, and I may add, characteristically, Senator Obama
and Clinton have recently voted to reauthorize a slightly watered down
version of Bushs Patriot act, while Dennis Kucinich, yes folks, you
guessed it, voted it down, with a swift raise of the hand.
It takes no more than five minutes to examine Denis Kucinichs policies,
and to realize that they are every progressives dream come true.
Kucinich provides the left with a new route, which would steer America
clear of impending disasters. If this enormous cruise ship does go
down, the waters will be much more brisk, and painful than when the
actual Titanic sank - we can be sure of that. If I sound hyperbolic,
then I must stress that you reevaluate the current predicament. Dennis
Kucinich may not win the great American billion- dollar beauty
pageant/popularity contest we call presidential election in this
confounded nation, but he still may win a few hearts by actually
telling the truth, a novel concept these days in American politics.
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