Letters to the Editor 10-14-2004
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- So What Have We Learned From The Debates? - A Word Of Thanks To Mark Souder
So What Have We Learned From The Debates?
The presidential debates are finally over. We now return to your regularly scheduled programming. Thank goodness. Now I can get back to watching bikini-clad supermodels eating entrails.So what did we learn from the debates? The American public most likely was reassured that, even if given the chance, George Bush probably wouldn't kill Iraqi babies with his bare hands, and that his movements weren't controlled by strings being pulled by Donald Rumsfeld. We were relieved to learn that John Kerry doesn't speak French and wear powdered wigs. I actually like the fact that Kerry used the word "Orwellian." I would like a president that's comfortable using the word "Orwellian." Not Kerry. But somebody.
We also learned that Dick Cheney's daughter is lesbian. I'm sure this will weigh heavily on the minds of undecided voters. "Let's see: I disagree with John Kerry's health care proposal. On the other hand, Dick Cheney has a lesbian daughter. Oh my. What to do?"
We learned that both candidates have a plan for everything. Boy, do they have plans.
I think I'll try the John Kerry tactic the next time my boss asks me to do something. "I have a detailed plan for that. I hope we'll have time to talk about it." Then I'll walk out of his office.
On John Kerry's Web site, where he supposedly lays out his detailed plans, visitors are treated to, essentially, campaign rhetoric that concludes with "John Edwards and I have a detailed plan for addressing this issue." If your plan is to say you have a plan, that's not a plan.
We learned that Kerry doesn't like being called a liberal. He didn't argue that he's not a liberal, which is to his credit. Attempting to do so would have elicited howls of laughter from informed voters. Disappointingly, he didn't proudly defend his liberalism. "Let's not throw labels around," he solemnly intoned. "Labels are meaningless." Perhaps he's ducking this label because a Gallup poll showed that only 19 percent of Americans identify themselves as liberals. Most liberals consider themselves "moderates."
So who are these 19 percent? I think they're the extreme left: those who decry our dependence on foreign oil while refusing to allow exploration in the most desolate, inhospitable tundra in North America. Those who are so reflexively anti-military that they supported the gutting of our intelligence service after the first World Trade Center attack. Those combat fatigue-wearing war protesters who surreptitiously met with America's enemies during the Vietman War. Yeah, I can see why Kerry would want to disassociate himself from THOSE people.
Conservatives don't view "conservative" as an epithet, but as a point of view. If Kerry called George Bush a conservative, I'm sure Bush would proudly agree. He wouldn't try to duck the characterization, even though it only loosely applies.
I learned that John Kerry is more effective at hiding who he is than even Bill Clinton. When Clinton went into his lip-biting, head-bobbing, half-thumb-pointing routine, anyone with eyes could see that he was lying. Bob Kerrey said that Bill Clinton was an "unusually good liar." I always thought Clinton was a laughably inept liar. But Kerry doesn't telegraph his deceptions. I know that my liberal friends will counter that Bush is also deceptive. I don't think so. First, I don't think it's in his nature. Second, think about how long it would take Bush to a) come up with a plausible lie, and b) spit it out convincingly.
We learned that the incumbent often has no choice but to go negative, in order to avoid spending the entire campaign explaining why he didn't magically solve every one of America's problems. Every president's record is a shooting gallery full of targets. The challenger has the luxury of picking them off from the comfort of the cheap seats. "You didn't spend enough on this program. It must not be enough, you see, because the problem hasn't evaporated. As president, I propose quadrupling spending. See, quadruple is more. And more will make the problem go away." What about the budget deficit? "We have a detailed plan for that. I hope we have time to talk about it."
So what did we learn? Not much that we didn't know already. Bush invaded Iraq. Kerry doesn't think he should have - at least not today he doesn't. Bush didn't get the French on board. Kerry says he will gain French cooperation, by not being George Bush. Bush plans on establishing security and democracy in Iraq. Kerry does, too, with essentially the same plan as Bush, but it will be done faster because the French will fall lovingly into Kerry's arms on Inauguration Day. Bush has a budget-busting domestic agenda. Kerry's will be bigger because, as we all know, spending more is always more effective than spending less.
Oh, and we learned about that lesbian thing. Better write that down.
Bill Kolter
Warsaw
A Word Of Thanks To Mark Souder
Editor, Times-Union:I would like to publicly thank Congressman Mark Souder for his leadership and courage in sponsoring legislation that gave us residents of Washington, D.C., the ability to practice our constitutional right to protect ourselves. Washington, D.C., has been labeled the "Murder Capital of the Country" 14 out of the past 15 years. The Washington, D.C., murder rate today is eight times higher than the national average. Because of Congressman Souder's bold leadership, the House of Representatives took the first step in restoring my constitutional rights as a U.S. citizen to protect myself against criminals, by passing the D.C. Personal Protection Act, with the support of more than 50 Democrats. Having grown up in Kosciusko and Allen counties, I have had the privilege to vote for Congressman Souder in the past. I would like to encourage everyone in the third Congressional district to go to the polls on Nov. 2 and support Congressman Mark Souder because he supports our constitutional rights.
Matt Shilling
Washington, D.C.
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- So What Have We Learned From The Debates? - A Word Of Thanks To Mark Souder
So What Have We Learned From The Debates?
The presidential debates are finally over. We now return to your regularly scheduled programming. Thank goodness. Now I can get back to watching bikini-clad supermodels eating entrails.So what did we learn from the debates? The American public most likely was reassured that, even if given the chance, George Bush probably wouldn't kill Iraqi babies with his bare hands, and that his movements weren't controlled by strings being pulled by Donald Rumsfeld. We were relieved to learn that John Kerry doesn't speak French and wear powdered wigs. I actually like the fact that Kerry used the word "Orwellian." I would like a president that's comfortable using the word "Orwellian." Not Kerry. But somebody.
We also learned that Dick Cheney's daughter is lesbian. I'm sure this will weigh heavily on the minds of undecided voters. "Let's see: I disagree with John Kerry's health care proposal. On the other hand, Dick Cheney has a lesbian daughter. Oh my. What to do?"
We learned that both candidates have a plan for everything. Boy, do they have plans.
I think I'll try the John Kerry tactic the next time my boss asks me to do something. "I have a detailed plan for that. I hope we'll have time to talk about it." Then I'll walk out of his office.
On John Kerry's Web site, where he supposedly lays out his detailed plans, visitors are treated to, essentially, campaign rhetoric that concludes with "John Edwards and I have a detailed plan for addressing this issue." If your plan is to say you have a plan, that's not a plan.
We learned that Kerry doesn't like being called a liberal. He didn't argue that he's not a liberal, which is to his credit. Attempting to do so would have elicited howls of laughter from informed voters. Disappointingly, he didn't proudly defend his liberalism. "Let's not throw labels around," he solemnly intoned. "Labels are meaningless." Perhaps he's ducking this label because a Gallup poll showed that only 19 percent of Americans identify themselves as liberals. Most liberals consider themselves "moderates."
So who are these 19 percent? I think they're the extreme left: those who decry our dependence on foreign oil while refusing to allow exploration in the most desolate, inhospitable tundra in North America. Those who are so reflexively anti-military that they supported the gutting of our intelligence service after the first World Trade Center attack. Those combat fatigue-wearing war protesters who surreptitiously met with America's enemies during the Vietman War. Yeah, I can see why Kerry would want to disassociate himself from THOSE people.
Conservatives don't view "conservative" as an epithet, but as a point of view. If Kerry called George Bush a conservative, I'm sure Bush would proudly agree. He wouldn't try to duck the characterization, even though it only loosely applies.
I learned that John Kerry is more effective at hiding who he is than even Bill Clinton. When Clinton went into his lip-biting, head-bobbing, half-thumb-pointing routine, anyone with eyes could see that he was lying. Bob Kerrey said that Bill Clinton was an "unusually good liar." I always thought Clinton was a laughably inept liar. But Kerry doesn't telegraph his deceptions. I know that my liberal friends will counter that Bush is also deceptive. I don't think so. First, I don't think it's in his nature. Second, think about how long it would take Bush to a) come up with a plausible lie, and b) spit it out convincingly.
We learned that the incumbent often has no choice but to go negative, in order to avoid spending the entire campaign explaining why he didn't magically solve every one of America's problems. Every president's record is a shooting gallery full of targets. The challenger has the luxury of picking them off from the comfort of the cheap seats. "You didn't spend enough on this program. It must not be enough, you see, because the problem hasn't evaporated. As president, I propose quadrupling spending. See, quadruple is more. And more will make the problem go away." What about the budget deficit? "We have a detailed plan for that. I hope we have time to talk about it."
So what did we learn? Not much that we didn't know already. Bush invaded Iraq. Kerry doesn't think he should have - at least not today he doesn't. Bush didn't get the French on board. Kerry says he will gain French cooperation, by not being George Bush. Bush plans on establishing security and democracy in Iraq. Kerry does, too, with essentially the same plan as Bush, but it will be done faster because the French will fall lovingly into Kerry's arms on Inauguration Day. Bush has a budget-busting domestic agenda. Kerry's will be bigger because, as we all know, spending more is always more effective than spending less.
Oh, and we learned about that lesbian thing. Better write that down.
Bill Kolter
Warsaw
A Word Of Thanks To Mark Souder
Editor, Times-Union:I would like to publicly thank Congressman Mark Souder for his leadership and courage in sponsoring legislation that gave us residents of Washington, D.C., the ability to practice our constitutional right to protect ourselves. Washington, D.C., has been labeled the "Murder Capital of the Country" 14 out of the past 15 years. The Washington, D.C., murder rate today is eight times higher than the national average. Because of Congressman Souder's bold leadership, the House of Representatives took the first step in restoring my constitutional rights as a U.S. citizen to protect myself against criminals, by passing the D.C. Personal Protection Act, with the support of more than 50 Democrats. Having grown up in Kosciusko and Allen counties, I have had the privilege to vote for Congressman Souder in the past. I would like to encourage everyone in the third Congressional district to go to the polls on Nov. 2 and support Congressman Mark Souder because he supports our constitutional rights.
Matt Shilling
Washington, D.C.
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