Gore, Democrats,
and Fighting the Republican Mentality
April 06,
2001
by Desiree
I don't know about you, but I am sick to death of listening
to Republican propaganda coming out of the mouths of everyone...
INCLUDING Democrats! We are forced to listen to it on the
nightly news, read it in our newspapers, hear it out of the
mouths of right-wing radical politicians. And now we hear
it coming out of the mouths of our trusted representatives
and finally... out of the mouths of... well... ourselves.
This is playing right into what I call "The Republican
Psych Plan."
But I'm getting ahead of myself. I am a female, 20-something
African American Californian who traditionally had a scornful
view of politics in general, until the 2000 election -- when
it got personal. See, my mom and dad are divorced (my dad's
since remarried) but I'm close to both. My dad and second
wife lived in Florida and were there for the 2000 election.
About a week after the voting took place my dad's wife called
me, hysterical because he had been waking up in the middle
of the night, screaming in terror, but not telling her why.
I called my father only to have him tell me a horrifying story
about being pulled out of the voting line by white deputies
on the pretext of checking his registration, taking him to
some dark obscure place, roughly handcuffing and frisking
him, then letting him go with the "warning" that something
"much worse could happen to him if he is found near the polls
when they came back from patrol".
Instead of talking about things, he'd kept the incident a
secret and internalized the terror, and that caused the nightmare.
He said he kept having nightmares about being beaten and shot
and thrown into a swamp somewhere.
Furious doesn't begin to describe how I felt! Luckily, I
knew that the NAACP was at that moment holding hearings in
Florida, and I flew there immediately and convinced my pop
to share the story. He did, and is one of the people whose
stories were sent to the Justice Department. If nothing else,
it showed him that he wasn't alone. Eventually, he left Florida.
There was no other way for him to heal.
So I am a personal witness to the horror of Election 2000.
My family has suffered because of it. And for this, I believe
it is imperaitive that GWB be "whipped" by Albert J Gore.
It's more than just revenge, it's a matter of principle as
important to the American electorate as the idea of democracy
itself.
Republicans MUST be taught that the principle of democracy
is not just a word to be thrown around when campaigning, but
thrown away when they aren't declared the legitimate winner.
The clearest, most succinct, and yes, most PAINFUL way (I'm
not above wishing for a little revenge!) to demonstrate
to the Republican party that the American people DON'T take
too kindly to someone subverting their will for their own
selfish gain, is to kick them out with the very same guy they
kicked in the gut to get in: Al Gore.
But we have got to start by NOT following the "Republican
psych plan." You know, the psychological strategy intended
to imply that they are an unstoppable force? Like Trent Lott
calling a press conference before the debate begins on any
new piece of legislation just to tell everyone that they already
have the votes necessary for it to pass. Of course this only
applies to the bills that they want the public to know about
beforehand - on others, like the bankruptcy and ergonomics
bills - surprise! Trent Lott calls NO press conferences. Can
no one see through this ploy?
This "don't even bother trying to resist us because we're
unstoppable" tactic does nothing but show the corruption of
a party that decides votes before they've even heard all the
debate. I would think that the Senate Majority leader would
know better than that. But the Bush administration hasn't
been known for its subtlety. And yet, people still fall for
it. This has got to stop.
Other examples of "the plan" include: Allowing the media
to get away with asking Democrats how Al Gore lost the election.
This is the BIGGEST insult to ALL Americans. Why? Because
Al Gore didn't lose the election, it was stolen. We, the American
people, did OUR part, despite Republican efforts to stop us
and the message was clear by over half a million votes: we
chose Gore.
The minute you start debating ANY other point, the Republicans
have won because you are admitting that Al Gore is the legitimate
loser -- NOT the legitimate winner. He won in the only way
we define democracy -- by the majority of the popular vote.
So he DIDN'T lose, Bush DIDN'T win. This should be the mantra
of EVERY democrat, whether he be politician or average American.
I guarantee you, a reporter that receives that quote as
an answer from every Democrat he talks to either won't ask
the question again, or will find another question to ask.
Al Gore couldn't even carry his home state of Tennessee so
what kind of President would he have been? This statement
has NO business coming out of the mouth of any Democrat or
progressive and is a deliberate Republican ploy.
I am reminded of the words of the Governer of Tennessee,
just days before Bush's inauguration. When asked how he thought
he would be treated considering the fact that his state was
Gore's home state, he said something along the lines of "No,
I'm not worried. I believe the new President will appreciate
how we delivered Tennessee for him." When I first read that,
I thought it sounded corrupt. Now there is evidence trickling
in that suggests even larger civil rights violations occurring
in Tennessee than those that occured in Florida.
Though more will be revealed when Maxine Waters and her panel
arrives there, the local newspapers have picked up the story
and the evidence is compelling... and heartbreaking. Add what
was spoken by the Governer of Tennessee -- a Republican --
and I believe, way before November 7th, it was decided that
no matter what, Tennessee would go to Bush -- by any means
necessary. It makes a strong psychological statement and Republicans
knew it.
So they smiled as they watched some Democrats fall for it,
hook, line and sinker. Not I. When I am confronted with that,
I tell them exactly what I am telling you, ending with the
threat that no matter how the Republicans try to cover it
up, the truth ALWAYS comes out. History supports that -- for
example with Watergate and Iran Contra, and they usually,
especially if they're rabid Republicans, slink quietly away.
We must not allow Republicans to define us. Take the demonization
of the word Liberal. I don't even know how this one got started,
but we should not be embarrassed by this noble title. The
dictionary says: LIBERAL -- suggests openhandedness in the
giver and largeness in the thing or amount given. Tolerant.
What is so demonic about that? For Republicans, it is the
fact that they know they are the polar opposite of those ideals,
and they know the American people will reject them because
of that. The solutions are to either reform their party, or
stigmatize the word "liberal" while misleading the
public as to its meaning within the context of what's being
discussed. Republicans, it seems, decided that it made more
sense to attack the Dems percieved principles rather than
to make real reforms within the Republican party. It doesn't
make more sense -- it's plain cowardice.
Refuting the meaning and not backing down from the inevitable
fight would convince even skeptics that you mean business.
The word "liberal" isn't blasphemous, it's honorable. If you
start to react to that kind of accusation, you essentially
prove the Republicans right. These people aren't right...
they're wrong and every Dem should be calling them on that.
If you're a good American, then you accept the Supreme Court's
decision simply because they are... well... the Supreme Court.
Bullshit. You can respect the office -- and should. But the
judges themselves? No way in hell. What they did is shameful,
and the only comforting fact about this is I know now that
Bush v. Gore is going to be their legacy. No matter what came
before or will come after, they will be remembered for this
decision, even though they are trying like hell to make people
forget their roll in the situation.
My mom always told me that "two wrongs don't make a right"
and it would just be wrong to show the court any mercy when
they never considered the American people. They took it upon
themselves to chose a president that the majority of Americans
didn't vote for. For this, every scrutiny should be applied
to this group, and no more judges added to it, until that
particular conservative bent is lessened, and there aren't
any more hard-righters appointed to their vacancies.
By keeping silent on the issue, you become an enabler. If
you're a person of high moral standing, then you must condemn
Bill Clinton. Again, why are there NO Democrats asking why
the GOP is constantly going after this man and wasting millions
of tax payers dollars year after year? Always allowing Republicans
to put them on the defensive instead of going on the offensive
and calling on Republicans to show REAL proof that any of
the investigations they have conducted over the years have
been anything else but a paranoid reaction to a fundamental
truth. America loves the Clintons. Even those that claim to
"hate" him, love him. Why else are reporters and Republicans
still following every move the man makes? He was the most
popular President since FDR -- something the Republicans can
NEVER claim though they are trying to make a hero of Reagan
after the fact.
ANY Clinton is a threat to them, you see. Hilary is still
in the running for Prez in the future, and Chelsea is quietly
living her life and contemplating her future. Republicans
know they are toast against a Clinton -- ANY Clinton. This
little lull where Bill's numbers are sliding will not be permanant.
The longer Bush continues, Americans will start to see what
a wonderful man they had in Clinton. A man that worked tirelessly
for 60 hours a week, and would veto ANY bill that he saw as
being too hard on the American people.
In fact, the very bill that will make slaves out of millions
of Americans to the credit card industry, found it's way to
Clinton's desk in his second term -- but he vetoed it, saying
that the bill was "too hard on the American people." The banks
didn't like that and proceeded to fund a candidate that would
be more receptive to THEIR best interests, and NOT the American
people.
As I have been saying since December 13, 2000, Gore would
NEVER have done any of what Bush has done in barely three
months time, and now we know that Clinton was the one that
protected us from this juggernaut that has just been waiting
to be given the chance to roll. Bill Clinton protected the
American people and the Democrats in Congress for 8 years,
with his veto pen, doing the jobs they didn't have the guts
to do, and taking the heat as well, but when it came time
to defend him, Democrats couldn't even manage eight weeks.
There are supposedly quite a few Dems with presidential aspirations,
but there is no way in hell I'd vote for any of them. They
have shown nothing but a lack of spine that's just plain embarrassing.
When they start on the campaign trail they are going to be
very surprised at the lack of support they will recieve, and
the anger they will face. That's why I'm glad neither Al Gore
and Bill Clinton have anything to do with this Congress. I
believe in the end, the Dems in Congress will have to turn
to the two people that they deserted in order to survive.
What Al Gore had against him was an association with Bill
Clinton -- this idea is SO my pet peeve. Since when was Al
Gore any other grown man's keeper? Remember thoughout that
witch hunt called "the Monica Lewinsky scandal", most Americans
didn't support the Republicans. Yes, what he did was wrong,
but that was no excuse for their bloodlust. Most Americans
put the blame for the mockery that occured squarely on the
shoulders of Republicans, NOT Dems or even Clinton himself.
I realize now that it wasn't so much to "get Clinton" as it
was to "get" the Democratic party in the Congressional elections.
What a surprise it was to them when they actually LOST seats.
This was a great way of showing the Republicans that there
are limits to what we will take from them. We need an even
stronger assertion of this idea in 2002. Every major scandal
that we have had has been at the hands of Republicans. One
so heinous, the President had to resign before being impeached.
If being associated with a politican that has questionable
morals, and shameful ethics, stains you, even though YOU'VE
done none of those things, then why vote Republican?
Democrats can't even have AFFAIRS without us finding out
about them, but the Republican party has shown again and again
that they are FULLY capable of implementing massive conspiracies
against the American people. Just their history alone should
push people to use caution and critical thinking before they
readily accept everything they say. If choosing a candidate
on the basis of their values (or lack thereof) requires you
to vote against the entire party, then there are a hell of
a lot of Republicans that are talking the talk and not walking
the walk. That little rationale seems to only be applicable
to Democrats -- at least in the minds of Republicans.
I like to think that it is a miracle and a tribute to Al
Gore that despite the fact that he had to fight against candidates
on two fronts, the Greens and the Republicans, this man STILL
managed to win the popular vote across the country. There
might have been a minority of people that voted against him
because of a percieved immorality by association, but the
majority chose Gore anyway. That's the real bottom line. The
GOP wasn't able to win a majority of the vote by their stance
on the issues, so they had to damage Gore's lead by ridiculously
trying to tie him in to Clinton. But Clinton is a grown man
responsible only for his own actions, and Al Gore is a man
that should be able to stand in his own right. If the republicans
were able to get away with that with Nixon, Regan, and Daddy
Bush, so should Clinton and Gore.
This should be another mantra recited by every Dem -- playing
the "race card". Race is not a "card" to be played, it is
a reality. This past election should've really emphasized
that fact. Look at how the minorites in this country, especially
blacks, have been constantly assaulted since Bush took office.
Apparently the only thing needed to bring all the bigots out,
is for us to have a Republican in the White House. They just
come out of the woodwork then. After blacks were marginalized
by the press so as to make sure no one takes their claim of
intimidation seriously, adding insult to injury is the fact
Republicans' defense is that the prime reason they were so
disenfranchised was because they were to "stoopid" to fill
out a ballot and locked themselves into a corner by always
voting Democrat which obviously means that they can't think
for themselves.
Another example of an irrational rationalization. Everyone
that votes usually votes for the same party every election
cycle regardless of the candidate. Do you think that Arnold
S. actually compared the two candidates before deciding to
vote for Bush? Nope. He votes Republican no matter what. Same
with the military, they vote Republican regardless of the
candidate. In actuality, blacks have shown that they consider
the issues more than anyone else because we, as a group, have
switched loyalties more that once. We started out with Lincoln,
and stayed Republican until FDR who had an agenda we could
more identify with. We changed loyalties again when Jesse
Jackson ran for President. This becomes more significant when
compared with other groups that never switch. But they aren't
accused of not having a mind of their own. Just African Americans.
Running as a "New Deal" Democrat and using a "class warfare"
mentality. Come on, this administration is demonstrating how
on the mark Al Gore really was. He said he's fight for us
and boy, do we need someone like that right now. Who cares
if people identify you that way, you are implementing the
mandate of the people. That's all that should really matter.
Just Bush's tax cut proves that there is most definetly a
class warfare battle going on, from the top down, with the
last two groups in the pecking order -- the poor and working
poor -- not recieving anything at all. The New Deal, populist
campaign is the reason that so many were willing to place
their votes and confidence in the Dems. They identifed and
approved of the message the party presented. This worked very
well, in fact, because of that strategy, Gore was able to
win the popular vote without the swing states. The midwest
and south were lost to Bush, but it made no difference, Gore
still won and the populist message was a major reason why
he did.
Underlying all of these circumstances is the idea, again,
that Al Gore lost, and we all know that's not true. We've
got to be smarter than that, if we are going to survive. Reject
the "psych plan" and pick Bush's actions apart using the most
unethical tactics -- cause I know that's what he's doing.
Resist and refute seems to be the order of the day for Democrats
in a Bush administration.
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