Reply #49: The same only different doesn't cut it

[madogmusic]

Kerry is a politician. He talks like a politician, he acts like a politician, he votes like a politician. More of the same old strategy. He's on our side, but he's a politician. I haven't seen any evidence to the contrary. His stance is commendable; his motives are political.

Yet... we need all of those on our side coming out into the light and pressing the case while the opportunity is here so that the truth will come out about how the Bush regime has devastated our country. We need Kerry speaking his truth to power. We need the honest Republicans of conscience expressing doubts. We need John Murtha stepping up on Iraq. We need Reid giving them hell. We need all our Democratic representatives out there talking about and introducing bills addressing our invasion of Iraq, domestic spying on peace groups, Karl Rove (remember him?) breaching governmental security, government financing of the shipping of all our jobs overseas, New Orleans and our domestic security, the creating of the astronomical deficit, burning down an already broke medical system, torture, persecution of minorities, religious tyranny, corporate takeover, our turning our heads to global warming, control of the US population through fear.

Good for Kerry for coming out now. I mean that. He needs to speak up. But he's not the one to take the lead in this bid to take back our democracy from the clutches of the most dangerous regime ever to gain control of the White House. If he wants to support the real effort out of his desire for a better America - good. But he's not the "lead man". John Conyers and Barbara Boxer have been walking the walk while Kerry and most of the others weren't even talking the talk.

Now that there is plenty of political backup and media momentum, the shrewd, cautious politicians have climbed out from behind their barricades and are talking tough. And that's good. But it's not leadership quality. Conyers and Boxer have consistantly stuck their necks out when it was considered political suicide by the Harry Reids, Ted Kennedys and John Kerrys. John Conyers is not afraid to be on the board of the Progressive Democrats of America next to Cindy Sheehan. Barbara Boxer was the lone Senator to stand up last Jan 6 in congress to protest Ohio's stolen electoral votes - amid a chorus of booing, name-calling and threats by her peers.

Conyers and Boxer have been unapologetically doing what needs to be done all along, saying what needs to be said, taking the lead when nobody else was willing, to fix the mess our democracy is in - whether it was the politically expedient thing to do or not. They did it because it is the right thing to do.

Launching hearings and investigations, mobilizing support, blogging, standing up in Congress, writing letters to the White House, introducing resolutions, speaking out in against the outrages taking place, protesting Ohio's stolen 2004 election, holding frequent press conferences detailing to the world what is going on in the White House - that's the real ground work. Conyers and Boxer were out there building this case, while the others were in the backroom raising their glasses murmering "Yeah - that's right - you betcha".

So, good job Senator Kerry for lending your support to the fight - keep up the good work. We need you to stand with us on this showdown. But let's all remember who has been out there keeping this thing going all along, when it was all but lost as recently as a few months ago... John Conyers and Barbera Boxer. They showed the rest of the Democrats what it means to have a spine, what it means to lead and what the American people expect from their elected representatives. Conyers and Boxer stand out as the true heroes in all this. And there… is the 2008 Democratic Presidential ticket with the guts to fix the disaster American democracy has sunk into during the last five years.