Reaganfest 2007

Last night I subjected myself to political torture by watching the Republican presidential debate (delayed). I will offer the following comments.

Reality is often much less impressive than fantasy, and apparently every one of the republican candidates is living in the fantasy of Ronald Reagan’s presidency. Media reports state that Reagan’s name was mentioned 19 times, but I think they lost count (just like trying to count Alberto Gonzales’ “I don’t recall” http://www.democrats.org/a/2007/04/alberto_gonzale_1.php).

Anyway, the reality of Reagan’s presidency is budget deficit spending, deconstruction of American social programs, cutting and running after the Beirut Marine barrack’s bombing, and the ignoring of the new and growing AIDS epidemic such that research was stymied and many more lives were lost. His legacy is continued reduction in spending for those who need help the most.

They can live in that fantasy if they want to, but it’s not going to get any of them elected president. Howard Dean said it best… “(the debate) confirms that a Democrat will be elected in 2008.” Side note…Howard Dean is coming to Alabama for fundraising, I will keep you posted.

We have pretty good resolution on our TV, but I never did see Rudy Giuliani’s eyes. I want to be able to look someone in the eye, and actually see them. He will drop in the polls after his answer on abortion, “It would be OK to repeal it…” he said, referring to Roe v Wade. Others used such phrases as “Glorious day of human liberty and freedom” (Sam Brownback) and “I changed my mind” (Romney). ‘Liberty and freedom’ when the individual rights of women to control their reproductive health is taken away from them?

Three of the candidates raised their hands when Chris Matthews asked who did not believe in evolution, Mike Huckabee, Tom Tancredo and Sam Brownback. So these three ascribe to the Antonin Scalia view of science (“Troposphere, whatever. I told you before I’m not a scientist” he said during oral arguments in the recent U. S. Supreme Court case on carbon emissions and global warming. In other words, if we don’t understand science, and since we are not going to make any effort to understand it, let’s just ignore it or pretend it doesn’t exist.)

Last week I gave my view on who looked the most presidential (Hillary Clinton). Well, this week I say none of the ten looked presidential. Not just because I don’t like their policies and what they stand for, they just don’t look like someone who commands a presence and who we want to look at on the tv for the next 4 years. Mike Gravel said last week that some of his fellow democratic candidates “frighten” him, well most of the republican candidates make you want to go hide under a rock.

My prediction, Romney will move up a little in the polls, at both McCain’s and Giuliani’s expense. The others will continue to flounder in extremist neverland.




Whoever can tell me where these pictures were taken and who the artist is wins the imaginary prize.