Republican Truths

Authored by Michael Pate on February 18th, 2004 at 10:58 AM

One of the more interesting Republican strategies is saying things whose opposite is true. They say that the Democratic nominee is bought off by special interests, the Democrats are outspending them, the Democrats are playing dirty, the Democrats don�t care about homeland security, the Democrats hate America, all when this is far more true of the Republicans. They say Joseph McCarthy was a noble man, the media has a liberal bias, affirmative action is bad for equality, Saddam had weapons of mass destruction, and Ronald Reagan was our greatest President, all when the opposite is far more true. - Aaron Swartz

Let us do this point by point.

They say that the Democratic nominee is bought off by special interests.

Who said that John Kerry was a tool of special interests?

Dean said he was “outraged” and “furious” by a Washington Post report that Kerry has raised more money from paid lobbyists than any other senator during the past 15 years. - CNN

Last time, I checked Howard Dean was not a Republican. Of course, one must remember that Howard Dean has a lobbyist for a campaign manager. And that most of John Edwards financial support has come from trial lawyers.

the Democrats are outspending them

I haven’t heard anyone make that charge. The charge I have heard is that the Democratic Party, which purports to be the party of the less wealthy, has more wealthy donors. You need look no further than the Top 25 of the Mother Jones 400. And this not even counting the recent contribution by George Soros.

the Democrats are playing dirty

That charge has been made by both sides in every election ever held. But seeing as how the Bush AWOL non-story has progressed from far-left-wing-fringe member, Michael Moore, to DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe, just maybe the Republicans have a point.

the Democrats don�t care about homeland security

My problem with the Democrats on Homeland Security is that they seem solely focused on providing assistance to First Responders after a terrorist incident takes place, and have little interest in actually preventing them from taking place in the first place.

the Democrats hate America

I don’t think they hate America. I just think they hate George Bush. And it does not help their cause.

Joseph McCarthy was a noble man

I don’t think Joseph McCarthy was noble. He got way too wrapped up in the trappings of power. But I submit the issue is not his nobility, but his accuracy.

the media has a liberal bias

Rather than rely on the word of outsiders, let’s ask Bernard Goldberg, Bob Arnot, and Mark Helperin.

affirmative action is bad for equality

There are all sorts of opinion on this issue.

Not the least of the damage done by affirmative action is damage to the English language. In addition to all the euphemisms concocted to evade the simple fact of racial quotas and double standards, there has long been a fog of obscure phrases shrouding the issues involved. - Thomas Sowell

Some are more qualified to express them than others.

Saddam had weapons of mass destruction

Since when is that an issue? Everyone agrees that he had them. The only question is their fate.

Ronald Reagan was our greatest President

The concept of the greatest president is like arguing John Elway vs. Bart Starr, or Babe Ruth vs. Alex Rodriguez. Different times provide different measures. His only major accomplishment was bringing down the Evil Empire. But that was a worthy accomplishment in and of itself.

Oh, and by the way, just like Zell Miller, I am a Democrat.