Censored Whig Letters

The Cecil Whig editorial endorsing Steele for US Senate demonstrates the unfair nature of the October 27th deadline for political Letters to the Editor. The deadline leaves readers no opportunity to respond to claims made by the Whig on behalf of Steele and against Cardin.

The deadline seems to unjustly favor the Republican candidates normally endorsed by the Whig for statewide office and Congress. It should not apply to Letters responding to Whig endorsements! I believe this view of political bias concerning the Whig Letter policy is widely shared by Democrats.

The Whig claims Steele is a new kind of Republican and that a vote for Steele is a vote for change. Steele is a Bush Republican as even the Whig admits. In the Senate, he would support the current Republican leadership and Bush White House policies. We would get more of the same current failed policies and behaviors that most Americans oppose by electing Steele. Voting for Steele leaves the current National Republican Machine in complete control of the federal government.

A vote for Cardin would be a vote for a change in direction by the Senate on most issues like tax policies favoring the wealthiest of the wealthy and Iraq. A Cardin vote would be a vote for new leadership in the Senate.

The Whig claim that Steele is a candidate of change instead of Cardin is simply wrong. Logic shows the situation is exactly the opposite. Voters supporting change should support Cardin for US Senate.

Sincerely,

Stephen Crockett

P.O. Box 283
Earleville, Maryland 21919

443-907-2367

Democrats: The Liberal, Moderate and Conservative Party

The notion that real conservatives are better represented by the Democratic Party than the corrupt, radical Right cabal that passes for the Republican Party in the era of George W. Bush has finally being taken seriously. In recent weeks, Democratic leaders from Al Franken to former President Bill Clinton have been making public statements driving home the idea. Democratic Talk Radio was among the first to publicize this political reality.

Democratic Talk Radio has been making the point that traditional conservatives are welcome in the Democratic Big Tent coalition since it was founded six years ago. In our Democratic Voices column and our radio shows, we have pointed to the ideological conflict between traditional conservative values like balanced budgets, following the rule of law, limited government power to curb civil liberties, etc. and the actions of the Bush Republicans currently in power. We stated often that “you do not have to be a Corporate Clown to be a conservative.”

We have additionally noted that core Christian values such as helping the poor, not judging the morality of others and the individual (vs. societal via laws) nature of salvation do not conform to the values or actions of the Bush Republicans. Serving large international corporations and the wealthiest of the Super Wealthy seems to be the only real ideology of the national Republican leadership if they are judged by actions instead of just words. Words lie but actions do not! You do not have to be a Corporate Clown to be a Christian!

Liberals, moderates and traditional conservatives in America are all threatened by the power of Corporatism which is known politically by the name of Bush Republicanism. American Democracy is threatened by the outlandish, excessive concentration of power and wealth promoted by this elitist ideology. As pundits and authors ranging from Lou Dobbs to Thom Hartmann to David Sirota to Greg Palast have documented, this Corporatist system is undermining the economic health of our nation. It is undermining our national security. It is corrupting the morals of politicians, media figures and corporate executives. It is killing the American Dream!

Corporatism is not a pro-Business ideology. It is starkly against the interests of medium-sized corporations and small businesses as Lou Dobbs often highlights in his cable news and opinion show. The tightening of bankruptcy laws by almost all the Bush Republicans (with some help from a few misguided Democrats) in Congress and the Bush White House abused both consumers and smaller businesses and rewarded the largest corporations. This fact is well-documented by David Sirota in his book, Hostile Takeover. The book reveals many shocking details about the impact of Corporate dominance on the policies of our government and our everyday lives. It is a must read for every American citizen. I recommend reading it before you vote this November.

The Democratic Party is the only realistic hope of reversing the dominance of the large international corporate elite over all aspects of American life. It is the only hope for American Democracy. The Democratic Party has been corrupted to a small degree by Corporatism but it can be saved. Corporatism is still a minority viewpoint among Democratic leaders. You can keep it marginalized and hopefully make it extinct in Democratic circles.

Liberals, moderates and conservatives along with non-ideological citizens should all rally to the Democratic Party and get involved. You can become a leader in your local Democratic Party! You can help make the American economy a more just place for consumers, workers and small businesses. You can strengthen our national security. You can preserve our personal freedoms. You can help save American Democracy! The Republican Party is simply a lost cause.

Written by Stephen Crockett (co-host of Democratic Talk Radio http://www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com ). Mail: P.O. Box 283, Earleville, Maryland 21919. Email: midsouthcm@aol.com . Phone: 443-907-2367.

Feel free to publish at no charge without prior permission.

I was deeply disturbed by the killing of the Amish schoolchildren in nearby Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Children bring out the best part of my personality and the warmest emotions in my heart. From personal experience, I am completely convinced that the Amish live the closest to God of any group of people in America.

In my teens, I worked for awhile picking up cans of milk from Amish farms in Lancaster County and taking them to the dairy for processing. Later in my late twenties, I lunched several days a week at auctions and flea markets with a teenage Amish girl from Lancaster County named Ruth Ann Fisher. We talked mostly about family and faith.

Those talks stirred my spirit so much that I struggled to learn to read the Bible in German and seriously considered joining the Brethren. Eventually, I realized that my experiences were so different that I would never successfully fit in with the Amish lifestyle. I would have been a miserable failure as a farmer and did not know how to really think like one of the Plain Folk. I lived in a world of electric power, higher education and ambition. My German was pathetic.

What I gained from those talks, nearly half a lifetime ago, is still with me. My faith as a Christian was deeply influenced. There are many pathways to God but few as pure as the Amish. I cannot imagine anyone hating the Amish much less the Amish children.

In many ways, the Amish are like the Anti-Christian Right of the Christian faith although I doubt they had every considered the situation. The Amish are basically non-political. They are oriented toward peace, living plainly, living communally in many ways and care nothing for material wealth or power. They are into forgiveness instead of vengeance. Aggression and violence are alien concepts. Hard work is regarded as a virtue in itself instead of as an avenue to wealth and power.

The so-called Christian Right should look closely at the Amish lifestyle for lessons in what is wrong with their approach to faith and politics. The Amish are focused on becoming more Godly in their person and among their community. They do not seek to impose their values on others by law or force. They do not judge others but instead try to set examples in the way they live their lives.

Hate has no power or legitimacy in the Amish community or Church. They follow the example of Jesus Christ by forgiving and loving the worst of sinners. Only by understanding this fact can the non-Amish understand their reaction to the schoolhouse killings.

Personally, I find far more religious power in the Amish approach than in the approach of the so-called Christian Right. We can all learn from the Plain Folk. I hope our nation will be influenced a little more by the Amish even if we cannot fully follow in the footsteps of these Godly people.

Written by Stephen Crockett (co-host of Democratic Talk Radio http://www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com ). Mail: P.O. Box 283, Earleville, Maryland 21919. Email: midsouthcm@aol.com . Phone: 443-907-2367.

Feel free to publish without prior permission free of charge.

The 2006 Election “Perfect Political Storm”

Conventional political wisdom holds that the Republicans need to change the political discussion from the Foley scandals to other major political issues. This view overlooks the fact that Republican candidates are facing a “perfect political storm” of news developments in the closing weeks of the 2006 election cycle.

On the terrorism issue, the National Intelligence Estimate reported just before the Foley scandal broke concluded that the Iraq War has made terrorism worse. Bob Woodward’s book, State of Denial has revealed that Rice and others in the Bush White House were briefed on the Bin Laden organizations intention to launch terrorist attacks inside the United States months before the 9-11 attacks. It appears that the Bush White House has intentionally hidden their failure to act on these warnings from the voting public for years.

The Iraq War has gone from bad to worse. Our military expects the situation to decline even more over the next year. The body count is rising rapidly. The cost is approaching $2 billion a week by some reports. Security in Iraq is almost non-existent. Civil war is apparent. It is clear that the Bush Republicans lied to the American public to get us into an unwise and unjustified war. Staying a losing course is simply looking ridiculous to more and more voters.

The Abramoff corruption scandals have been linked to the White House based on recent investigations. Recent reports contradict numerous denials by Republican operatives who incorrectly stated that Abramoff was barely known to the Bush White House. Ohio Republican Congressman Ney has resigned in disgrace. Many other top Republicans are seemingly linked to this spreading and complex scandal. Senator Conrad Burns may be defeated in Montana because of his close ties to Abramoff. Members of Congress in California are implicated.

Housing costs, prescription drug costs and energy costs have increased dramatically while wages have failed to keep pace. Middle class Americans are hurting financially and very angry. Every day consumers get more bad news about price increases and jobs.

Almost all voters are very aware that the Republicans are siding with the Super Wealthy and international corporations on economic issue after economic issue instead of helping struggling workers. Millions of workers are being stripped of their right to unionize to defend themselves. Republicans are actively helping large corporations send millions of good American jobs to third world nations.

The Republicans are bankrupt morally and bankrupting us financially. In November, we get to give them their just reward by voting against them. I predict huge gains for Democratic candidates. Republican policies and corruption have created a “perfect political storm” for their candidates!

Written by Stephen Crockett (co-host of Democratic Talk Radio http://www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com ). Mail: P.O. Box 283, Earleville, Maryland 21919. Email: midsouthcm@aol.com . Phone: 443-907-2367.

Feel free to publish without prior permission at no charge as a Letter to the Editor, Op-Ed, Guest Editorial or Democratic Voices column in your newspaper, newsletter, blog or website.

Moderate Republicans, Congressional Elections and Foley

In the closing weeks of the 2006 Congressional Elections, Republican incumbents should be very worried about the impact of Congressman Foley’s sexual misdeeds and the widespread cover-up by top Republican Congressional leaders. Many Republicans in Congress have carefully crafted public images as “independent” or “moderate” politicians that often do not reflect their actual voting records. Voting for these Republicans helps keep in power the same Congressional leaders involved in the cover-up. This in turn keeps in place the unpopular, corrupt policies of the Republicans on issues like Iraq, media concentration, campaign finance, prescription drugs and taxes.

Will the voters make the connection in local races? If they do, Republican Congressmen like Mike Castle in Delaware and Wayne Gilchrest in Maryland may see safe seats seriously threatened. Democratic challengers like Dennis Spivack in Delaware and Jim Corwin in Maryland may quickly see large increases in the amount of campaign cash flowing into their efforts. If they get funds to air TV and radio ads making the connection between the Republican incumbents and keeping the corrupt national leaders in control of Congress, campaigns like these will show surprising life.

Foley is part of a national pattern of Republican scandals. Delay in Texas, Ney and Taft in Ohio, Cunningham in California are joined by hundreds of other Republican politicians mired in various public scandals at all levels of government reaching into almost every state in the nation. Jack Abramoff opened many eyes and scandals keep piling on. Republicans are facing an internal corruption crisis. However, the Foley incident has the strongest potential to influence the Election.

Foley victimized children. His actions are likely to be the final straw for large numbers of Christian voters. The Republican Right has used gay-bashing to gain Christian votes in many past elections and the tactic looks likely to come back to bite them this Fall. Many of these Christians will react strongly against the Republican scandals by voting Democratic or not voting. These voters are already uneasy with the financial corruption tied to the Republicans. Republicans cannot win in many places around the nation without these voters.

Senate candidates will be impacted as well by the public revulsion and outrage against Republican hypocrisy. Democrat Harold Ford is looking more like a winner in Tennessee. Republican Lincoln Chafee is more likely to lose in Rhode Island. Missouri and Montana are looking much better for the Democrats. Republicans are very unlikely to retain the Senate seat in Pennsylvania. Even Snowe in Maine may face a newly reinvigorated challenge from her Democratic opponent. Moral issues might be the key to outcomes in those states and not be favorable to the Republicans.

The Bush White House is intentionally downplaying the significance of the Foley emails and instant messages. Those efforts are actually linking the White House to Foley in the minds of many voters. The Republican Congressional campaign committee efforts to get Foley to donate his campaign kitty of $2.7 million will hurt Congressman Tom Reynolds who heads the committee. Reynolds has been implicated in the cover-up along with the Speaker of the House and the Republican Majority Leader according to published reports.

Tom Delay is not the only Congressional Republican leader to be disgraced this year. Unlike Delay, the current scandal is unlikely to be off the front pages of newspapers or televised news reports before the voters go to the polls.

Written by Stephen Crockett (co-host of Democratic Talk Radio http://www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com ). Mail: P.O. Box 283, Earleville, Maryland 21919. Phone: 443-907-2367. Email: midsouthcm@aol.com .

Feel free to publish without prior permission as a Letter to the Editor, Op-Ed, Guest Editorial or Democratic Voices column in your newspaper, newsletter, blog or website.