“Oh to be in Denver, now that August’s here.
To go to the convention and hear the crowds who cheer.
Then off to Minnesota where twin cities beckon
With every problem in the world the speakers will reckon
The markets and mortgages and care for the sick
They’ve got the answer, the cure that is quick
Security, education, transportation, immigration
All sorts of plans to heal our great nation
While tyrants will cower democracies will flower
The poor will have money and minorities will have power
Down with terrorists. They’ll give them a what for
From every town and village domestic oil will pour
Hybrid cars will zip from state to state
Mr. and Mrs. Elk will have room to mate
Clean rivers will run and skies will be clear
All will agree that Guam’s very dear.
Then the anointed will accept and speak
One is a novice the other past his peak
“Oh come all ye faithful” McCain will implore
“I’ve got experience, show Obama the door.”
Barack will evoke his usual refrain
“I am for change and better than McCain.”
Happy Days are Here Again, the crowds will roar
Balloons will rain and flood the floor
Then off to the races until November day
When America’s voters will finally have their say
And here’s my prediction, one you can’t shake
Whichever one wins will his promises break.”
With apologies to Maya Angelou….er….I take that back…she’s the one who should apologize for crummy verses. It’s her day job, not mine.
I have to confess that I am an election groupie and the ultimate sucker for these carnivals. Even watching the delegates who look like clowns and act like clowns who have chosen our choices, I’m happy to be part of this great game. On occasion I have been moved to tears. Robert Dole’s acceptance speech in 1994 was the last time that happened. It was elegant, articulate, patriotic and totally convincing. He could not get a rise in the American public so after he lost he went on to commercials hawking Viagra.
Obama made a very lovely “why can’t we all get along” speech in 2004. He trounced the Clintons and I loved every minute. He is in deep and hot water because he went in too soon and clearly over his head. He is not the ogre some think he is. He’s kept really bad company but President Bush’s hand holding with the Saudi despots is pretty bad too. But never mind, it’s really the Democrat Party that makes me stay with the Republicans.
Party platforms are always almost identical. In 2004 the Democrat Party platform was entitled “Strong at Home - Respected in the World.” In brief, in 43 pages they declared American Indians, Guam, Samoa and Puerto Rico good, Bush terrible; women’s rights paramount, Bush terrible; war and disease mean, Bush terrible; profiling and hate crimes bad, Bush terrible; environment sacrosanct and Bush terrible.
One section is really rich. Page 18.: “Today the American economy depends on oil controlled by some of the world’s most repressive regimes. This leaves our economy vulnerable to nations that do not share our interests. Blah, blah blah……We are committed to achieving energy independence and we know we can do it. Our ingenuity and determination built the cars we drive and the bridges we use…electrified America and took us to the moon and…..helped conquer polio.” Oh, I almost forgot….Bush terrible. Were all these great things accomplished while Congress took an August break? Oh, and another thing. Polio was conquered by Jonathan Salk and Albert Sabin during the Republican administration of Eisenhower in the 1950s.
The GOP 2004 platform was named “A Safer World and a More Hopeful America” and began with a loving tribute to Ronald Reagan. The other 91 pages were all about protecting the community, the family, the economy and winning the war on terror, stamping out AIDS, promoting peace….blah, blah, blah. Taliban and al Qaeda bad, but most Muslims good.
On page 35 is another goodie: " Russia and America are no longer strategic adversaries…..We continue to support the independence and stability of the states of the former Soviet Union in the belief that a prosperous and stable neighborhood will reinforce Russia’s integration into the Euro-Atlantic Community.” Hmmmm.
On page 51: " We need a comprehensive energy policy so that we will no longer lurch from one crisis to the next……support drilling in ANWR…new natural gas pipeline….ethanol (???)…clean coal and nuclear energy. Clinton and Democrat Congress bad.
So there you have it. Both parties issue platitudes and break their promises but the GOP platform has been better on national security, intelligence, energy and the war on terror - although neither party breathes a word about Jihad and Islam and neither has done a thing about energy independence.
I personally am going with McCain, however reluctantly, because I am resigned to the blather and broken promises and panaceas, but this year the Democrats are too inclusive with radical Islamists and on August 24th at their “interfaith service” the tent will feature Ingrid Mattson president of the Islamic Society of North America, an un-indicted co-conspirators in the Holy Land Fund Trial in 2007. ISNA’s magazine, Islamic Horizons, as Steve Emerson and Jihadwatch.com have detailed, is a hotbed of pro-jihadist literature, and has long championed HAMAS and HAMAS officials.
The other reason I’ll stick with the GOP is Nancy Pelosi. My case rests.