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August 28, 2004

Here's a good one...GOP convention to display party's "heart and soul"

It's my understanding that Republicans, at their national convention, will pursue a theme of "heart and soul," as they try to paint the best possible face on an administration with a troubled record and even more troubling prospects for another term. Heart and soul? Really? I'm afraid attaching that phrase to the Republican Party begs further consideration. (By Rick Howell)

This happens every four years with the modern Republican Party. Ever since they began purging themselves of moderates, beginning about 1980, Republicans pursue right-wing agendas and then, like actors in an ancient stage play, they wear masks of moderation at convention time. A party that's really not very diverse suddenly seems heavily populated with African Americans and women. Hard-edged policies become kinder and gentler.

I suppose the only time they slipped was in 1992, when Pat Buchanan let loose with the frightful talk about "culture wars." It was scary, all right, and they haven't made that mistake again. So this year we'll get "heart and soul." But let's not forget to look behind the masks and see the real thing.

What, exactly, is the heart of the GOP? Was it their proposal to change laws on overtime pay that would have helped corporations but not workers? Their absolute refusal to consider a hike in the minimum wage? Their inaction on health care as some four million more people have been added to the rolls of the uninsured under George Bush?

How about the heart and soul it took to create the No Child Left Behind legislation, mandate it in our public schools, and then not fully fund it? Certainly, our troops in Iraq have not been treated with much heart or soul. They've been sent to fight without all the equipment they needed and had their tours extended after promises of going home. I'm not sure what the words are that best describe sending brave young soldiers to fight in a war based on faulty intelligence, without a real coalition, and without any exit strategy whatsoever. But I'm certain those words aren't heart and soul.

As Democrats proud to support John Kerry and John Edwards, we need to spend the GOP convention week holding this party responsible for what it says it is. Let's not let our fellow Americans who may be undecided be fooled by this bogus display of heart and soul. Let's spend the week as our own individual Democratic truth squads, each of us.

We know real heart and soul. They don't.

Rick Howell is chairman of the Amherst County Democratic Committee, and Host of the Kerry Meet-Ups in Lynchburg. He can be reached via e-mail at NewCenHowell@aol.com

Posted by rickhowell at August 28, 2004 04:15 PM

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