-Caveat Lector-
>Online Journal - http://www.onlinejournal.com
>
>01-18-01: It's a cakewalk for Ashcroft and other Bush picks, as Senate
>Democrats roll over again
>
>By Larry Chin
>
>January 18, 2001 | Even before he began asking his questions, Senator
>Herbert Kohl, the Democrat from Wisconsin, said to John Ashcroft, "You are
>likely to be confirmed, as we well know."
>
>As we know too damned well, the so-called "hearings" over the confirmation
>of Ashcroft are turning out to be another fine example of what a cowering,
>prostrate, bought-and-paid-for puppy dog of a party the Democrats have
>become.
>
>Two days have passed without any real challenge to Ashcroft's venomous
>racism, his ardent love of the Confederacy, his misogynistic pro-birth
>activism, his dirty deals with corporations, his rabidly militant
>religious beliefs and ties to Christian militia groups, his Bob Jones
>University butt-kissing, or his fund raising activities and long history
>of defying campaign finance laws. The volumes of evidence compiled by
>civil rights groups, women's groups, human rights groups, anti-corruption
>organizations and other investigators-filed away and ignored.
>
>For two days we have suffered through the usual obstructionism from
>hatchet men Orrin Hatch and Arlen Specter (the eternal defenders of all
>things Republican, corrupt, and criminal), and biased "testimony" from
>Ashcroft friends and relatives, like the corrupt and pompous John Danforth.
>
>For two days we have labored through hours of senatorial buddy-buddy,
>preening, congratulatory chuckling and sickening ass kissing about how
>"Senator Ashcroft served our great and grand nation with honor" and
>"exudes integrity."
>
>The polite and effete Democrats who did manage to peep out questions
>squeaked out the wrong ones, and worse, tossed patently ridiculous
>softballs at Ashcroft such as: "Will you defend Roe v. Wade, Senator
>Ashcroft?" "I will enforce the law," he said. "Thank you, what a great,
>great man you are. By gosh, I believe ya." And it's over.
>
>Only Ted Kennedy dared to venture into Ashcroft's skeleton closet. But
>Kennedy's words, however blistering and appropriate, have no power in
>America. He has long been defrocked-"Chappaquidicked"- by his political
>opponents to the point that whatever leaves his mouth is rendered harmless.
>
>Ashcroft knows the congressional testimony game. Republicans have played
>the weak Democrats like fools since the Iran-Contra/Clarence Thomas days.
>
>The formula, which will be used by every Republican who comes before the
>Senate, consists of variations on the following:
>
>-"I promise to be good and ethical. Trust me. (wink)"
>
>- (Lie about record here.)
>
>-"That may have happened in the past. I won't do it anymore."
>
>-"I don't recall."
>
>-"I can appreciate your views. (Do not clarify nor answer.)
>
>- (Distort facts here.)
>
>-"No, I didn't say that. (List lies here)."
>
>-"Thank you for that important question. I'll do my best to address it.
>(Ramble, but don't.) "
>
>- (Take credit for things he/she never did here.)
>
>-"In fact, I am a caring, passionate defender of all people (List lies
>here)."
>
>-"Thank you for that compliment, [first name of Republican chum], that is
>an issue that means a lot to me." (Follow with rambling patriotic
>monologue laced with homilies, bad sport analogies and religious humility.)
>
>In an adjoining Senate chamber, Colin Powell repeated the same lies to
>even softer softballs. It will happen over and over with Norton, Thompson,
>Rumsfeld, and whomever Bush chooses to force down our throats.
>
>Dirty politicians like Ashcroft and Bush lie. They lie in front of
>microphones and cameras, and under oath. They lie, and the system protects
>them. They lie, and the corporate media reflects their lies. A genuinely
>stupid and dumbed-down populace accepts the sound bites of lies-based
>"hunches," a politician's looks and or style, and on zero knowledge of
>facts.
>
>The politicians slip by and, once in power, do violence to democracy with
>ruthlessness and impunity-with the consent and assistance of congressional
>cronies who are themselves corrupt.
>
>It is painfully evident that America is not run by two parties. It is run
>by one fanatical Corporate Party headed by the likes of the Bush family,
>in which no member can or will fight another.
>
>Can we expect the Borking that Ashcroft deserves before the full Senate,
>under a system in which a "progressive" senator, such as Paul Wellstone,
>of Minnesota is a personal friend of a gun-toting rightwing fanatic like
>Ashcroft?
>
>Don't hold your breath. Just take to the streets.
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