Leahy: "Doing Whatever It Takes To Cling To Power "

[madfloridian]

Guest column at DFA by Senator Patrick Leahy. Senator Leahy has much righteous anger.

http://www.blogforamerica.com/archives/005392.html#more

This week, U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) offers a guest column to Democracy for America readers.

SNIP..."At the same time that we are fighting an insidious enemy abroad, insidious seeds have been planted in our democracy right here at home during this election campaign.

To hold on to power, to preserve their own political self interest, President Bush and his political allies have tried to smother debate about his policies on terrorism and on Iraq. They have implied that a coronation instead of a real election would be the patriotic thing to do.

They have shamelessly accused those who question the President's handling of the war on terrorism and the war in Iraq of giving aid and comfort to our enemies. They have said that terrorists have a preference in this election, and that it's George Bush's political opponents. On the eve of the first debate Bush-Campaign campaign manager Ken Mehlman accused Senator Kerry of giving Iraqi terrorists ideas in his criticisms of White House handling of the war.

This is not politics as usual. This is something new and ugly and dangerous. A President who preaches to other parts of the world about the virtues of democracy shows no hesitation about introducing the corrosive acid of demagoguery and the politics of fear into our own democracy. They would debase free and open debate to eke out a self-serving political victory. Whatever it takes.

SNIP...."There is no denying what they are really insinuating here. What they are saying is that the half of all Americans who disagree with this President's policies are less patriotic or are somehow not as American as they are. Have they no self respect? No sense of decency?

Our forefathers warned against demagoguery like this—against politicians like these, who would try to co-opt religion or the American flag or who would brandish raw fear in order to hold on to power for themselves. The Founders instead held up as models those leaders who instead would appeal to our better nature, not to our worst fears....."END SNIP

[Richardo]

1. Bush rewrites FDR: "The only thing we have...is fear."

:grr:

[Maiden England]

2. excellent article (nt)

[janx]

3. I'm never disappointed in Leahy. He has always been one of

my all-time favorite senators!

[cali]

4. thank you Pat

Great stuff. I expect no less from my Senator. If you want to read something really great, read his speech from just before the IWR.