Need some help polishing my LTTE on Republican cover-ups

[NewJeffCT]

Any tips are appreciated - thanks!


Three major items have made the news in recent weeks. One is that Iraq is worse than what Team Bush has been telling America. The second is the North Korean nuclear test. The third was the scandal involving Congressional sex predator Mark Foley and House pages.

There is a common thread to all three of these items: Republican leaders have covered up the truth in order to win elections.

For three years now, we have heard Team Bush say how we were not getting the good news on Iraq, when reality was far worse than the already grim picture the American media has shown.

Then, we said we would only negotiate if China, Japan and South Korea were there as well. However, reality was bilateral talks had worked before, and China wanted us to have bilateral talks with North Korea.

Finally, we had the cover-up of Mark Foley for years because he was both a big fundraiser for Republicans and they did not want to lose his House seat.

It seems the Republicans prefer to sacrifice either the security of our nation or our children in order to give America a falsely positive impression and hold on to power.

[reichstag911]

1. OK...changes in 1st and last grafs...

...and combine grafs 1 & 2:

Three major items have made the news in recent weeks. One is that the situation in Iraq is worse than what Team Bush has been telling America. The second is the North Korean nuclear test. The third was the scandal involving Congressional sex predator Mark Foley and House pages. The common thread to all three of these items: Republican leaders have covered up the truth in order to win elections.

For three years now, we have heard Team Bush say how we were not getting the good news on Iraq, when reality was far worse than the already grim picture the American media has shown.

Then, we said we would only negotiate if China, Japan and South Korea were there as well. However, reality was bilateral talks had worked before, and China wanted us to have bilateral talks with North Korea.

Finally, we had the cover-up of Mark Foley for years because he was both a big fundraiser for Republicans and they did not want to lose his House seat.

It seems the Republicans would sacrifice both our children and the security of our nation in order to hold on to power.

[Orrex]

2. A quick suggestion

I'd get rid of "Team Bush" and refer instead to Bush himself, because "Team Bush" seems like a Liberal colloquialism that can make your argument sound like a Leftist rant.

* * * *

Three stories have made recent headlines: Iraq is far worse than Bush has been telling us; North Korea has tested a nuclear bomb; and a scandal involving GOP sex predator Mark Foley has rocked the House of Representatives. In each instance Republican leaders have hidden the truth in order to retain control of the government.

For years President Bush has insisted that we haven't heard the positive news from Iraq, when reality is far worse than the already grim and violent picture the American media has shown.

In addition, Bush has said that we will negotiate with North Korea only if China, Japan and South Korea participated as well, because bilateral talks were bilateral negotiations are futile, according to Bush. In reality, bilateral talks have worked before, and China wanted the United States to engage in direct negotiation with North Korea.

Finally, the Republican leadership covered up Mark Foley's grossly improper conduct for years because he was a big fundraiser for the GOP and because they did not want to lose his House seat. A 52 year old man was permitted to send countless illicit emails to minors, all for the sake of political gain.

It is clear that the Republican leadership will go to any lengths to retain its stranglehold on power, even sacrificing the security of our children and our nation to create a false impression of successful foreign and domestic policy.

[MsUnderstood]

3. Great letter...one small change from me

In addition, Bush has said that we will negotiate with North Korea only if China, Japan and South Korea participated as well, because bilateral talks were bilateral negotiations are futile, according to Bush. In reality, bilateral talks have worked before, and China wanted the United States to engage in direct negotiation with North Korea.

Too many bushes in this sentence, try this:

In addition, our president has said that we will negotiate with North Korea only if China, Japan and South Korea participated as well, because, according to Bush, bilateral talks were bilateral negotiations are futile. In reality, bilateral talks have worked before, and China wanted the United States to engage in direct negotiation with North Korea.

[Orrex]

5. You're right! Your suggestion is an improvement

In addition, there's a decided sneer to the phrase "our president" that I think works very well.

And the fewer Bushes, the better!

[NewJeffCT]

8. Thanks

Unfortunately, I need to run out a bit early because my daughter is under the weather...

[B Calm]

4. You might add:

If republicans hadn’t spent all their time protecting child sex predators, maybe they would have paid more attention to Korea!

[Orrex]

6. A good thought, but...

Whenever possible in LTTE's on this subject, I think that it's vital to distinguish between Republicans and the Republican Leadership. The average reader who considers him/herself a Republican might take umbrage at being grouped among the enablers of a sex predator, however obliquely, and such readers will simply dismiss the LTTE altogether. But if we keep the focus on the Leadership (where, as we all know, it belongs!), we avoid that misunderstanding.

[B Calm]

7. I think it's better to make republicans ashamed to be in the GOP!

Piss a few off, who cares!

[Orrex]

9. Well, that's a much bigger fight!

I mean, I'd certainly be ashamed if I'd voted for Bush, but for people who haven't yet awakened to the horror of his presidency, a softer touch might be in order if we want to bring them into reality.

But for those who know the truth and still support him, all bets are off!

[mrreowwr_kittty]

11. Agree. That's what Republicans did to Democrats.

And it worked. They used Democrat and liberal interchangeably and said it like it was a slur. Despite the fact that many Americans considered themselves both Democratic and liberal for many years. Eventually they wore us down until few would admit to being a Democrat and even fewer the dreaded "L" word. They didn't worry about offending anyone because they were conditioning the public to be repelled by certain concepts. It's not so much that it caused a mass shift to the right or Republicanism, but it caused enough people to doubt themselves and the ability of Dems to win elections.

Though I must say that at our very worst, we are not 1/10th as mean-spirited as Republicans have been to us since the '80s.

[B Calm]

12. Softer touch....ha ha ha

[reichstag911]

10. Also,...

...add a "the" before "reality" in the graf on NK.