Looking Forward

[H2O Man]

"There are those who regard this history of past strife and exile as better forgotten. But, to use the phrase of Yeats, let us not casually reduce ‘that great past to a trouble of fools,’ for we need not feel the bitterness of the past to discover its meaning for the present and the future." – John F. Kennedy; 1963.

I watched the presidential debates again on CNN last night. Two things stand out: the top republican candidates are fools stuck in the bitterness of the past, while the top three democrats represent the potential to use that past to rebuild the foundation of our country, in order that we can deal with the present and move into the future.

The republican debate was an episode of jackal pack behavior. Ron Paul was viciously pack attacked for attempted to tell the truth about the relationship between the US policy in the Middle East, and terrorism. Mitt Romney was treated like a poodle attempting to exercise dominance over the jackals.

As a democrat, I found the republican debate to be encouraging. Each of their candidates has serious flaws. Although the republican political machine will gear up for the fall campaign, they will still be running jackal. They will try to disguise their jackal as a cuddly family dog; but it will be easy to expose that dog as Old Yeller with the rabies, or a blathering Hucklebee Hound.

It is clear that their top candidates feel pressured to embrace the Bush-Cheney administration. They do not dare move too far away from the administration’s positions and policies. They are stuck in a bitter sludge that the country is rejecting. It is clear that the real excitement is found not in the republican debates, but in the democratic contest.

As can be expected, the supporters of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John Edwards all see the debate as a victory for their candidate. They are able to focus on both what their candidate did right, and to make note of any slight error that the other two may have made.

The truth is that each of the three did well in the debate. The three share many of the same positive attributes, though each one offers something unique and good for our country’s future. Although some of the campaign aides will promote their candidate, and dismiss the other two, it is possible to step back and see that all three are good and capable politicians.

The Bush-Cheney administration has done damage to our country, and the world, that will take decades to repair. No matter which of the three democrats is elected, the truth is that they will not be able to work miracles overnight. No matter what the commercials may say, each will be working with congress, and dealing with the same crooked influences that have poisoned the political atmosphere in Washington, DC.

Karl Rove & Co. were a tumor on the state, but they were not the first. Newt Gingrich and his ilk created a toxic element in congress, but they were not the first. In order to appreciate the nature of the disease that threatens our democracy, we need a good understanding of the connections between the Nixon, Reagan, and Bush1 administrations, and today’s illness.

We must also be willing to recognize the role that some in the democratic party have played. It’s not limited to an obvious weak link like Joe Lieberman. When we think of the damage done to the Great Writ of habeas corpus, we have to start with the Bill Clinton. When we look at the current democratic congress, we must admit that they have utterly failed to show respect for the voters who demanded an end to the Bush-Cheney madness in Iraq when they went to the voting booths in 2006.

We need to select the candidate who is most capable of leading this nation in the present and the future. It will not be the candidate who can be most divisive in the primaries. The ability to protect our rights, and to heal the wounds, will not be found in the most vicious campaign. As citizens, we have the responsibility to keep our eye on the prize, and to work towards unity within the party, because without question, we need the vast majority of the supporters of each of the top three candidates to work together, if we are going to win come November.

[panader0]

1. Clear, concise, well-written and recommended

[H2O Man]

4. Thank you n/t

[Annces]

2. Thanks for the overview

I think these words are true - "we need not feel the bitterness of the past to discover its meaning for the present and the future". Just as in life, difficult relationships or experiences are meant to be worked through and not just left in the past.

[H2O Man]

5. Right.

I find the threads on DU about the topic of "working with republicans" very interesting. It is obvious that many good people have been hurt by the hatred that the republican party has injected into our nation. We have to work to make society safe on many levels. Yet we cannot hope to have security or healing without having people at all levels -- from the grass roots to Washington DC -- find as much common ground as possible. That common ground is the only stable site where we can repair the foundation of our Constitutional democracy. It is common ground that can be found in families, in neighborhoods, in communities, and in counties, states, and the federal government.

[KoKo]

3. A breath of fresh air...H20man...

Bush/Cheney and McMedia have set the stage for divisiveness and chaos aided by many in our own party we hoped would come to the rescue. We need to step back and look to the future. What will a new Administration look like under each of the candidates based on what we are seeing and hearing from them.

The infighting and anger takes our minds off the future and could shut down our ability to look past the "game" to envision what could be the results when the game is over and the hard work begins to try to begin to repair the damage. The candidate who acknowledges the damage...and has a plan for beginning the repair is the one we should be trying to focus our attention on. And it goes beyond just "Hope" and "Prayers" and having "former experience," or "No Experience." If we don't have a candidate who seriously acknowledges what is broken then we will muddle along stuck in that "bitter sludge" you speak of.

[H2O Man]

8. "McMedia"

Oh, I like that!

One of the great things about a place like DU is that we do not depend on the McMedia to tell us either how or what to think. At this time, as much as at any point in our nation's history, it is important that each of us look at the problems we face, and evaluate what candidate offers us the most realistic avenue to move into the future. On DU, we have many good people who have sincere differences of opinion. Those differences can be a source of good or bad -- we are stronger when we respectfully listen to and consider the insights of others, and we risk degenerating into that republican mire when we engage in bitter mud-slinging. We witnessed both potentials on DU with Iowa, and we are subjected to more of it as Tuesday approaches. Thus, I appreciate DUers such as you, who always try to offer a voice of reason. Thank you for making DU a better place.

[TheDoorbellRang]

6. After wading thru way too much chaff here at DU,

it's always a pleasure to encounter some wheat. Thanks for the positive analysis, H2O Man. I've had my top three choices for candidates fall away, so in the next few weeks I'm going to the remaining candidates' websites to decide for myself which one is most appealing, but I think my greatest concern is how effective they can be in dealing with the sharks in D.C. No matter who wins, they won't be able to get anything done/fixed unless they can be crafty, too.

[H2O Man]

11. Thanks.

After watching both debates, I think that the contrast between the two parties is stark. I am reminded of when Malcolm X used to say that if you put two glasses of water -- one clean and one filthy -- in front of a thirsty person, they will pick out the clean one. We need to take care that we do not allow the republican filth to be mixed into our glass.

[spanone]

7. a kick and a recommend -

[H2O Man]

13. Thank you n/t

[Lochloosa]

9. Damn H20 Man, you put might thoughts to paper better

than I could ever hope to do.

[H2O Man]

14. As long as I

use a good JFK quote to start with, most people forgive what follows!

[mmonk]

10. Jackal behavior

is attributed to the pack of jackals they have become. It's high time for the public at large to exercise recognition.

[H2O Man]

15. There is a

viciousness on display in the republican debates that is very unattractive. They are fielding the most petty, damaged group of candidates that I can remember.

[Me.]

12. So What Do You Think

"There are those who regard this history of past strife and exile as better forgotten."

There seems to be a feeling in some campaigns and certainly in the media that we should just walk on by. And the argument has been, and will continue to, be made that we should give a pass to */Cheney, now and when they are out of office, for the sake of the country. I am not of that frame of mind. Lessons will not be learned if there is no serious accountability meted out. If nothing else, Iran/Contra should have taught us that.

With the glow of winners rising, will justice also rise?

[H2O Man]

16. Good question.

My own opinion on what is needed is perhaps best expressed in Amos 5:24, "But let justice flow like a river, and mercy like an unfailing stream."

I'm not sure if there would be any difference in the approach that the administration of a President Obama, Clinton, or Edwards would take in regard to the potential prosecution of Bush administration officials. It seems to me that the real responsibility fell to the current congress, and the vast majority of the democrats in both the House and Senate have failed -- miserably -- to uphold their oath of office to uphold and protect the US Constitution. This is true in cases ranging from the lies that brought us to war in Iraq, to the Plame scandal. More, while I agree 100% that the current Justice Department has not gone far enough in regard to its position on the "torture tapes," the Attorney General has actually gone beyond talking tough and has taken some action. Few in congress could accurately make the same claim.

[Me.]

18. Good Answer

And you are quite correct that Congress has failed. However, next time around, if Pelosi and Reid finally live up to their responsibility (which I honestly doubt)will the new pres (as head of the party) support it. We can't tell at this point, however, I hope this is not another shoving things under the carpet admin, coming up. If a Con gets in that will be a given.

[H2O Man]

26. The next president

will have to deal with a weak congress. This is what allowed Bush & Cheney to get away with all of their criminal behavior and abuses of the power of their offices. If there is an honest democratic president, the weak congress could be more of a ball & chain. That's sad, but true.

[yodermon]

24. I am hoping that there are enough true Patriots in the various agencies

that have evidence & knowledge of wrongdoing, but are not coming forward while this admin. is still in power because they know they will be ignored, if not silenced completely. I'm hoping that with a Democratic Justice department they will find the courage to come forward. My biggest fear is that the next administration will literally let these crooks walk free without even a semblance of an investigation. Between Bush Sr's pardons, and Bill Clinton's failure to investigate, a lot of the *same damn crooks* returned to roost in the current maladministration. I really cannot countenance that happening again, I really cannot. This is the one fear I have of an Obama administration, as he's said that he won't seek to prosecute. I'm hoping that he changes his mind.

And you're absolutely right about the current Congress.

sorry for the ramble.

[H2O Man]

25. Great point.

The administration showed with Joe Wilson that they are willing to go after anyone who disagrees with them. As John Dean pointed out in his classic book "Worse Than Watergate," even the Nixon administration didn't do that. (Of course, there is evidence they did, in regard to Ed Muskie's wife, but not in a way that put the Muskie family in potential danger.) It may be that there are people who will speak out after the elections.

[bleever]

17. It's funny that out of the whole pack of GOP candidates,

John McCain ends up coming across as the most pragmatic and results-oriented, while everyone else (leaving aside Ron Paul) competes to see who can be the most retrograde club-wielding strongman.

[H2O Man]

19. In the debate,

John McCain seemed to prove the old saying that it is often better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open one's mouth like Romney, and remove all doubt. And, to be fair, I think that when he did talk, McCain did the best he has thus far in the campaign.

[Me.]

20. Still....

I shudder at the idea of him in the WH

[H2O Man]

22. I think it is

very unlikely that McCain could be elected. I do not think he poses the biggest threat of the republican candidates. He shares a quality with Bob Dole, which is a cranky temperment, that the public finds unattractive. It's one thing to grin at Willard Romney when he is out of control; it is quite another to remain composed in a serious debate.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

21. Bingo! He is the only one who's traveled this road before and it shows.

He's smart and canny and doing the low key statesman thing will earn him points with the constituency, as almost a default candidate.

Of course, he will encounter great difficulty trying to present himself as independent of, or even in opposition to, Bush.

:kick: Thanks for the cogent OP of true positivity!

MKJ

[H2O Man]

23. He is a sad case.

In the fall, I mentioned to a friend that I felt bad watching McCain these days, because I used to respect him. He was flawed, of course. But he appears reduced from person he was a decade ago. My friend said that McCain's decline as an individual is a fair measure of how far the entire republican party has fallen.

[Tatiana]

27. Change is in the air.

If we have fair elections (and I'm iffy on that one), the Republicans don't have a shot. Watching the Republicans debate, I really got the sense that this is what it looks like when a party makes a pact with the devil. Most of their passion came from debating who was the best Bush-Cheneyite. They don't know policy, they don't know foreign relations, and they are clueless about the economy. This is the best the other party could produce? G-d help us all if one of them ever gets elected again. At least, with the Democrats, we are dealing with intelligent people who understand the economy, know policy, and have more than an adequate understanding of foreign relations. The Democrats acknowledge that there are fundamental problems with the direction in which this country is headed; the Republicans think everything is fine and want to give us a double dose of more of the same. It's quite sickening, actually.

I couldn't stomach the whole Repub debate, but I kept thinking, "do they REALLY believe this crap? Do they REALLY?" The scary thing is, I think they DO. The only way people like this can ever manage to get elected is through subterfuge and cheating because who in their right mind would vote for someone who wants to keep our troops in Iraq for the next 100 YEARS? That's INSANE!

If anything, I feel even better about our candidates and our chances at winning the Presidency back. I still don't have a preferred candidate, but either of the big three will work fine for me.

[H2O Man]

28. We can count

on the republican machine to cheat in 2008 in several states. There is zero chance of that not being at least attempted.

I also do not have a preferred candidate. I feel no pressure to pick one, because I am confident that any one of the top three is good for the party and the country. I do think it is interesting to consider who each of the three might consider for the VP spot. In my opinion, that is an interesting question to consider.

[KoKo]

29. Good advice....

We need to select the candidate who is most capable of leading this nation in the present and the future. It will not be the candidate who can be most divisive in the primaries. The ability to protect our rights, and to heal the wounds, will not be found in the most vicious campaign. As citizens, we have the responsibility to keep our eye on the prize, and to work towards unity within the party, because without question, we need the vast majority of the supporters of each of the top three candidates to work together, if we are going to win come November.


Sadly... I worry, it will end up with who is the most divisive according to the McMedia and keeping our eye on the prize seems like a small star to focus on in the universe in these times with the upheaval and dissention and Media Whordom and candidates who in some cases are as scurrilous as we've seen in the past but will get a bump and pass from the same McMedia who have stolen with spin so many elections.

But...I will take your advice to heart. The cynic in me...just has to keep me from being too optimistic...because the optimism bleeds too much. :-(

[Joe Fields]

30. I don't see any of the top three candidates even willing to

address the crimes of the Bush administration. They act as though they've wished them away.

It's like the coffee table in the center of the living room. They know they have to walk around it, because if they bump into it, they might hurt themselves.

And I don't see how we move forward as a nation, until those crimes and criminals have been addressed properly.

[H2O Man]

31. I saw your post

about the reasons why you will be voting for Dennis Kucinich. I have nothing but respect for what you said there. I also agree that if people are not held responsible for their crimes, those same activities will be repeated again and again. We saw this when Ford pardoned Nixon, and when Bush1 pardoned his Iran-Contra co-conspirators. Our country has an infection, and unless we take the antibiotic as prescribed, the infection will again mutate and return. Our Constitutional democracy will hold withstand another bout with this mutant infection.

[FogerRox]

32. Solid stuff as always Waterman