Reply #103: considering the other paths of action and consequences he did ok [View All]

[kodi]

and i hope those who read zinn, chomsky, and gore vidal do what i do after an angry and enlightening night reading those authors, viz., take a long walk before i write anything political, 'cause it sounds like a polemic when i do, and zinn, chomsky and vidal do it so much better.

as to clinton, shall we repeat again that had he kept his penis in harness the man could have accomplished more in the 20th century as president than all fdr. clinton had a chance to be one of the top 10 presidents we ever had.

he did the things he did for political expedience, to survive. he compromised on a lot dear to many, especially that dispicable welfare reform act.

but looking out over the congress at that time, i think it unrealistic to believe that congress would have yielded more. yet clinton did force the hand of the republican congress when the government shut down in 1995 and won a battle no one thought he would. this act alone might well have been the event that turned the tide for the survival of the democratic party as a political force (the '96 congressional elections not withstanding).

for those of us who recall a democratic party which was once great, then a stumbling mockery in the late '80's - early '90's, clinton gave the democratic party some breathing room to redefine itself while under the constant attack of the right wing with its multitude of millionaires and media minions.

its ugly to have to admit it, but clinton gave ground to continue this party's survival. he gave up some vital stuff, in welfare, civil/personal rights, trade, and it is up to all of us to now carry the torch and not let those sacrifices that were made for simple survival to our ideals and our weakest be seen in vain.

the democratic party is back in the game across america and it is getting stronger...NEVER, EVER FORGET THIS.

it is up to us to use this strengthened party to regain what we lost in its weakest moments.

of all the things that clinton did, he left the democratic party stronger than he found it. but he is just another man, he is not a hero riding on a white horse or moses taking us to the promised land.

in a functioning democracy, that task is for each of us working together to realize.