B74-DES38
Death, Hypocrisy, & The Lesser Of 2 Evils Dilemma
Copyright © by Dan Schneider, 10/27/02
2 days ago
Minnesota’s senior Senator Paul Wellstone, a Democrat, was killed in a small
plane crash near Eveleth, Minnesota, along with his wife, daughter, 3 campaign
workers, & the 2 pilots. He was campaigning hard in a fight against
Republican ex-mayor of St. Paul, Norm Coleman. Some other minor party candidates
were also involved but basically it was a dirty mud-slinging fight between the 2
main combatants. However, right after the crash on Friday the dead Senator
suddenly was up for beatification- even from Republican politicians- both in
Minnesota & nationwide. What hypocrisy! & how typical.
I am a
registered Democrat, but I can tell you I really loathed Wellstone- the
politician, if not the man. But, then- are the 2 intertwined? I mean, since the
crash Republicans, who excoriated Wellstone, have been singing his praises as a
tough but fair opponent, while Democrats have been talking about the man as if
he were a major historical figure. Both sides talk about his integrity, even as
Republicans pointed out that the man went back on his promise to not serve more
than 2 terms. Democrats counter that that’s just politics as usual, while
non-aligned voters tended to view Wellstone as the lesser of 2 evils- a
too-common rallying cry in most elections. Yet, the man was, in fact, a proven
liar. Not only on his pledge to serve just 2 terms- but ask most gay voters, who
were stabbed in the back when Wellstone, in 1996 while trying to get re-elected,
joined the Far Right in supporting the specious & ludicrous anti-gay
Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA). Despite that, Wellstone- on death- was hailed as
a man of conviction- a modern Mr. Smith who went to Washington. Granted, that
may all be true- but do not leave out the fact that he returned a corrupted,
cynical politician. At least with Bill Clinton Progressive causes knew they were
dealing with a 2-Face. This duplicity, plus his genuine stupidity, &
penchant for displays of asininity, made him an embarrassment to most
Progressives- an easy target of ridicule that did more harm than good to his
causes. Yes, I agreed with him more than not, but he was exceedingly ineffective
because of his antics- like his 1991 protest against the Gulf War in- of all
places- front of the Vietnam War Memorial! Not to mention his dastardly support
of wasteful government spending on arts. The truth is that his 12 years in the
Senate were mostly forgettable. He was a little man in more than height. He was-
in short (although now, doubtlessly denied)- a sort of national political joke.
I recall the
1st time I saw the former Political Science professor from Carleton
College (in Northfield, Minnesota) on tv. He was on a PBS program in late
’91-early ’92. It may have been 1 of the national shows or 1 of the local
shows. He was asked about the Balkans War, & what the repercussions might be
if the fighting in that region brought in the armed forces of Turkey- then 1 of
the 10 largest militaries in the world. Without even pausing to think, Wellstone
blurted out that Turkey was of no concern since that was the Middle East- a
different part of the world. That this former Political Science professor never
seemed to glance at a Rand-McNally & see that less than 100 miles of Greece
stand between Turkey & the disintegrating Yugoslavia dumbfounded me. This
grotesque stupidity was
no mere slip of the tongue. The years proved how shallow-minded Wellstone was.
Yet death has apotheosized many a worse politician & person. I don’t doubt
Wellstone was a decent man, but he was a bad Senator. If I, a Democrat, am not
willing to admit that some of the leaders of my registered party (I’ve tended
to drift to 3rd party candidates in recent years- Nader in 1996 &
2000 for Prez, for instance. I refuse to do the lesser of 2 evils crap for you
are still left with an evil. My belief is if everyone voted their true conscience
we would accomplish alot more because Democrats & Republicans would not be
able to hijack issues from the public.) are bad, then how can I criticize
Republicans who still alibi for Nixon, Reagan, & the 2 Bushes? Simply
spouting out what interest groups want to hear is not enough- effectiveness in
achieving these things matters. On this count Wellstone was an unabashed failure
with no real legislative legacy. In short, a political midget!
The only
positive thing that I could think of resulting from a Wellstone re-election
would be that the political career of Norm Coleman would be dead. Coleman- a
turncoat Democrat- is anti-abortion, pro-big business, & had a failed record
as St. Paul mayor. He could not even beat wacky ex-pro wrestler Jesse Ventura
out in the 1998 Minnesota Governor’s race & has brooded over it ever
since. He has all the oleaginous charm & sincerity of a used car salesman
& the only reason he even had a shot to beat Wellstone was because of
Wellstone’s lack of stature. Yet these 2 paragons were slinging mud with a
fury. Wellstone started it by airing a commercial showing Coleman endorsing his
& Bill Clinton’s re-election bids in 1996. Coleman then countered by
saying that the state could only get better by passing its well stone. Now that
it has the Coleman camp is silent. Democrats seem to have turned to 74 year old
ex-Senator & ex-U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale to fill in for Wellstone
in the election little more than a week away. I, for 1, am relieved as Mondale
is an articulate & respected elder statesman whom I voted for in the 1984
Presidential race against the evil Ronald Reagan. The Far Right even respects
him, unlike the phoniness they displayed toward Wellstone. He actually had a
track record of accomplishment, not just a mouth. In short, there is now a clear
cut choice, not a lesser of 2 evils campaign. I had been leaning toward Green
Party candidate for Senate Ray Tricomo, but if Mondale runs I will vote
Democratic for that seat. Not only will Minnesota have a good Senator again (its
junior Senator Mark Dayton- a guilty white liberal scion of wealth- usually a
good thing- seems to be an almost stealth presence in the Senate. Excuse me- but
why bother to be elected if you are not GONNA FIGHT?!), but the ophidian Coleman
will have to shed about a half dozen more skins before anyone considers him a
serious candidate for anything.
In short,
while I feel badly that any decent person dies a tragic death, I am realistic
enough to know that this gives voters in Minnesota a chance to actually elect
someone with good ideas & a proven record of effectiveness in achieving
results. R.I.P. Senator Wellstone- in death you’ve finally done the good you
failed to do in life!
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