Time and again, during the Republican National Convention, we heard from Democrats about the “extreme” nature of the positions held by prominent Republican politicians. During the Democrat convention, we heard about how various Republicans are actually like Adolph Hitler, or members of his entourage. In particular, the head of the California Democratic Party compared Republican Vice-Presidential nominee Paul Ryan to Joseph Goebbels, and Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina was likened to Eva Braun, Hitler’s mistress by the Chairman Democratic Party of her own state. In fact, Hitler references were (and are) heard so often that one might mistakenly (or not) think that this line was an official Democratic Party talking point.
John Burton, Chairman of the California Democratic Party, later “apologized,” saying that he never called Republicans Nazis nor would he ever do so, and that he was sorry “if Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, or the Republicans are insulted by my describing their campaign tactic as the Big Lie.”
Sure he is.
I will agree that the word “Nazi” never passed his lips – at least according to reports I have seen. However, one would have to be living under a rock for the past 70 years (or, possibly, educated in the current public school system) not to know who Joseph Goebbels was and make the intended connection.
Pat Lehman, a delegate from Wichita, Kansas was indignant that conservatives were upset at her Hitler reference. Delegate Lehman has earlier likened Republican justification of Voter ID laws to Hitler’s “Big Lie” strategy; “if you are going to tell a lie, tell a big lie, and if you tell it often enough and say it in a loud enough voice, some people are going to believe you.”
Pretty funny. From my perspective, the Democratic Party attempts to loudly paint Voter ID laws as some sort of Republican attempt to return to the days of Jim Crow (which the Democrats were the ones fighting to maintain back then), when they are actually an attempt to ensure that those who vote are legally entitled to vote (which by the way, would include all citizens of this country) is an obvious attempt at the “big lie” strategy.
So who would voter ID laws “target?” How about people attempting to vote that are dead? Recently, North Carolina discovered 30,000 people on its voter rolls who are deceased. Florida found over 53,000. But when they tried to have them removed, the Federal government, every ready to protect the rights of U.S. citizens, reacted by filing a law suit. Apparently, once a voter, always a voter, at least as far as the current Democratic administration is concerned. And why not? Barack Obama made Chicago his home town. And as all good citizens of the Windy City know, the dead always cast their ballots on election day.
How about people attempting to vote who are not citizens? According to Politico, as many as 182,000 non-U.S. citizens may be registered on Florida’s voting rolls. Florida is a major battleground state. It is likely that whoever wins Florida in the upcoming election will win the election. In 2000, George W. Bush carried Florida by a razor thin 537 – 1,655 votes, depending on the count and conspiracy theories aside. Even 1% of these illegally-registered “voters,” casting a ballot in favor of Al Gore, could have tipped the scales in his favor. Should non-citizens be purged from the voter rolls? I would think the majority of Americans would support that idea. Indeed, one wonders how they got on the rolls in the first place.
How about people voting (illegally) in more than one location? How about someone who casts an absentee ballot – then shows up at the polls and votes again? How about someone who votes in multiple states in the same election? Nah, never happen! But wait – it did! And guess what? It was a Democrat who is (or rather, was) currently running for office! Think she is the only one?
But I digress.
Democrats paint themselves as simple, mainstream Americans, the typical working Jane and Joe; middleclass common folk, and champions of the downtrodden masses. As such their party platform, their policies, and rhetoric mirror that of the common, mainstream American. Republicans, they claim, are extreme; out on the fringes of the right wing. Only kooks listen to or believe their positions. So let’s take a look at the Democratic Convention, which therefore should reflect this mainstream position they claim to take. What was on the agenda? Who were their speakers and what did they talk about?
According to a Gallup poll, taken at the end of July, the issues most on American’s minds right now are creating good jobs, which 92% of Americans rate as extremely or very important and reducing corruption in the federal government (87% extremely or very important). Reducing the federal budget deficit and dealing with terrorism and other international threats came in tied at 86%, followed by ensuring the long term stability of Social Security and Medicare (85%) and improving the nation’s public schools (83%). Weighty issues all.
So what are the Democrats talking about at their convention? Well, we have such things as calling Republicans liars and Nazis and referring to Republican Candidate Mia Love as a “crazy person;” well, she’s black and doesn’t support Barack Obama, so I guess that qualifies her for the “crazy” label. Mia Love is the conservative candidate from Utah’s 4th congressional district who gave a very well-received speech at the Republican National Convention. Note: after her speech, she was immediately labeled a “token” and an “Aunt Tom,” and other things I won’t sully my article with by the left and her Wikipedia page was defaced.
Peter Schiff, posing as an anti-corporate activist, made some interesting video interviewing delegates on his proposal to cap or ban corporate profits. Amazingly, many agreed with him that this was a fine idea. One nice young lady felt that even banning profits didn’t go far enough. According to her, corporations should be forced to operate at a loss. She didn’t offer any suggestions as to how this might actually work, or why she thought this would be good for the country.
Then we had the delegate who, captured on video, stated that if she had the chance she would be very happy to kill Mitt Romney. I saw the video the day it came out. Unfortunately you can’t see it now as apparently it has been removed from the internet. Guess it didn’t really happen and I must have imagined it. The charming lady who made the statement immigrated from Puerto Rico 40 years ago and is currently living in the Bronx. But I am sure she is just a harmless old woman. No need for the secret service to investigate, is there?
The voice of “mainstream” America?
Please note: these were not just random people on the street; these were delegates to the Democratic National Convention. National Convention delegates are typically elected officials, and people who have been extremely active in their party. Delegates to national conventions are the survivors of a winnowing out process that flows from the precinct convention to the state convention and finally to the national convention; at least, that is how it works in Texas. You could say that perhaps some of the delegates are a bit light in the loafers, except that many of these people are senior party officials – the heads of their parties in their state. What does one make of that?
But then again, these are just conversations. What did the actual speakers have to say?
Well, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said that Governor Romney “doesn’t know a thing about hard work or responsibility.” Candidate Elizabeth Warren said Governor Romney and Representative Ryan “believe in government to help themselves and their powerful friends.” Activist Sandra Fluke, who also believes that the government should pay for her contraceptives while she goes to college, said that Representative Ryan “will allow pregnant women to die,” and that Republican leadership would be “offensive”. Representative Diana DeGette said Governor Romney would make women “second class citizens.” And so on, and so on, and so on. This from the party of “tolerance;” this from the party that said their convention would not be about personal attacks. But then again, you have to understand the liberal mindset. These are not personal attacks in their mind – they are only speaking the truth. Never mind that their “truths” have no basis in actual fact.
The voice of “mainstream” America?
What do they support? Why all the things that mainstream Americans support – or so they claim. Free contraceptives. Abortion on demand. Partial birth abortion. Gay marriage. Heavy taxes (but only on the rich…), more regulation of business, closing of coal plants, capping profits, spend, spend, spend.
None of these issues were anywhere on the Gallup poll of things Americans are concerned about right now. The voice of “mainstream” America? Are these the things mainstream Americans are concerned with?
The Gallup poll said Americans are concerned about jobs. According to Democrats we have turned the corner. Why is America still worried about jobs? The poll said Americans are worried about corruption in government. Man! Haven’t you heard? This is the most ethical and transparent government in history! Who could possibly be concerned about government corruption!
What about their platform?
In an effort to be “mainstream,” they removed the only mention of God in their entire platform. Then when that didn’t fly with, oh, I don’t know, pretty much everyone, they put it back to save face, in the face of proper parliamentary procedure. The delegates booed; they wanted God taken out. Does this sound “mainstream?”
They also removed reference of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, despite the fact that it is the capital of Israel, and has been a part of their platform for some time – can’t offend the Muslim’s with the truth you know, and then, faced with backlash from the Jewish constituency, put it back in as well. All very confusing, very controversial, and very unsightly; America got to watch the sausage being made right in front of their eyes. God out, Israel tossed under the bus once again – does this sound “mainstream?”
But you know, the administration, the head of which is Barack Obama, Democrat, facing re-election, that administration does not and will not officially refer to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The party was simply making official what their president has already tacitly decreed. Mainstream? Is this what the majority of the American public really thinks?
Why not decide for yourself? The videos of the speeches are available on line. See what the Republican speakers had to say, and what the Democratic speakers had to say. Which seems the most “mainstream” to you? Which the most “extreme?”
The Democrats claim the Republicans are “waging a war on women,” yet there were many women who spoke at the convention. The Democrats claim that Republicans hate African Americans, Hispanics, and other minorities; that the Republican Party is the party of angry racist white hate mongers. Yet there were many minorities who spoke, and what’s more, most were elected officials, or currently running for office on the Republican ticket. Their speeches were cheered; not what you would expect from a “hostile” audience. The Republican speakers were uplifting in their vision for America. The Democrats were all about personal attacks.
But don’t mind me - I admit I am biased. And I’m an old white guy, so what do I know anyhow? See for yourself. Here are all the videos for all the speakers at the Republican Convention. I would love to post a link to all the Democratic speakers at their convention – but I couldn’t find one on their website. The best I can do is a list of the text of selected speeches, which I present here. Search the site – perhaps you can find the videos that I missed.
In his famous inaugural address, President Kennedy said, “ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” And people cheered. This was mainstream America. Today’s Democratic Party, in speech after speech focused instead on “what your country can do for you.” And the delegates cheered. Times have changed in the Democratic Party. Have they changed in America as well?
Is this now mainstream America? Or is this the Democratic Party version of “the big lie?”
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