Jackson Free Press

In "A Year for Youth," conservative columnist Charley Reese writes: "When the voting age was lowered to 18, there was a great expectation that youth would flock to the polls. It's been an unfulfilled expectation. This year, however, could be the year of youth, if young people respond to Howard Dean's appeal to their idealism. Dean is telling people that the only way to beat the super-rich and their toady, George Bush, is for people who have turned their backs on politics to get involved. That most certainly includes the 18-to-24 set. Instead of inviting people to $2,000-a-plate fund-raisers, he asks people to send what they can afford, even if it's just $10.

"So far, about half-a-million people have responded. The jaded political reporters can say what they like, but Dean is a phenomenon. An obscure governor from an even more obscure state has raised more money and attracted more support that the Washington Establishment Democrats. And brother, are they dumbfounded and ticked off. Republicans won't have to write any attack ads; the other Democratic candidates are writing the ads for them.
...
"No, it's not the war in Iraq. I think what people are responding to is that for the first time in a long time, they have a genuine human being — a guy who gets mad at the right things, a guy who says what he thinks, and a guy who doesn't talk in the tired political platitudes that have virtually killed any real communication inside the Washington Beltway. Lieberman, Gephardt and Kerry haven't had an original thought in decades.

"Sure, Dean has said some things and then had to clarify. That's what human beings do. It's not what professional politicians — who won't go to the bathroom without checking with their pollster — do. But if you look closely at what Dean has said, he has not backed up one inch. He has admitted that he used words people misinterpreted — in most cases, deliberately. He changed the words, not the thought.
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I'm not endorsing the guy. That's not my job, but political journalists in this country cover politics like it was a sport. They are interested in the race, not in the issues and the substance. I was infuriated the other day when some Republican was allowed to get away with saying that Dean has not offered anything but criticism and anger.

"Heck fire, go to http://www.deanforamerica.com, and you will find out that Dean has spelled out his positions on practically every issue. Whether you agree with him or not is your business, but don't buy this barnyard rubbish that the guy has nothing to say. If he had nothing to say, he wouldn't be where he is today.
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There is not a candidate in the race who takes all the positions I would like to see a candidate take, but we have to live in the real world. I prefer the world of Jefferson Davis, but come November, neither he nor anyone remotely like him is going to be on the ballot. So get involved and vote for the man you think is best. You young people ought to realize that my generation has pretty well screwed things up for you. It's time for youth to step up to the plate and take a swing. You certainly can't do worse than we have."

Agree with him or not, thank the Lord for independent thought.

Previous Comments

ID

136971

Comment

Did you see Charley Reese today? He's a registered democrat, and belongs to the NRA, the Sierra Club, and some Confederate thing (that I can't remember the name of). No wonder his columns are all over the map.

Author

kate

Date

2004-01-19T15:51:17-06:00

ID

136972

Comment

Kate, that would be the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Author

Ex

Date

2004-01-20T01:05:32-06:00

ID

136973

Comment

Thanks, Ex. I hope I didn't sound like I was dissing them. I just couldn't remember the exact name, was too lazy to go dig it out of the recycling pile, and didn't want to get it wrong.

Author

kate

Date

2004-01-20T11:27:14-06:00

ID

136974

Comment

Kate, you're welcome & it didn't sound that way to me.

Author

Ex

Date

2004-01-20T18:38:05-06:00