BCT Editorial – 3/25/07

This page was last updated on March 25, 2007.

Replay; Editorial; Beaver County Times; March 25, 2007.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject editorial.

“Americans’ displeasure over the war in Iraq played a major role in the Democratic Party gaining control of the House and Senate in November.

“However, congressional Democrats apparently have forgotten another major reason for the GOP’s ouster from power - voters’ disgust with the way Republicans operated.

“In an attempt to get enough votes for their Iraq funding bill that would end the war next year, The Washington Post reported that Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives were offering billions of dollars in federal funds for lawmakers’ pet projects to line up enough votes.

“When they controlled the House and Senate, Republicans did the same thing, larding up bills with all kinds of goodies - paid for, of course, by U.S. taxpayers - so they could garner enough votes to secure passage of legislation that was important to them.

“As the Democrats continue to follow in the footsteps of Republicans, it’s becoming obvious that neither party is capable of governing responsibly.

“Our nation cannot afford to have the two parties replaying the past. What this country needs is a responsible third party that, at the very least, applies pressure on the two major parties to put the good of the nation ahead of politics as usual.”

[RWC] I’m not sure if the editorial author has a short memory or if he believes we readers don’t remember past yesterday.

While I agree it’s not right to buy votes by throwing pork at representatives – and that Republicans did it when they were the majority for most of 12 years, I can’t believe the author is trying to convince us Republicans beginning in 1995 invented the practice.

I suspect the practice dates back to the early days of our republic. The editorial author apparently expects us to believe Democrats – who had a nearly uninterrupted majority in Congress for over 60 years prior to 1995 – didn’t buy votes in all that time.

How gullible – or stupid – does the Times believe we are? I guess the editorial is the answer to the question.