I Hope the Dems Don't Screw it up

I can identify with Kermit the Frog’s song, “It’s Not Easy Bein’ Green.”  Cause folks, it’s not easy being a liberal opinion column writer in this newspaper.  I was provided a rare opportunity to express the opinion of the silent minority in this very conservative paper, in this conservative county. I did not make the decision to do this lightly.  I knew it wouldn’t be easy.  However, I felt morally obligated to speak for progressives who deserve validation of their opinions, as much as conservatives do. 

Now over a year later, I’m happy to report that I’m still alive!  Actually only “half alive.”  Have you noticed that for the past two weeks, half of my column has been relegated to the bottom corner of the Opinion page and the other half is continued on the Obituary page?  A friend told me, “Everybody reads the obituaries to see if their name is there, so that’s a good thing!”  Really?  Imagine seeing your name in bold black letters there!

I was very proud of the presidential candidates in the Democratic debate.  It certainly served to winnow down the field of candidates.  I was pleasantly surprised that the viewer-ship of this debate was a Democratic record of 15.3 million.  Lacking the excitement of the GOP debate, I assumed people wouldn’t watch a debate addressing real policies.  I’m happy I was wrong.  I hope the Republican candidates in their next debate will take a page from the Democrats and have a policy debate, rather than scenes from a snarky reality show. 

If you ever had any doubt about Hillary’s electability, the debate in Las Vegas should have convinced you.  I know it’s difficult to look at a woman as a President, but think of her in comparison to all the other candidates, Democrat or Republican.  Be honest now!

There’s one thing Bernie Sanders could have said better than, “I’m tired of hearing about Hillary’s emails.”  I wish he had said, “I’m tired of hearing about Benghazi! Benghazi! Benghazi!”  (And I said it three times!)  After all, we learned directly from two Republican Committee members and one Republican Committee investigator that the Committee investigation was designed to bring down Hillary’s poll numbers. There have been many other investigations and all rejected the notion of a conspiracy.

Enough is enough! Hillary is scheduled to testify before the Benghazi Select Committee next Thursday.  Lacking evidence that Hillary is culpable of any wrongdoing, I think the Benghazi Committee should be dissolved and the case closed. 

The GOP appears in disarray.  Despite the massive number of potential candidates, they don’t have the ONE candidate that mostly represents the ideology of a majority of the people.  In contrast, the Democrats seem to have their act together.  It appears that the Democrats have THAT candidate.  But hold that celebration!  Historically, when things are going well with the Democrats, they will figure out a way to screw it up. 

I think of the old refrain, “It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to.”  I’ve been a Dem all my life and I’ve seen repeated fractures of the party on the local, state, and national level.  Right now, some leaders of the Democratic National Committee are calling for the Chair, Debbie Wasserman Shultz, to resign.  I’m certainly not privy to the details of the infighting but it’s typical of our Party.  Even here, who would have ever imagined that the local Monroe County Democratic Party would be hijacked?  Hijacked at a time when the local party was growing and just last year, had as much, or more activity for Democratic candidates as the Bibb County Democratic Party. 

The Chairman of the Monroe County Democratic Party is one of the most revered citizens in the county. He’s been faithful over 40 years.  He has seldom missed a State meeting.  (I’m not stating his name because I did not discuss this with him before writing my column).  It is my information that a new MC Democratic Party has been formed and John Howard is Chairman.  Yes, Mayor John Howard, who is running in the non-partisan election in the City of Forsyth.  It is my understanding that he did not offer to join the already existing Democratic Party.  I do not know Mr. Howard, so I am not questioning his motives.  It only makes sense that inclusiveness would have been better politics for the Party.

I will be in Florida for a few days with my grandkids this week.  While I’m gone, let me know if you see both my name and picture on the Obituary page.