Why Am I a Liberal?

The viciousness of the attacks against President and Mrs. Clinton have continued unabated over the last four years to such an extent that one has to suspect that character really IS the main issue in this election. Not the character of the first couple, but of the right-wing Republicans who have cast aside all pretense of honor or loyalty to the truth and whose only agenda is to attack the Clintons and anyone else who dares to call himself a liberal or even a moderate in this country. I'm tired of hearing "character is an issue", but I agree, character is precisely the issue in this election -- the character of the slanderers, the rumor mongers, the bashers ... and the character of Bob Dole. If these people were to come into power in the next election -- if they were to sweep both the Congress and the Presidency and begin to load the Supreme Court with right-wing judges -- does anyone seriously believe that they would abandon their nasty ways and be nice to people like you and me who don't toe their line. I hope we don't have to find out.

I am a liberal and make no apology for it. Not long ago, I would have called myself a moderate or a progressive, since I have equal portions of both conservative and liberal attitudes. No more! Since Rush Limbaugh has successfully redefined the term "Liberal" to apply to all the people -- the overwhelming majority of people -- who do not agree with him, I proudly adopt the term for myself. In fact, under Limbaugh's definition, I'd guess that about 90% of the people in this country are liberal, so when you hear him denounce the liberal press and excoriate the liberal elitists in this country, please realize he's talking about the press that reflects YOUR views and values, and he's smearing YOU with mud. That includes you, moderate Republicans. You have become pariahs in your own party. According to Limbaugh, you are poltroons.

President Clinton is called a liar in nearly every other breath on Limbaugh's daily program. He has all but been accused, through Limbaugh's sly innuendo, of murdering Vince Foster -- a particularly disgusting piece of political necrophilia. It makes one wonder why Bob Dole joined this crowd, doesn't it? Why is it that he and his fellow right-wing Republicans seem so intent on ugliness? It reminds me of the words in a song by the late Frank Zappa: " What's the ugliest part of you body? Some say your nose, some say your toes, but I think it's your mind." Undoubtedly, most of the garbage that the right-wingers try to heap upon the President and his wife is a reflection of their own minds.

I have listened to Rush Limbaugh's program for a few years now, both for the buffoonery factor and as a way of keeping tabs on the enemy. (Also, it's a good way of determining whose products not to buy.) Here are a few observations of what I've heard. He calls his program "EIB: Excellence In Broadcasting". I'd propose "Effluvia In Broadcasting" as a more appropriate term. He calls himself a master of the truth. I'd add that the truth is like putty in his hands -- he molds it into anything that suits his purpose. Every few minutes he takes the opportunity to rant and call President Clinton a lying, cheating, philandering, draft-dodging, pot-smoking, taxing, criminal-coddling, rich-people-bashing, no-good liberal ...

Enough! This is hate-mongering and demonizing, and we've had too much of it. Why am I a liberal? Because low-class attacks like this drive most reasonable people to it.

Bob Dole calls Bill Clinton a liberal. I call him a damn good president! I'm voting for him.