Snippets of Previous Conversations

"Whenever a Negro crosses this dead line between the white and the Negro races and lays his black hand on a white woman, he deserves to die," segregationist Sen. James Thomas Heflin (D-Ala.) said in 1930.

The history of the Democratic party is nothing to crow about. The KKK had its roots in the Democratic party. Now yes, most are and were southern Democrats but that was enough to cause NorthEasterners to join the Republican party because Democrats were seen as racist hillbillies and dirty secessionists. As time has evolved, however, Northeast Republicans are Republicans in name only and once being a group of arguably classic liberals-- they've evolved into rather predictable 'progressives'.

But as parties evolve, they change their focus, as one can see by merely looking at the modern Republican party. In a mere six or seven years they've gone from a party of so-called smaller, less intrusive government and losing all vestiges of classic liberalism they once had. Enter the era of George W. Bush, and you've got a 'government is not the enemy' brand of Republicanism.

And now, yippee! We've got two major parties walking the 'government is not the enemy' line. Let me quote the current progressive line:

Despite run-away anti-statist sentiments that have run amok in recent decades in the US, strong central government is not the enemy of freedom, or volunteerism or local autonomy. In the US federal structure, the federal government by its nature is endowed with resources and powers that state and local governments individually do not possess. For this reason, states have by constitution yielded certain powers to the federal government for the collective benefit of the union.

E pluribus unum - from many, one - is the motto of the nation proposed for the first Great Seal of the United States by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson in 1776. As such, the federal government must assume responsibilities that are beyond the capability of state or local governments.

Now, there are obvious problems all over this. Enumerated powers come to mind. But screw that. Strong central government!!! But what about wire taps? Bah, we can fix that, we just got the wrong guy in charge of strong central government.

Let me now quote George W. Bush himself:

"I know the reputation of our government has been tainted by scandal and cynicism. But the American government is not the enemy of the American people. At times it is wasteful and grasping. But we must correct it, not disdain it. "

No, government may not be the enemy, but strong intrusive central government becomes the enemy because for its survival it begins to treat the people it serves as potential enemies. While George W. Bush is president, we're all potential terrorists. When the next Liberal Democrat is elected, we're all making bad choices about our health, abusing our children, watching the wrong kind of television or not playing the right video games. Both of these fools are crawling through your windows, lobbing stun grenades and shooting family pets while yelling "It's for your own good!"