Post by MProffitt on Jun 10, 2004 7:25:48 GMT -5
A Deeper Degree of Partisanship
Al Gore wasn't playing to the base when he last spoke on terrorism, he wasn't playing politics, and he wasn't reinventing himself for further political gain. Or he was playing politics, but in the most fundamental way, to shape the contours of power without regard to personal gain or loss. Gore questioned not the policies of the opposition, but their stake in the idea of liberal democracy itself.
However, as I tried to interpret what was driving these various policies, certain common features became obvious and a clear pattern emerged: in every case there was a determined disinterest in the facts; an inflexible insistence on carrying out preconceived policies regardless of the evidence concerning what might work and what clearly would not; a consistent bias favoring the wealthy and powerful at the expense of the broader public interest; and a marked tendency to develop policies in secret, avoid accountability to the public, the Congress or the Press; and a disturbing willingness to misrepresent the true nature of the policy involved.
Seen through Gore's eyes - and through those who like Gore share his political observations about institutional health - this is not politics as usual and the other side isn't just wrong. It is criminally wrong.
www.bopnews.com/archives/000820.html#000820
Al Gore wasn't playing to the base when he last spoke on terrorism, he wasn't playing politics, and he wasn't reinventing himself for further political gain. Or he was playing politics, but in the most fundamental way, to shape the contours of power without regard to personal gain or loss. Gore questioned not the policies of the opposition, but their stake in the idea of liberal democracy itself.
However, as I tried to interpret what was driving these various policies, certain common features became obvious and a clear pattern emerged: in every case there was a determined disinterest in the facts; an inflexible insistence on carrying out preconceived policies regardless of the evidence concerning what might work and what clearly would not; a consistent bias favoring the wealthy and powerful at the expense of the broader public interest; and a marked tendency to develop policies in secret, avoid accountability to the public, the Congress or the Press; and a disturbing willingness to misrepresent the true nature of the policy involved.
Seen through Gore's eyes - and through those who like Gore share his political observations about institutional health - this is not politics as usual and the other side isn't just wrong. It is criminally wrong.
www.bopnews.com/archives/000820.html#000820