Bill Clinton is back in the news working on his Global Initiative. He was on the Daily Show the other night, then Olbermann, and tomorrow on Fox News (evidently) he gives Chris Wallace a pretty good lecture on the Unfair and Unbalanced Faux news approach. The transcript suggests he very clearly defends his administration's efforts to catch Bin Laden.
Anyway, his response and approach to politics is so sorely missed. I know all the problems with the man. I know how embarrassed I was when his sexual infidelity became the news. I know how frustrated I was when he made compromises that I thought undermined the progressive movement. But he very rarely tried to divide us. He very rarely tried to scare us.
We have been talking about the Bush administration's approach to politics and governing. I think even honest Repubs would concede that Bush likes to scare us. That is part of his approach. There is an abusive tendency there--one that uses intimidation, undermines confidence, emphaiszes divisiveness, questions loyalty, and above all, relies on fear to control people. Perhaps we should not be surprised when they actualy favor physical abuse and violence as a solution to problems.
5 comments:
I've really been impressed this week with Clinton and his Global Initiative.
It seems that so-called "liberals" are the ones actually doing things to make the world a better place for everyone. To be fair, there are conservatives out there doing good work, but the majority of them seem to be concerned with little more than cutting taxes for the wealthy and crusading against non-Christians.
I, for one, am proud to be called a liberal.
Who the bloody hell cares if Clinton had a groupie anymore. That's a hangnail compared to the malignancy killing our Republic being perpetrated by Bushco.
I agree with both of you. Clinton has numerous problems, but it is hard to argue that raising over 7 billion dollars to fight global poverty is not a good thing. On that, I think, we should be building bridges with conservatives because there are many who want to do good in the world. And I think that Bush himself, may have some of those instincts with global AIDS, but his cabinet is made up of people who don't care.
P.M., you are exactly right. SOF said that Hilary running in 08 would just mean putting the Clinton admin on trial again, but I think that is a good thing. 70% positive ratings, better economy, fairer approach to the poor and environment, etc. It becomes just as much a forum on the 30% Bush admin, and if we can get the Dems to think about it, we win. Here is my new slogan for the Dems, btw:
Republicans want you to fear. Democrats want you to think!
Good slogan, let's get back to the Good Old Days when we had a ballanced budget, education was a top priority, The National Guard were just weekend warriors, and the only government lies were about who slept with whom.
Yeah. Amazing how many people I read who are so completely stunned by what Bushco has wrought and what the Democrats seem willing to fight for. If we can't fight to defend basic human rights, or make an effort to scale back Presidential rewriting of the Constitution, then what is the damn point of our Republic?
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