Poor...Poor Robert...I Think He Needs a Reality Check

Here is more of what Robert had to say in the September 25, 2008 issue of The Chief (my home town newspaper).

Robert wrote, "How bad do things have to get in this country before the Republican loyalists 'wake up' to reality? If you are a Cub fan, it is great to remain loyal to your team, but in politics, we need to decipher good from bad, right from wrong."

I couldn't agree with him more. So, I ask Robert, when is he going to take his own advice?

He continues, " Why would anybody want to vote for a Republican in '08? Oh yea, if you oppose the lifestyles of single people, live-in heterosexual couples, gays and lesbians, then you should vote Republican."

I'm a single individual...I don't recall the Republican party being concerned about my lifestyle. I have friends who live together and I don't remember the Republican party saying anything about them either. This is what I understand the Republican party's stance on gay and lesbian issues to be: 1) Gays and lesbians will not be allowed to serve openly in the military. If they want to serve, then "don't ask, don't tell" is the motto. 2) Traditional marriage will not be redefined. It is to only be between one man and one woman. "Civil Unions", which will give gays and lesbians some of the same rights as married couples, may be acceptable.

Robert continues, "If you believe in the use of our military to enforce regime changes, then you should vote Republican."

Here we go again with that age old Democrat mantra. The Iraq war was not just about regime change...although that was a great result. It was about the enforcement of multiple United Nations Resolutions that Saddam Hussein was ignoring and the removal of weapons of mass destruction which everyone, including many leading Democrats, thought he had.

Here are some quotes from a few of those leading Democrats, who after the Iraq war did not turn out the way everyone hoped and no weapons of mass destruction were found, turned tail and ran the other way, leaving President Bush and the Republicans holding the bag.

"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs." (Letter to President Clinton, signed by Senators Carl Levin, Tom Daschle and John Kerry, and others Oct. 9, 1998)

"As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, I am keenly aware that the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons is an issue of grave importance to all nations. Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process." (Representative Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998)

"This December will mark three years since United Nations inspectors last visited Iraq. There is no doubt that since that time, Saddam Hussein has reinvigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to refine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop longer-range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies." (Letter to President Bush, Signed by Senator Bob Graham (D, FL) and others, Dec, 5, 2001)

"We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandate of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them." (Senator Carl Levin (D, MI), Sept. 19, 2002)

"We know that he has stored away secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country...Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power." (Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002)

"My position is very clear: The time has come for decisive action to eliminate the threat posed by Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. I'm a co-sponsor of the bipartisan resolution that's presently under consideration in the Senate. Saddam Hussein's regime is a grave threat to America and our allies..." (Senator John Edwards (D, NC), Oct. 7, 2002)

"I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force — if necessary — to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security." (Senator John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002)

"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members.... It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons." (Senator Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct. 10, 2002)

"We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction." (Senator Bob Graham (D, FL), Dec. 8, 2002)

"Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime .... He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation ... And now he is miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction .... So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real ...." (Senator John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003)

These Democrats sure have been spinning a different reality over the past five years haven't they? Democrats seem to suffer from a strong sense of amnesia when they think their political lives might be on the line and illusions of grandeur when they think it will serve their purpose of staying in or gaining power. If the Iraq war had gone as people had hoped, the Democrats would have been taking all the credit.

Finally Robert says, "If you support the 'Drill Baby Drill' energy policy, then you should vote Republican."

Well I do. I support drilling off the coastal United States and in ANWR. I also support the research and development of alternative energy sources like wind, solar, nuclear, and clean coal. Though it is true that it could take up to ten years for us to reap the rewards of domestic drilling, no one knows if these alternative energy sources will provide the United States with all of the energy it needs. So, if we only look to alternative energy sources, we may never break our independence on foreign oil.

Who really needs to "wake up" to reality, Robert?