American Politics Journal

We Get Letters!

From: Janet
Re: National Service?
Date: Feb. 5, 2002

About this national service draft proposal: why would Democrats be for it?

It seems like a great way to get all the young people together so they could be brainwashed. It reminds me so much of Hitler Youth. At least with the Peace Corps and Americorps service was voluntary and for the benefit of the less- well- off.

Now we have our younger generation being assembled to practice war. I grew up in the military, and my father always considered it a high calling, but I also know it has pitfalls if handled the wrong way.

And people, this is the wrong way.

From: John W.
Re: Pundit Pap, Condi Rice and Barney Frank
Date: Feb. 4, 2002

Being a white American, living here all my life, and having a number of African-Americans as friends over the years, I must say that whenever I hear a black person, male or female, from England being interviewed on TV and this person speaks with that Liverpool accent à la Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady ("Oym a gud gurl oy yam!"), I can't help but feel that something doesn't fit -- I always feel there's something incongruous in what I'm seeing and what I'm hearing.

I must tell you, I get that same feeling when I watch Condolleeza Rice speaking of George Bush as though he's simply a warm, cuddly, teddy bear.

Barney Frank for President!

From: Brother Christos, Pastor, Church of Icthyological Fervancy
Re: Patriots and Red States
Date: Feb. 4, 2002

Since childhood God has imparted his will unto me.

I have been directed to impart his latest word: there will be no trophies or Super Bowl victories for any Red State until they stop heeding false prophets!

From: Jeanne Khan
To: The Executive Branch
Re: Wasteful Super Bowl ad buys on the taxpayer's dime
Date: Feb. 4, 2002

Sirs and Ladies,

Please tell me in writing that this is not true! If true, this is an outrage!

Who authorized taxpayer funds as filler for Fox spots-anti-drug ads when Faux ran short of ad copy for the Super Bowl? I object to such ironic "charity" for Rupert's empire. A recession and this faux-pas occurs? For Shame!

First: Buy American;

Second: give the anti-drug campaign money to Enron employees robbed by the greatest recent rip-off of investors/taxpayers, and;

Third: distance the government I pay for from Roger Ailes and his ilk!

Thank you, honorable public servants for your attending to this matter.

Now and then, some of us must "just say No!" to colossal waste/favoritism.

From: Tamara Baker
To: Chris Mooney
Re: The "Clinton was soft on terror" rap
Date: Feb. 3, 2002

About that "Clinton was soft on terror" rap currently being pushed by several notables, including, in a well-publicized speech last week, Rudy Giuliani --

It seems that the late Lars-Erik Nelson, in a Sept. 24th, 1999 column for the New York Daily News (and which I quoted in a September 27, 1999 column for American Politics Journal) remembered that Rudy, barely three months before he took Hillary's husband to task for the FALN clemencies, proudly marched in a parade held in support of the very FALN clemency he is now opposing:

"Our own law-and-order Mayor Giuliani, who sharply criticized Clinton's action, marched in June in a Puerto Rican Day Parade specifically dedicated to freeing 15 of the imprisoned nationalists. It probably seemed like a good vote-getting idea at the time. Now he's opposed."

Please do consider that, the next time you're tempted to absorb GOP spin hook, line and sinker.

From: Chris Mooney
To: Tamara Baker
Date: Feb. 4, 2002

Wasn't aware of the Giuliani episode. But i don't think he's as culpable as Clinton. Thanks for pointing it out though

From: Tamara Baker
To: Chris Mooney
Date: Feb. 4, 2002

"Culpable" is an interesting word to use RE: FALN clemency, considering that the persons being given clemency were believed by most persons in the know to be richly deserving of clemency (for nice little technicalities such as innocence). Clinton's GOP attackers on this issue like to gloss over the fact that clemency for the FALN was favored by such normally ideological opposites as the normally right-wing Pope John Paul II and the whole constellation of left-leaning human rights watchdog organizations.