<<I gather you would put me in the extreme on one side>>
Actually, I wouldn't put you or more than maybe one or two Clinton supporters on the extreme side. And those that I would from this board, would be extreme in rhetoric only. They don't even come close to what i consider extreme. The same is probably true of the anti's on this board. the rhetoric is there, but do you really think they would come to your door (personally) to enforce their wishes? FWIW, I was having some fun with Michelle's response to you (which was also in fun). It was not aimed at you personally.
<<I don't recall much of the Arkansas project style professional dirt digging from Clinton or the Democrats>>
Part of the record in the Billy Dale/Travelgate trial was that Clinton hired a private investigator to dig up dirt on the travel office employees. The Clinton campaign also hired private investigators during the Presidential campaign to help silence the bimbo eruptions. Just about every person that has either said anything bad about Clinton or was opposing Clinton has been smeared publicly. In some cases the information was only available in either personnel records or FBI files, the use of which would be illegal. Linda Tripp is one of those, and is bringing a lawsuit to obtain justice. No offense, but if you don't remember those, you need to work on that memory.
<<was the Starr report a dispassionate presentation of "facts" in your mind too?>>
As has been apparent from my posts since before the Starr report was released, I do not approve of Monicagate as an issue. I read part of the report, and was neither impressed nor repulsed. I think it showed that Clinton lied, at least in the view of most Americans, so in that respect it served a purpose. Now we can deal with whether or not those lies and the other actions surrounding them matter to the stability of the country, and therefore would justify impeachment. Was the Starr report fair or unbiased? No - but then again, it was the prosecutor's report - why would you expect it to be unbiased? Dispassionate? Hardly. Somewhere along the line, this became personal with both Clinton and Starr.
<<The trouble with dirty politics is that it works. >>
Absolutely true. Until such time as Americans consider the fate of the nation over their own pocketbooks, this will remain true. Toqueville had it right when he said that the downfall of the nation would come when people realized they could vote freebies to themselves (okay I paraphrased a little). Posting here helps me clarify my own thoughts and blow off a little steam. It also may help others realize that extreme positions (on either side) are probably not well thought out. The truth rarely lies on the extremes - it can usually be found somewhere near the middle.
<<Do you see any way out of this mess? >>
I think it is self-repairing. Politics follows a pendulum. This fiasco should help push it the other way for a while. Any use of Clinton in campaign ads will probably backfire against the Republican trying it. Dirty politics will be attacked, at least for a while, if we make it obvious we won't accept it as the norm. I've taken to writing to my representatives on a weekly basis stressing that fact. |
