My editors have informed me that this is the last column I will get to write for the year. So I am going to leave you with a few political predictions.
What can I say? This year has been interesting. Election '92 has broken all the previous records. It has already planted itself as the undisputed worst election in the history of the United States. Nonetheless, we must push forward.
-- Jerry Brown: Some people have begun to tune into Jerry Brown's message. He has some very good ideas and has taken some strong stands. His ideas and stands are creating a lot of excitement, but his platform is full of holes.
First of all, Brown has consistently preached about a flat tax rate. This is a great idea. Being a strong member of the middle class I assure you there are few people more excited about this idea than myself, but poor Brown must have never read the Constitution. Even if Brown gets elected he will not be able to implement a flat tax rate. It just is not in the president's power to do so. The Constitution specifically gives the power of the purse to Congress. Sorry Jerry, try again.
Brown has also taken a very strong stand on gay rights and AIDS. Whether this is a good idea I am not to judge. However, Brown should be commended for sticking to his principles, but mainstream America is just not ready for open debate about gay rights and AIDS. Mainstream America is just not ready for Jerry Brown. Jerry Brown will not secure the Democratic nomination, let alone the presidency.
-- Patrick Buchanan: He will also not secure his party's nomination. But that's OK because I do not believe that he ever really wanted to. Before Pat was a political figure he was on CNN's Crossfire, where he repeatedly showed strong support for President Bush.
So why did he run?
He ran for three reasons. First and foremost was to keep Bush in the news. If the President were to run unopposed then the media spotlight would rest solely on the Democrats and they might have been able to generate a strong candidate.
Secondly, Buchanan also ran to try to push President Bush back to the principles that got him elected. Many Republicans were beginning to feel that Bush had become a moderate, and wanted him to hold true to the right wing Reagan principles of the '80s.
Thirdly, Buchanan ran to further his own political career. He is getting geared up to beat the living tar out of Dan Quayle in 1996.
So that leaves Bill Clinton and George Bush to square off in November.
-- Bill Clinton: Where do I even begin to talk about this boy? Bill is a great speaker. When I first heard Clinton speak, with his ever so slight southern drawl, and his powerful voice, I thought to myself: "Holy God, the Democrats are actually going to have a chance." But poor Bill does not seem to have a plan or a clue. His strong personality and speaking voice will secure him the nomination. However, his personality will not be enough to carry the day in November.
When opposing the Republicans, a Democrat has to make sure that his record is squeaky clean. If not the Republicans will rip him apart. Clinton's record is indeed cloudy and the Republicans are going to take every possible advantage of it.
-- George Bush: Well it looks like we are just going to hand George the presidency. Two years ago I was an avid Bush supporter. Now I am a bit confused.
After the Gulf War his popularity was soaring and it seemed like the possibilities for the future were endless. Then an interesting thing happened. . . nothing. He did nothing at all. He was handed a popularity rating that rivaled that of FDR's, and he squandered it. He could have done anything he wanted. He could have ram-rodded any bill through Congress and he faltered.
George is going to be handed another chance and he better get it right this time.
So what do we do? Believe it or not what we have to do is vote. The presidential election is indeed important but it is by no means the only one. The congressional races are equally important. Remember it is these guys who control our tax rates and our tax dollars. I think it is fairly staight forward and reasonable to assume that we should not have people who cannot balance a checkbook controlling trillions of tax dollars. Who we elect to Congress is at least as important as who we elect to the White House. Let us take the time to study our congressional candidates and to vote.
Remember November, and it is up to us. No one can do it for us.
