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Storm Clouds on the Horizon for the G.O.P.

towashington 089.gif By Bill Cavala
A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento

We all know about the trillion dollars (in deficit spending) we out putting out in Iraq.
You know, to root out “weapons of mass destruction”. We all should know that the money we are pumping into “reconstruction” – fixing the Iraqi infrastructure in the interest of eliminating their “weapons of mass destruction” – have been sidetracked into swiss bank accounts. And we all know that the ‘insider’ rationale for the war (it’s the oil, stupid) is also bogus. Gasoline prices hit $4 bucks a gallon today.

We all know this, which is why support for the war is at an all time low.

But as the Vice-President would exclaim, “So….?”

So voters may want a change from a pro-war Republican President. That’s strike one.

And today, the Pew Research Center released a report showing “the gloomiest assessment of personal economic progress in half a century”. Only 40% of the Americans surveyed indicated they had “moved ahead” economically under Bush over the last 5 years – down from the 57% who felt that way in 1997 after five years of Clinton administration policy.

Who’s to blame? “58% of middle-income Americans said they believe the GOP favors the rich while nearly two-thirds believe the Democratic Party favors the middle class or poor”.

Oh, oh.

Maybe “guvment” isn’t the problem. Maybe not even “illegal” immigrants. Maybe it’s the political party of war and of the rich.

As the nation sinks into depression. As gasoline prices – and profits – hit unimaginable highs (the eyes of Texas…). As we spend American lives and American dollars for no good reason in a country that doesn’t want us there. We’ll be asked to provide those who’ve led us here with “four more years”.

With the good news being that John McCain has all the charisma of Bob Dole.

Time for GOP operatives to reach for the mud bucket. (Extremism in the defense of
Liberty is no Vice).

Bill Cavala was Deputy Director of the Assembly Speaker’s Office of Member Services where he worked for over 30 years.

He attended undergraduate and graduate school in the 1960’s and received a doctorate in political science at UC Berkeley. He taught political science at UC Berkeley during the 1970's while he worked part-time for the State Assembly.

Cavala left teaching at UC Berkeley and went to work for Assembly Speaker Willie Brown in 1981 until his tenure as Speaker ended in 1995, and he has worked for his five successors as Speaker up to and including Speaker Fabian Nunez.

Mr. Cavala manages election campaigns for Democratic candidates.

Posted on April 10, 2008

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