[lbo-talk] Compare/Contrast Texas Dem and GOP platforms

DeborahSRogers debburz at yahoo.com
Sun Jun 20 07:30:22 PDT 2004


What's that advert by the Texas travel bureau? "No place but Texas?"

oh yeah, and "Don't Mess with Texas" Ahhh...I get 'em now.

- Deborah R.

Platforms reflect growing gulf between the parties

State conventions reveal that only disdain crosses the aisle

Friday, June 18, 2004

By CHRISTY HOPPE / The Dallas Morning News

HOUSTON - Texas Republicans and Democrats, if you get their drift,

are moving further apart.

At the Democratic convention Friday and today and at the Republican

convention two weeks ago, both sides took pride in waving American

flags, wearing silly hats and talking earnestly about the future of

democracy. And they also shared an attitude, one of mutual disdain

for each other.

"I think they've gotten further apart," said Tony Proffitt, who has

worked for both former Republican Gov. Bill Clements and Democratic

Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock.

Many of their differences are reflected in the hardened language of

the party platforms.

"The planks end up being hand grenades that the parties throw at

each other," Mr. Proffitt said.

Longtime Democratic consultant Ed Martin conceded that the more

generalized, sweeping, big-tent statements of the party's past

platforms have been chiseled down to sharper points. Now, long

paragraphs blame Republicans for mediocre education, uninsured

children, weakened pollution standards and costlier prescription

drugs.

"This platform is much more aggressive about driving home the

distinctions about how Republican policies have failed the people

of Texas," Mr. Martin said.

Ted Royer, a spokesman for the state GOP, said the Democrats are

responding to Republican success by becoming more liberal.

In fact, Republicans are so pleased with the direction of the

opposing party that GOP state chairwoman Tina Benkiser on Friday

endorsed the re-election efforts of Democratic state party chairman

Charles Soechting.

"I would fully expect their platform to reflect a more radically

liberal agenda," Mr. Royer said. "The eternal pressure within the

party is forcing them further and further to the left."

He acknowledged that the Republican platform is right of center,

"but that's where I think the majority of Texans are."

Countering, Mr. Soechting said the Republicans have veered so far

to the evangelical right, that he describes their platform as "a

political suicide note."

"I think the Republican voters are guilty of not reading their own

platform. If they had, they wouldn't be Republicans," Mr. Soechting

said.

But in the long run to the November general election, do platforms

really matter?

"The platform is a good starting point for either party to have a

political discussion," Mr. Proffitt said.

"It says, 'This is how we are different: The Republicans want a

tougher embargo against Cuba, and the Democrats want to go there

and have a good time.' "

And beyond that, he said, "I suspect the vast majority of voters

don't pay attention."

WALKING THE PLANKS In platforms and meetings, the two parties at

their state conventions have staked out their differences.

[Chart follows: / separates Dem plank from GOP plank]

Democrats / Republicans

Separate church and state / Affirm that the United States is a Christian nation, dispel the myth of separation between church and state

Prohibit the execution of juvenile and mentally etarded offenders/ Extend the death penalty to rape crimes

Trust women to make their own reproductive choices / Ban abortion, no exceptions

Keep Social Security strong and certain, opposeprivatization / Begin privatization of Social Security, phase out the Social Security tax

Increase the minimum wage /

Repeal the minimum wage

Attain equity among school districts and commit needed resources to improve public schools /

Prohibit regulation of private schools and begin state-funded voucher programs

Fight all forms of discrimination, protect privacy rights/ Criminalize homosexuality, oppose same-sex insurance or retirement benefits, deny child custody to gays

Fight efforts to weaken environmental protection /

Oppose the Endangered Species Act

Encourage purchase of public and private land for conservation / Government land ownership is the cornerstone of socialism

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/061904dnpolplatform.4df72.html

===== " How come people always flip and think they're Jesus? Why not Buddha? Particularly in America, where more people resemble Buddha than Jesus. 'Ah'm BUDDHA!' 'You're Bubba!' 'Ah'm Buddha now..All I gotta do is change 3 letters on ma belt...' " - Bill Hicks



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