We Deserve More Than the Lesser of Who Cares

By Mary MacElveen

As each year goes by, I think of the body politics and throw up my hands since I no longer see any candidate worth fighting for. As we go on, I am reminded of a short speech given by the fictional Chief of Staff on the West Wing, Leo McGary where he said: “Because I’m tired of it year after year after year after year having to chose between the lesser of who cares? Of trying to get myself excited about a candidate who can speak in complete sentences. Of setting the bar so low, I can hardly look at it. They say a good man can’t get elected President. I don’t believe that, do you?”

In listening to Al Gore’s speech yesterday, I truly believe that such a good man can indeed be elected president. As we all know, he truly was, but five black robed injustices stole the presidency from all of us in a coup d’tat.

But, America for the most part and through their apathy and stupidity did not realize it for what it was. What they said through their inaction was that the candidate who set the bar so low meaning Bush was fit as commander in chief.

In point after point he made, I found myself hanging on every single word almost daring to believe once more. For five years now, I have desperately wanted to believe once more. If there ever was a political speech that was akin to a religious experience, once again, Al Gore delivered it to all of us.

As it stands presently I cannot even look at most politicians in Washington, D.C. without feeling disdain. I feel as if that they have let us all down. It sickens me beyond belief to listen to them without them saying anything. It is as if they know they have to say something so they in turn say nothing. Through their speeches there is not one tangible idea to hold onto and where one is willing to fight tooth and nail and carry on their message. It leaves me shrugging my shoulders.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, I was calling any elected official I could to accept the gracious aid package coming from Venezuela, only to be met with such inaction. It showed me the indifference on their part. When I heard that Mr. Gore flew sick patients out of that storm ravaged region on a plane that he paid for with a doctor on board, it showed me that there was still leadership in this country. Once again, it proved he was leader of who cares.

Al Gore once again made me believe that ‘we the people’ do matter in the continuance of this republic. I am of the opinion that ‘we the people’ stand before a fork in the road where it is our choice to either go down the same damn road to our obliteration or where we choose another road to restore this once grand republic.

As I was listening to his speech yesterday, it brought back memories of a statement he made on October 17th, 2000 which was the third presidential debate where he said: “And I want to tell you what I tell them: Sometimes people who are very idealistic and have great dreams, as young people do, are apt to stay at arm’s length from the political process because they think their good hearts might be brittle, and if they invest their hopes and allow themselves to believe, then they’re going to be let down and disappointed.

But thank goodness we’ve always had enough people who have been willing in every generation to push past the fear of a broken heart and become deeply involved in forming a more perfect union. We’re America. And we believe in our future, and we know we have the ability to shape our future.”

In 2004, I thought we had more than the lesser of who cares. While this may anger some Kerry supporters, Howard Dean was the man who dared me to hope once more. When Kerry gave up all too quickly, he gave up on all of us and became the lesser of who cares. After all, Kerry did vote for the Patriot Act which Gore spoke of in great detail yesterday and the Iraq War. In my book those were two strikes against him. When he threw in the towel, I was livid. But my heart was not into his campaign. He gave me nothing to grasp onto.

In 2008, if the DLC (Democratic Leadership Council) gives us a candidate who voted for the Patriot Act and the Iraq War, it will again be the lesser of who cares. If they do, it will signal the true death of the Democratic Party if it has not been killed already especially when you have elected officials voting out of fear for many of the items Bush has supported.

When Mr. Gore said this of our current congress: “But the legislative branch of government under its current leadership now operates as if it is entirely subservient to the Executive Branch.” Many of them have acquiesced through fear the very oath that they swore to and that was to uphold the Constitution of the United States. So, if they for the most part have acquiesced any power they do have: Why should any campaign volunteer work night and day for their re-election campaigns and ultimately if one comes from any house of congress to run in 2008 again why should any volunteer work their tails off for that candidate? Any candidate who thinks or appears to us as being subservient then becomes the lesser of who cares.

It is a rarity when a political speech or rather in this case a policy speech is akin to a religious experience. He moved me in so many ways and brought forth light that all things were still possible. If America is having a heart attack, she is having one now and his speech became a defibrillator.

If some elected officials begin to sound the alarm as Al Gore did yesterday, they will have followed him. What does that say about the body electorate? In my opinion, not much. There have been bold leaders such as Senator Russell Feingold who voted no to the Patriot Act and where Cong. John Murtha has angrily spoken out against this administration and it leaves me wondering: Where are the rest of our Democratic officials? When you have men like Congressman John Conyers calling for Bush’s impeachment, every single elected official be they Republican or Democrat must be calling for Bush’s impeachment. No one and that includes the president is above the law.

Some have compared Bush to the late Richard Nixon, but at least Pres. Nixon resigned the office of the President of the United States. It seems we held him to a higher standard. Both Bush and Nixon broke a multitude of laws yet excuses are made for Bush.

When Gore cited Bob Barr’s statement: "The President has dared the American people to do something about it. For the sake of the Constitution, I hope they will." It is now up to all of us to fight and truly become ‘we the people’. No more and for the sake of our Constitution do we acquiesce any power we have and hold these elected officials feet to the fire. We must remember that they work for us and not the other way around.

Should any elected official in congress push Gore’s message to us all aside, it will indeed prove that they are all the lesser of who cares.