Style Over Substance Again

The whole D-NY Charles Rangel debacle is fitting considering the choice that Democrats are asking us to make this November.

Mr. Rangel who was appointed as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee (basically the tax-writing committee), was exposed for not paying taxes on several properties over the past 10 years. He has hired a forensic accountant because he freely admits he doesn't understand the codes and is claiming ignorance and not poor ethics.

That may be as well and true but after meeting with Nancy Pelosi (who is thought to have begged for him to step down from the chairman position only), Mr. Rangel refuses to abdicate the chair of the Ways and Means Committee. The reason why the Democrats want him to step down? I can make a fairly educated guess.

Either the Democrats feel that he is a crook or is it perhaps that Mr. Rangel possesses no qualifications to have this position in the first place? I'm thinking it's the latter (although it may be some of the former too). God knows he's not the first politician, Dem or Republican to cheat the government out of taxes.

My bigger question is how do the Democrats put someone like him in that position in the first place? I have nothing against Mr. Rangel but it is painfully obvious that he possesses no extraordinary experience nor insight on tax code. You're telling me that there was no one else in the House with tangible tax experience? That's pretty hard to swallow.

Unfortunately, the Democrats run their party like a big union. Talent has nothing to do with advancement. It's how many years you've played the game and how many favors you've extended over the years. Charlie is a big rah-rah guy and this was a way for the Dems to reward him. Pathetic. Unfortunately, the Democrats are asking us to make a similar choice in electing Obama this November...lot's of style...seems like a really nice guy...but in what way is he even qualified to become president? He has passed little to no legislation of his own, has no history of bipartisanship and has not illuminated specifics on any of his ideas that he is trying to sell.

We'll get plenty of Hope and Change though. We just have no idea what that is.

McCain on the other hand is an enigma in the Republican party. Most hard line conservatives can't stand him because they see him as too liberal. That is nonsense too. McCain is his own man, has a history of working across the aisle with Democrats (feel free to google "Gang of 14") and makes decisions based upon good old common sense (not polls). His decisions won't always be popular nor always will follow party line. That's a good thing and exactly what this country needs.

I've talked about this before, but I feel if we don't move more towards the center and cleave off the nuts on the extremes of both parties, we're heading towards doom. I can almost guarantee you that McCain's longtime buddy and former Dem (until the party turned on him) Joe Liebermann will get a prominent appointment in his cabinet. Not because McCain owes Joe anything, it's that he believes in Joe's sensability on issues and will rely on his experience. The Republicans will cry about this but too fucking bad, Joe will be an asset to McCain. Democrats cry about Sarah Palin's experience as a small state (population wise, I guess) governor of Alaska. Last I checked governors make the best executives and the last Dem president was one certain Governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton. Does a Governor of Arkansas somehow garner more experience than one in Alaska. I find that laughable.

So, it comes down to experience and substance over ideas and style...

Give me the experience and substance any day of the week. The Democrats should be embarrassed that they are going to lose an election that should have been a slam dunk with any experienced moderate candidate.