A Democrat speaks out on Rep. Schumer (D-NY)

I'm a Democrat. I believe in Justice. I believe in Truth. I know people make mistakes. Some mistakes are bigger than others.

Do we want to win in 1996? I mean, what kind of a country do we want?

Being a student of politics, and believing I have a sense of the state of mind of the American people - because I talk to folks, I listen to talk radio, I produce a TV program, I edit a democratic club newsletter - I think I have a sense of the pulse of the American people today - to what limited extent I feel I can understand what people feel in my own state of California today. ( I mean, Jeez, I do have 3 college degrees, not to name a lot of traveling experience.)

The Waco Hearings is one of the most important political events for the upcoming elections. People throughout this country know something went wrong. Given the contradictions in the hearings, people will believe what they want to believe.

Take a poll. How many believe the government acted right? We saw Death on TV. Not exactly the American way.

Charles Schumer single-handedly will lose the elections for Democrats in 1996. I want to go on record saying this. I will say once again: every time he opens his mouth on national TV, he loses 10,000 votes for the Democratic Party. I know that Chuck is a great guy. Sorry. This won't help on National TV. Wait a couple of weeks. Then go back and look at the tapes of the hearings. I have no doubt you'll see what I'm trying to get across to you. What happened to Democratic compassion for humanity, not matter what the idiocy of individual differences?

Chuck is disgracing the Democratic Party. There is no humanity in his diatribes. Let us say he is a cynical New Yorker. OK. But it seems like he is speaking for the Democratic Party. He's a smart ass, he's intelligent, he makes witty comments, he can shut down a witness: hey, where's the respect for a perspective? He THINKS he MIGHT be winning a point for...I guess his conception of defending the Democratic Party...Folks, I'm telling you, he's got it wrong. And he's losing it for all of us. Wait a month and take a poll, you'll see. Who in the South will vote for Democrats after this? Who in the Midwest will vote for Democrats after this? Who is the Far West will vote for Democrats after this? Do you think President Clinton will win California? Ever heard of Bakersfield, Fresno, Orange County, etc.? Come on Sam Farr, you know that people must believe their representatives care about them. That's why you were elected. If we cannot show that we care about people, even in the most extreme of circumstances ( and the Medicare debate won't help, after people get "gut feelings, instinctual reactions" to their representative in a Nationally televised investigatory contexts where the question is one of life and death), we will not be able to get the votes nationally. Then: New Jersey? New Hampshire? Maine?

How many of you think the Democratic Party will survive a loss in 1996?

Do you really think those who are watching these hearings will forget?

The primary season has been moved up at least 3 months.

Do you know what a Republican can say? Any Republican can say: "You saw the 'Congressional Hearings.' Who do you think cares about the American people. Not Chuck Schumer. He's a smart ass. Big Politician. He's making points -- sucking up to the ATF and FBI. Does he care about defenseless women and children, after they have been attacked by tanks and fighter planes? I mean, THIS WILL BE THE RHETORIC.

Chuck Schumer - et al, who are following his line - supports the State, law enforcement after they made a mistake, or with reasonable doubt made a mistake. Who cares about the American people? You DO remember this country was established as a result of challenging authority? I hope.

Listen - we all respect law enforcement. I've been on several nighttime "ride-a-longs." You want to help law enforcement? Given a larger budget, with clear guidelines for respecting citizens.

Analyse income distribution. Who is most concerned with law enforcement? Who will vote in 1996? Take a guess.

You want to win the election in 1996? Change your attitude at the Waco Hearings. Please, if you want me to beg for the good of our country.

The BOTTOM LINE IS THIS: If the Democrats on the Waco Committee cannot get together and show with their handling of witnesses that they respect the witnesses who are not espousing the "official line," that they care about the American people and women and children, that they are not afraid of law enforcement ( who we all respect anyway), that they are willing to fight for the Truth, that they are not influenced by politics as usual -- if the Democrats on this committee cannot come together with a strategy to arrive at these conclusions, the Democrats will lose in 1996, and they will set back this country 50 years. And I predict that if Democrats lose in 1996, we set the country back to an age of barbarism, for at least another generation: it'll take them that long to figure out what went wrong, and we all know that the Republicans are attempting to rule the country on a whole set of false, irrational, and destructive assumptions - like "charity," "welfare for work" in an age when there are no jabs, no taxes for the rich (who will invest overseas, thus lowering wages for Americans), "visions, strategies, projects, and tactics" for an "opportunity society" that will probably let Ross Perot earn another $1 billion, as we jail another 1 million.

Come on folks, let's get with the national challenge.

Please listen to this message.

Regards, Charlie Reid
cjreid@netcom.com


This message was sent to:
Waco House Democrats <demldr@hr.house.gov>, jconyers@hr.house.gov, kthurman@hr.house.gov, melmail@hr.house.gov, amfarr@hr.house.gov,talk2tom@hr.house.gov, tellnorm@hr.house.gov, zoegram@hr.house.gov,CA_Democrats <cdc@svpal.org>, cjreid@cruzio.com, democrat-issues@cedar.cic.net, internet-democrats@webcom.com, LowellATL@aol.com
Cc: president@whitehouse.gov
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