It's a cakewalk for Ashcroft and other Bush picks,
                            as Senate Democrats roll over again
                                   By Larry Chin
 
                                   January 18, 2001 | Even before he began asking his questions,
                                   Senator Herbert Kohl, the Democrat from Wisconsin, said to
                                   John Ashcroft, "You are likely to be confirmed, as we well know."

                                   As we know too damned well, the so-called "hearings" over
                                   the confirmation of Ashcroft are turning out to be another fine
                                   example of what a cowering, prostrate, bought-and-paid-for
                                   puppy dog of a party the Democrats have become.

                                   Two days have passed without any real challenge to
                                   Ashcroft's venomous racism, his ardent love of the
                                   Confederacy, his misogynistic pro-birth activism, his dirty deals
                                   with corporations, his rabidly militant religious beliefs and ties
                                   to Christian militia groups, his Bob Jones University butt-kissing,
                                   or his fund raising activities and long history of defying campaign
                                   finance laws. The volumes of evidence compiled by civil rights groups,
                                   women's groups, human rights groups, anti-corruption organizations
                                   and other investigators—-filed away and ignored.

                                   For two days we have suffered through the usual
                                   obstructionism from hatchet men Orrin Hatch and Arlen
                                   Specter (the eternal defenders of all things Republican,
                                   corrupt, and criminal), and biased "testimony" from Ashcroft
                                   friends and relatives, like the corrupt and pompous John Danforth.

                                   For two days we have labored through hours of senatorial
                                   buddy-buddy, preening, congratulatory chuckling and sickening
                                   ass kissing about how "Senator Ashcroft served our great and
                                   grand nation with honor" and "exudes integrity."

                                   The polite and effete Democrats who did manage to peep out
                                   questions squeaked out the wrong ones, and worse, tossed patently
                                   ridiculous softballs at Ashcroft such as: "Will you defend Roe v. Wade,
                                   Senator Ashcroft?" "I will enforce the law," he said. "Thank you, what
                                   a great, great man you are. By gosh, I believe ya." And it's over.

                                   Only Ted Kennedy dared to venture into Ashcroft's skeleton closet.
                                   But Kennedy's words, however blistering and appropriate, have no power in
                                   America. He has long been defrocked—- "Chappaquidicked"—-by his political
                                   opponents to the point that whatever leaves his mouth is rendered harmless.

                                   Ashcroft knows the congressional testimony game.
                                   Republicans have played the weak Democrats like fools since
                                   the Iran-Contra/Clarence Thomas days.

                                   The formula, which will be used by every Republican who
                                   comes before the Senate, consists of variations on the following:

                                        "I promise to be good and ethical. Trust me. (wink)"

                                        (Lie about record here.)

                                        "That may have happened in the past. I won't do it anymore."

                                        "I don't recall."

                                        "I can appreciate your views. (Do not clarify nor answer.)

                                        (Distort facts here.)

                                        "No, I didn't say that. (List lies here)."

                                        "Thank you for that important question. I'll do my best
                                        to address it. (Ramble, but don't.) "

                                        (Take credit for things he/she never did here.)

                                        "In fact, I am a caring, passionate defender of all people
                                        (List lies here)."

                                        "Thank you for that compliment, [first name of Republican chum],
                                        that is an issue that means a lot to me." (Follow with rambling patriotic
                                        monologue laced with homilies, bad sport analogies and religious humility.)

                                   In an adjoining Senate chamber, Colin Powell repeated the
                                   same lies to even softer softballs. It will happen over and over
                                   with Norton, Thompson, Rumsfeld, and whomever Bush
                                   chooses to force down our throats.

                                   Dirty politicians like Ashcroft and Bush lie. They lie in front of
                                   microphones and cameras, and under oath. They lie, and the
                                   system protects them. They lie, and the corporate media
                                   reflects their lies. A genuinely stupid and dumbed-down
                                   populace accepts the sound bites of lies—based "hunches," a
                                   politician's looks and or style, and on zero knowledge of facts.

                                   The politicians slip by and, once in power, do violence to democracy
                                   with ruthlessness and impunity—with the consent and assistance
                                   of congressional cronies who are themselves corrupt.

                                   It is painfully evident that America is not run by two parties. It
                                   is run by one fanatical Corporate Party headed by the likes of
                                   the Bush family, in which no member can or will fight another.

                                   Can we expect the Borking that Ashcroft deserves before the
                                   full Senate, under a system in which a "progressive" senator,
                                   such as Paul Wellstone, of Minnesota is a personal friend of a
                                   gun-toting rightwing fanatic like Ashcroft?

                                   Don't hold your breath. Just take to the streets.