This is in response to
http://www.conservativecave.com/index.php/topic,28369.0.htmlMay 20, 2009
Dear Editor, [newspaper]:
I was intrigued to read the letter from the office of U.S. Senator Benjamin Nelson (D-Nebraska) in last week's newspaper; at once I was compelled to go back to an earlier edition of the newspaper, to read what I had written some weeks previously, to which the office of the senator was responding.
I am confused; it has been alleged that I distorted and misrepresented the record of the senior senator, when in fact I never even cited any record, real or alleged, of Senator Nelson. And not having cited any record, I could not possibly distort or misrepresent it.
We know how this goes; the late Senator Margaret Chase Smith (R-Maine, 1949-1973) was reportedly the last U.S. Senator to personally read, and personally respond to, all of her mail; that was a very long time ago; times have changed, pressures have intensified, constituencies have grown, and one reasonably supposes that if Senator Nelson were compelled to personally read, and personally respond to, all of his mail, the senator would have no time for anything else, including eating and sleeping, much less legislative business.
Of course, his signature's on the letter, autopenned probably, meaning the senator endorsed the contents of the letter, but one senses if for whatever reason, if Senator Nelson himself had personally written a response, it would have been entirely different.
It's been a very long time now, but I used to evaluate college composition for a professor of writing, essays, those sorts of things, and one could immediately discern from the letter from the office of Senator Ben Nelson that it's half the usual standard boilerplate, and half the sentiments of an overzealous college intern on the staff.
Please allow me to state that the record of Senator Nelson shows him to be a good friend of life, of the Second Amendment, of our military and its veterans, of economy and sensibility in governmental taxation and spending. A very good friend, and all Nebraskans are appreciative of it.
I hope I didn't distort his record, by saying that.
In fact, it might have been better had someone in a faraway cubicle in an office in Washington, D.C., had waited for receipt of the letter signed by those attending the tea party in [town], before responding to my letter that had been published here.
That letter hasn't been sent yet, because after the tea party, there were so many others who wished to sign it, and it's currently meandering somewhere between South Sioux City and Grand Island; I hope to get it back soon, so I may mail it.
That letter, after explaining the concerns of those signing it, about the current and proposed policies of the White House, goes on to thank Senator Nelson for how well he has reflected the values of the people of Nebraska, and encourages him to continue putting people, and the state, above partisan party politics. It's all sweetness and light, that letter.
I met Senator Nelson only one time, in 1990, when he was then the Democrat candidate for governor, and my then-boss held a reception for him. The candidate needed to use a telephone in a private area, so he used my own office. He struck me as an okay guy, straightforward and honest, the salt of the earth.
I dunno what he thought about the framed autographed photograph of then-president George and first lady Barbara Bush, though, sitting in front of him as he used my telephone at my desk, but whatever; I had no doubt, and still have no doubt, that Ben Nelson respects differences of opinion.
However, there's currently a problem here, concerning the senior senator.
Senator Nelson is now among the Democrat majority that oversees the U.S. Senate. When he was a member of the minority, he was free to be as he wished to be, to vote as he wished to vote, because it was the other party, not his, running things.
He's not so free any more. And as this
kuckenkuckensheim "stimulus" from the White House begins falling apart, and things, as they inevitably must, go from bad to worse, the senior senator is probably going to face more and more demands that he comply with the party line, rather than the way he wishes to be.
A power losing its grip tends to impose control, discipline, in a futile attempt to keep its grip.
The history of Democrat congressional leadership--it's in all of their biographies and autobiographies--shows a consistent pattern of asking, demanding, begging, arm-twisting, bullying, and finally, outright thuggery, wrought on uncooperative Democrats. These are not nice people.
Senator Nelson has, at times, hinted that because of his independent stands, he's been yelled at behind closed doors, by the Democrat leadership. One suspects he's been yelled at somewhat more than he's letting on, given the nature of the current Democrat congressional leadership.
This can wear one down, eroding the spirit and the will, all this being yelled at.
And so Senator Nelson needs bucked up, by the support of the people of Nebraska, whenever he wishes to reflect the values of the people of Nebraska, and the upper-level managers in the Senate don't like it.
The senator has already succumbed to pressure once (twice, if one wishes to count that
kuckenkuckensheim "stimulus" bill), betraying an erosion of independence and will; he is crumbling, and the erosion needs stopped, and it is best stopped by the people of Nebraska encouraging him, fortifying him, in his independence.
A little over a year ago, after the Republican candidate for the presidency had been determined, but there were still some doubts about the ultimate Democrat candidate, I was frequently asked by Republicans from outside the state of Nebraska, about which Democrat Senator Nelson was going to endorse.
I'm sure my responses are still swirling all over the internet, but mercifully being deeply buried further and further into google. Essentially, what I said was this:
"Look, we've got the weakest Republican candidate--not in numbers, but in 'me-too'ism--since Wendell Willkie in 1940--and so either one of these two Democrats is likely to win.
"Excresence happens; one accepts, adapts, and moves on, to the next election.
"Senator Nelson has a well-deserved reputation for honesty and independence, and for taking the long view, not the short one.
"Senator Nelson has already coasted to easy victories in two campaigns for governor and two for the Senate, and it's obvious he's senator, or whatever else he wishes to be in Nebraska, for life. He could endorse Vladimir Putin for president, and it's not going to hurt him an iota.
"Senator Nelson, being a Democrat, is a greatly concerned for the well-being of the Democrat party.
"Senator Nelson, because of his honesty, his integrity, his taking the long view, and his concern for the future of the Democrat party, is going to endorse the worthier of the two Democrat candidates."
Famous last words.
It was a good thing I was wearing brown pants some days later, reading in the newspapers that Senator Nelson, rather than endorsing the worthier of the two Democrat candidates, had caved in to the howling mob, surrendered to the bullies and thugs, and endorsed the other candidate.
Ooops.
[franksolich]
