Dear Editor,
I don’t know Mark Zappa very well (he was in my older brother’s
class in high school) but we have crossed paths enough while in
Gilroy for me to get a sense of his passions, his sincere
commitment to the ideals he believes in.
Dear Editor,
I don’t know Mark Zappa very well (he was in my older brother’s class in high school) but we have crossed paths enough while in Gilroy for me to get a sense of his passions, his sincere commitment to the ideals he believes in. True, we have very different beliefs, but that is beside the point. He is straightforward and consistent.
That said, his 568-word letter to the editor goes a long way to making the very point behind my original letter: Republicans did not allow an up or down vote on 60 of President Clinton’s judicial nominees, while Democrats have passed through 220 Bush judicial nominees and are objecting to about 10.
For that the Republicans are willing to dump a 200-year Senate tradition. With that in mind, Zappa concluded his letter with the ironic statement, “It is time that the shamelessly partisan Democrats allow an up or down vote before the full Senate on each and every Bush nominee.”
I could go through and analyze each paragraph and explain where I disagree or think he is misguided (when people say the filibuster will limit the voice of the minority – they mean the minority party) but the bottom line is clear and the real message of what is going on in Washington is important for everyone to understand:
The Republican leadership in this country is not interested in checks and balances, not interested in separation between the three branches of government, not interested in accountability to the people, not interested in a free and open press, not interested in being a world leader.
The Republicans currently control the House and Senate, the Supreme Court and the White House. But that is not enough.
They will not be satisfied until the opposition party – a part of a long political tradition and what made this country’s system of government the rightful envy of the world – is crushed and neutralized. Eliminated.
Power to the people, indeed.
Jim McCann, Gilroy
