Parish
More Senators Should Be Challenged
RECEIVED Wed., Aug. 23, 2006
Dear Editor,
I really liked the basic message of Light and Darkness [“Page Two,” Aug. 18], Louis, but the second paragraph was far wide off the mark. First the small stuff. You may not regard Arlen Specter as a moderate, but not a moderate by any stretch of the imagination, c'mon. "[T]ax cuts for the rich" is inflammatory liberal jargon, the exact sort of stuff you are railing against. And why was Specter attacked by his own party while Lieberman was attacked by some in his party?
I don't believe that the problem today is that there are too many extremists. The problem is that too many people today are classifying those with opposing views as extremists. People with extreme views simply widen the debate. People classified as extremists may be dismissed out of hand, their words discredited simply by pointing out who uttered them.
Joe Lieberman has long been in the forefront of those attacking the irresponsible people who criticize the president. He was demonizing you and I and Ned Lamont long before he ever heard of Ned Lamont.
For the record, three senators are getting serious primary challenges this year – [Daniel] Akaka, [Lincoln] Chafee, and Lieberman. Frankly, the United States Senate can use improvement, and I am happy to see mediocre senators such as Akaka (challenged from the right) and Lieberman, both of whom would have easily been re-elected in the general election, have to defend themselves before the voters. I only wish Texas Republicans would consider an alternative to John Cornyn.
I really liked the basic message of Light and Darkness [“Page Two,” Aug. 18], Louis, but the second paragraph was far wide off the mark. First the small stuff. You may not regard Arlen Specter as a moderate, but not a moderate by any stretch of the imagination, c'mon. "[T]ax cuts for the rich" is inflammatory liberal jargon, the exact sort of stuff you are railing against. And why was Specter attacked by his own party while Lieberman was attacked by some in his party?
I don't believe that the problem today is that there are too many extremists. The problem is that too many people today are classifying those with opposing views as extremists. People with extreme views simply widen the debate. People classified as extremists may be dismissed out of hand, their words discredited simply by pointing out who uttered them.
Joe Lieberman has long been in the forefront of those attacking the irresponsible people who criticize the president. He was demonizing you and I and Ned Lamont long before he ever heard of Ned Lamont.
For the record, three senators are getting serious primary challenges this year – [Daniel] Akaka, [Lincoln] Chafee, and Lieberman. Frankly, the United States Senate can use improvement, and I am happy to see mediocre senators such as Akaka (challenged from the right) and Lieberman, both of whom would have easily been re-elected in the general election, have to defend themselves before the voters. I only wish Texas Republicans would consider an alternative to John Cornyn.
Raymond C. Heitmann
