Thursday, July 29, 2004

Fear Itself: Democrats are desperately trying to paint the Bush administration as fear mongers.

Instead it brings fear. Fear of rising costs for health care and for college, fear of higher unemployment and lesser pay, fear for the future of Social Security and Medicare, fear of greater bigotry, fear of pollution's stain on our magnificent natural heritage, fear of four more years of dreams denied and promises unfulfilled and progress rolled back. In the depths of the Depression, Franklin Roosevelt inspired the nation when he said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Today, we say the only thing we have to fear is four more years of George Bush. John Kerry offers hope, not fear.

Just reading that speech by Sen. Kennedy, the Democrats' message is backfiring. Yes, Bush is telling us to fear the terrorists. But we have good reason to. Terrorists have vowed to attack America again and again.

So while the Bush is telling us to fear terrorists, Democrats are telling us to fear Bush. The Patriot Act may need to be tweaked, but Bush has never given me a reason to fear him or his policies.

Kerry has been trying to take the high road by staying positive, and that's good. But it's not enough. Americans are judging the Democratic Party, not just one guy, through the convention. And if they see hateful, fearful rhetoric, they'll run the other direction.