A few weeks ago I read one of Joe Goldberg’s columns. (“A political last resort,” April 16) At first, I was inspired by his analysis of the current world situation. He stated, “The current administration has dug us into a unilateralist hole, and today I ask Mr. Frank and Mr. Capuano, for the sake of my generation, to help dig us out.” He goes further to say, “We were raised to believe that multiculturalism and interdependence are phenomenona that are to be welcomed with open arms, and that chauvinism and ethnocentrism are to be avoided. We were taught to view the creation of wealth in terms of the global economy, and not just the American economy. To put it bluntly, we feel betrayed by Bush and what his presidency has stood for. Everything he has done internationally has been a step away from what we were told to count on.” He then calls on the Democratic Representatives to whom he was speaking to, “Please get on an airplane and start making the rounds in Europe. The Bush administration has failed at diplomacy. It’s time that, you, Congress, use your bully pulpits and give it a shot for the good of our nation.”
To this, all I have to say is that I whole-heartedly agree, and I would and still do give him many thanks for poignantly expressing my opinion in better words than I could have. However, the article continues and this is why I am so disappointed. My heart sank when I read, “[Representative Chuano] also chastised the far left. ‘What we need now is less idealism and more realism.'” He was directing this statement toward Green Party advocates, whom he said were partially responsible for Bush’s election. Goldberg was very misguided when he failed to refute this idea and, instead, promote it by saying, “If the far left continues to waste their votes on the Greens, we’ll get more jokers like Armey in Congress, and four more years of Bush in the White House.”
This is where I couldn’t more vehemently disagree. These sorts of statements and ideas are exactly what helps the Republicans. The result of the last election was not the fault of the 2.8 million voters (2.7 percent of turnout, 1.8 percent of registered voters and 1.4 percent of the voting-age populations) who went out on election day and made their voices heard and voted for Green Party candidate Ralph Nader. They expressed their fundamental democratic right to say that the Democratic Party hasn’t been the champion for equality and justice. They were saying they wanted change. To try and discourage, intimidate, or blame someone for their dissatisfaction is not helpful to the democratic process. If Goldberg is really committed to a presidential change, he should switch gears and direct his attention to the 50.8 million voters (32.5 percent of registered voters) who didn’t come out to express their opinion. He could even be slightly more ambitious and try reaching the 1 billion people who are old enough to vote but didn’t.
This attack by Goldberg and Representative Chuano is wholly misguided, and, in order for the democracy that we have here in the United States to work, more effort needs to be placed in getting more people out to vote. One great place to start is right here on campus. In the 2000 presidential election only 36 percent of 18-24-year-old people in the United States voted (from US Census data).
So I would suggest that the Democrats start generating a larger voter turnout and more public mobilization rather than degenerate to finger-pointing and name calling when they fall short. We can’t have a leader that is going to shift the blame when they fail.
All data in this letter comes from the Federal Election Commission except where noted.
– Kevin McCabe is a senior physics and chemistry major.
