A lonely man in his mid-'70s shuffles around the floor of an office that used to be his. He looks at his shoes. He's invited almost 50 of his former colleagues to chat with him. They bolted.
This is Bob Dole and he is nearly alone. Even Republicans don't want to be associated with him, for fear that the association will ruin their re-election hopes.
Why this sorry sight last week? Because the sands have shifted, and people are sick of the so-called "Republican Revolution." It's over.
People are sick of Rush Limbaugh and his hate-radio imitators attacking everyone who is unfortunate, in need or different.
People are sick of the Christian Coalition's nonsensical moral crusade, which has nothing to do with Christianity and everything to do with money and politics.
People are sick of anti-everything rhetoric, spewing from the lips of hateful militia groups and racist right-wingers, as well as from the lips of Republicans like Pat Buchanan and Jesse Helms.
People are sick of self-centeredness and greed, of folks driving Beamers up to their summer cottages and complaining about horrible tax burdens.
People are sick of men who are against women who happen to be opinionated, intelligent, talented, unafraid of the spotlight and named Hillary. She's a fantastic woman and people are sick of hearing all the GOP's elaborate lies about her.
The Revolution is dead.
Al Franken's book "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot" (Simon & Schuster) sold millions of copies this summer, and landed at No. 1 on the bestseller list. Limbaugh's own books are now $1.98 at fine discount stores. Franken brilliantly and blissfully pointed out the hypocrasies in the Limbaugh Legions. Among them, documentation that Rush dodged the draft, and that Rush was on welfare because he was TOO FAT TO WORK. Al Franken is a hero. He pointed out the monstrous lies behind this monstrous ego. Now, Rush hawks his TV show to cable stations. Seems there are fewer and fewer takers.
Michael Moore, the director of the film "Roger & Me," kicked off a 50-day, 47-city book tour in Ann Arbor last week, in a standing-room-only Michigan Theater. His book is called "Downsize This: Random Threats from an Unarmed American" (Random House). And while the major networks don't want to touch Moore's politically risqué "TV Nation" show, which made Newt Gingrich look like a complete idiot last season, the show will air on cable's Comedy Central this winter.
Mass media outlets are focusing on the Religious Left, a loose term for the growing number of spiritual persons, especially Christians, who do not believe that the Religious Right has a single, solitary clue. People are also joining groups like James Carville's "The Creative Coalition," made up of people who are striving to find solutions, not cause more problems.
The Revolution is dead.
Although not everybody knows it. There are still some die-hards around, clinging desperately to Newt's proverbial love handles.
A reader e-mailed me last week, telling me I was wrong to attack the nation's health care system, which he called, "the best in the world." Ironically, that was right about the time when my mother's health care insurance was whisked away. Oh yes, she must be one of those lazy, unmotivated slobs on welfare, right?
No, she is a woman who has taught for more than 25 years. She holds a Master's Degree. She is a single parent and will see her two children graduate from college, mostly thanks to her hard work and love. Then why is she without health care?
Because our educational system sucks, too. Republican Governor John Engler thought he could trim some budgetary fat. Of course, he trimmed education. My mother, whose GED classes have helped some people get off welfare and unemployment, lost her job in the budget cuts.
When things like this hit home, you have to consider the fact that without some sort of social safety net, a lot of decent, good people will find themselves royally screwed. Will Dole's stinking tax cut solve dear ol' Ma's problems? Hell no, it won't, and everyone who says otherwise is living in a secure, white-collar La La Land.
It's time for a new Moral Majority, a new Moral Consciousness. One that realizes it is immoral for someone to be deducting business lunches from their taxes, while a second grader finds that his free hot lunch is gone. One that realizes it is immoral to have even the least of Americans suffer, while our nation thrives in opulence.
For a few years, I think Americans were caught up in the Newt- and Rush-inspired "Me First" attitude. But now it is becoming evident that, as a nation, we do have a sense of social justice. Harshness and mean-spiritedness can only be effective political tools for a brief, flashing period.
The Revolution is dead.
I must close with this personal aside to the College Republicans who chalked up the campus last week with their "Dole / Kemp" campaigning: You'd be amazed at how well a stream of urine washes away chalk writings.
The Revolution is dead.
- Dean Bakopoulos can be contacted via e-mail at deanc@umich.edu
