The Voices in Frank's Head

For more than three weeks, I've been listening to one pundit after another talk about what the Democrats need to do to win in 2006 or 2008. We need to "get religion" or "abandon our gun-grabbing ways." We need to quit "pandering" to gay folks and support traditional family values. We need to reach out to the South. Thousands of people have come forward with their ideas about what the Democratic party needs to do to be serious contenders in the next election cycle. Thousands opinions. Thousands of commentators. Collectively none of the IQ that God gave to a jar of pickles. Senator John Kerry ran what was arguably the worst presidential campaign ever. He spouted a few soundbites, but never spoke with a clear message. What message he did have seemed to change with alarming regularity. He complained about what President Bush has done over the past four years, but didn't offer a clear alternative to what he would do differently. ...

There's good news and bad news out of Ford Field. The bad news, of course, is that the Indianapolis Colts spanked the Detroit Lions by an astonishing score of 41-9. The good news, though, is that a team from Detroit finally managed to play a complete game against a team from Indianapolis without a brawl breaking out.

I woke up yesterday morning; greeted by two news stories that were bizarre in their contrast. The first was one that I already knew was going to be on the front page of the newspapers. Campus Martius Park opened in downtown Detroit Friday night with much hype, pomp and circumstance. It was beautiful. Calm. Peaceful. It was almost enough to wash away every negative image one might have about Detroit. The other big news story was the one that I had gone to bed on Friday night without hearing. A huge brawl broke out during a Detroit Pistons vs. Indiana Pacers basketball game. At least two fans were hospitalized. Many more were injured. Bottles, cans, chairs and articles of clothing were thrown at the players. It was a nightmare. And it happened in the far-off distant suburb of Auburn Hills, in the heart of northern Oakland county. Almost all of the fans were making a disgrace of the region and basketball were white suburbanites. So, to recap -- a calm, peacefu...

I was browsing through the comments that were left by others to Mitch Albom's column today. One of them really struck me. Here it is, along with my replies. Bush is a true leader.... by: mazenbluman (44/M/Lakeland/ Hamburg MI) 11/03/04 10:37 am Msg: 5 of 54 1 recommendation Weather you like it or not....mitch ought to change his name to bitch, because thats all he did during the campaign(about W that is). kerry was a fraud and now all you union whiners, village idiots and morons who were stupid enough to vote for an American hating communist will have to wait 4 more years! Re: Bush is a true leader.... by: JS_Frank (33/M/Detroit, MI) 11/03/04 08:33 pm Msg: 53 of 54 Yes, George W. Bush is a true leader. The problem is that he always insists on trying to lead in the wrong direction. Re: Bush is a true leader.... by: JS_Frank (33/M/Detroit, MI) 11/03/04 08:45 pm Msg: 54 of 54 By the way, I can't help but feel it's ironic that you call...

Mitch Albom has a column in today's Detroit Free Press . Its title poses a simple question. "After bitterness: will we let winner actually lead us?" It's a interesting and simple question. The answer to it is also very simple. No.

Election 2004 proved two old political adages. First, it's rarely enough to simply point out your opponent's failings, even your opponent has as many as George W. Bush does. You have to show people a better way. Second, you have to define yourself before your opponent gets a chance to. George W. Bush defined himself as a strong leader who could be counted on keep America safe and that Senator Kerry was a flip-flopper. (Personally, I can't believe that either label managed to stick -- especially the first one, but that's life). As an aside note, I think this experience will also result in a bunch of heads being mounted on pikes within the Democratic party's leadership. George W. Bush was arguably the weakest, most ineffective Republican we've seen since the GOP was founded. If the current apparatus of the Democratic Party can't beat him, they really don't have much of a chance to beat anyone. It should be interesting to watch.

Four more years of Bush/Cheney. Four years more jobs going overseas as dead servicemen come home. Four more years of bin Laden wandering around without the President doing much to stop him as honest Americans see their civil rights eroded. For more years of gay couples not being allowed to marry, because that would threaten families, as 51% of straight couples get divorced, because that doesn't threaten the family. Four more years of tax cuts for the richest among us and fewer services for the weakest among us. Four more years of Bush/Cheney.

It's weird how some really little things can bring back huge memories. I went to vote this morning. One of the election officials actually seemed to think that I was my Dad, since I neglected to add the "Junior" at the end of my name when I filled out the little application for a ballot. I guess he's still on the voter rolls, even though he passed away last July. When I walked out of the polling site, it was all I could do to keep from crying.