Copyright
Herb
Ranharter
2024 All rights reserved
All webrights reserved Herb Ranharter 2024
It's hard to choose the best moment of the "The
Debate," but if forced
(-and, for the record, our editor, Jill, is (affectionately) forcing us) -we'd go with this one:
CONGRESSMAN SANTOS
What did the liberals do that so insulted the Republican
Party, Senator? I'll tell you what they did.
The liberals gave women the right to vote.
The liberals gave African Americans the right to vote.
The liberals created Social Security and millions of people.
SENATOR VINICK
I'm sorry. I shouldn't have used that word. I know Democrats
think liberal is a bad word.
So bad you had to change it, didn't you? What do
you call yourselves now,
"Progressives?" Is that it?
CONGRESSMAN SANTOS
It's true, Republicans have tried to turn liberal into a bad
word.
Well, Liberals ended slavery in this country.
SENATOR VINICK
A Republican President ended slavery.
CONGRESSMAN SANTOS
What did liberals do that was so offensive to the
Republican party, Senator?
I'll tell you what they did.
Liberals got women the right to vote.
Liberals got African-Americans the right to vote.
Liberals created Social Security and lifted
millions and elderly people out of poverty.
Liberals ended segregation.
Liberals passed the Civil Rights Act
and the Voting Rights Act.
Liberals created Medicare.
Liberals passed the Clean Air Act
and the Clean Water Act.
What did Conservatives do? They opposed every one of those programs.
Every one.
So, when you try to hurl that word "liberal" at my
feet,
as if it were something dirty, something to run away from,
something that
I should be ashamed of, it won't work,
Senator, because I will pick up that
label and I will wear it
as a badge of honor.