TheAgitator.com
Some Brief Thoughts on Wellstone
Saturday, October 26th, 2002Obviously, I wasn’t a fan of the man’s politics. But I did always harbor a good amount of respect for the Senator. He struck me as a throwback of sorts, to the days of politics where a leftist and a conservative might debate for hours on the Senate floor, then retire to the Red River Grill for a beer or three. He was passionate about his views, of course. But I don’t ever recall him resorting to ad hominem attacks or the kind of motive-questioning and conspiracy bunk we often hear coming from colleagues who share space with him on the far left. I could be wrong — and I’m sure someone will correct me if I am — but I don’t remember any racial demagoguing or blatant class warfare coming from Sen./Prof. Wellstone. Seems to me his politics were passionate and loud and rigorously articulated (and, yes, wrong), but never cheap or dishonest or below-the-belt. There are quite a few in his party who could learn from that legacy.
I’d take it further - there are a whole lot in the other party that could take a page from his book as well.
Minnesotans have had a habit of nominating and electing Leftists to high political office.
That goes back to the old DFL days, decades ago. But, those days will never return. Minnesota is actually becoming more a high-tech state, and less a farm state.
The realities of a market economy in high-tech will defeat the Left (e.g., ending lavish taxpayer subsidies to farmers).
You may disagree with Senator Wellman’s political ideology and vision of America as he thought it ought to be, but I am pleased to read that you consider him to have been a man of honest and noble character, a rarity nowadays seldom found east of the Potomoc.
We also may diverge at some points along the trail, but we both arrive at the same destination re the current fuzzy rational for insane propositions coming out of that dangerous gang in Foggy Bottom.
Keep knocking them down, Radley. G’donya!
Earl Aman