Bill Clinton's DNC Speech

Bill Clinton's speech last night at the Democratic National Convention was wonderful. It reminded me of the best lectures I heard at college or anywhere else. In a little under an hour, Clinton reviewed and analyzed all of the major provisions of the Romney-Ryan platform. He showed in detail how destructive, misguided, and misleading it really is. Best of all, he presented the facts in an entertaining manner, so what could have been boring policy details got transformed into an engaging discussion. Watch a rerun on You Tube if you missed it.

As a result of Clinton's talk, there is no doubt remaining regarding the destructive results to the country, and especially the middle class, in the event the Republican program were ever implemented. The details also graphically exposed Romney and Ryan, by chapter and verse, for the snake oil salesmen they really are. If I were Mitt Romney, I wouldn't want to show my face in public after Clinton's performance.

There are related matters worth discussing arising from Clinton's talk, which even David Brooks, the Republican-leaning columnist at the NYTimes, called an "effective speech". First, why did the electorate have to wait until now for an intelligent examination of the Republicans' platform? The two sides are spending $2 billion between them, and the media discusses the election non-stop. I think it reveals our shortcomings as a democracy, that we have to hope for the appearance of a single engaging orator to explain what is going on in a simple, coherent speech. No one can do it in a 30 second sound bite, which is what we've come to expect. Also, we dwell on a dog in a crate on top of a car or a candidate's hair rather than their proposals. Our impatience, lack of interest, and constant need for entertainment are costing us dearly. Hopefully, these Republican charlatans have been exposed in time.

Another aspect of this election which Clinton exposed concerned the number of misleading statements and outright lies coming from the Republicans. If perchance Romney-Ryan do win, we can expect the floodgates to open if the outcome demonstrates that Americans ignore untruths and that lying produces victory. Combined with unlimited campaign financing and undisclosed sources from super-PACs, we can say goodbye to democratic elections as a relic of the past. What makes me sad is remembering that Mitt Romney was once an effective, moderate Governor of Massachusetts, who instituted universal health care for its residents. I think he used to be a decent and pragmatic man who has become misguided by money, ambition, and power.