What It Means to Be a Democrat by George McGovern

Senator George McGovern was definitely not a visionary when he wrote this.  Reading his book, “What It Means to Be a Democrat,” makes me somewhat ashamed there is generally no choice but to vote Democrat or Republican.  I’m glad he doesn’t represent me.  He says a lot of things that sound very sweet.  In short, he claims pride in the fact that he has been accused as a, “Bleeding heart liberal.”

So where is the problem?  The problem is that now more than ever, we need to be trimming back government.  The problem is now, we don’t need someone that just gives at all costs, but also has some judgment.  Mostly what America needs is for its Senate leadership to not be afraid to say, “The buck stops here.”  That concept should have been the thrust of the first chapter or the introduction.

So, I stop at page 30, having read the introduction and the first chapter only, and return the book to the library.  Sorry dude, our country is in financial crisis, and that is issue #1 right now.  So, you may wonder what I personally am doing to fix it.  I am walking to the library to return this book, which will hopefully help promote walking as opposed to driving.

I wouldn’t even give this book to my son when he learns to read as an introduction to what it means to be a democrat.  This is book is incorrectly titled.  It should be called, “The History of What It Means to Be a Democrat.”

Why write books on old fashioned democrat philosophy, when this sort of philosophy doesn’t work?  Most people don’t read past the first few pages.  Dear dog, you need to learn a few new tricks.  Yes, I myself believe many of the programs that you highlight are in fact good, but that should have been later in the book.

Under the Presidency of Bill Clinton, a Democrat, law makers where making progress on the deficit.  Thus, it is a very democratic ideal to not only balance the federal budget deficit, but also to pay it off in full.  I understand that you mention that programs often pay for themselves, but obviously in the state where in something’s got to go.  That should be your starting point.  Please try again.

Yes, Mr. Senator, you probably know what it has meant to be a Democrat, and are quite capable of defining the exact sort of leadership mentality that has gotten the USA in a financial crisis, but how about the current agenda, which needs to focus on the future through adaptation and change.

The other problem with this book is that one can’t write a counter to your book that may be called something like, “What It Means to Be a Republican,” take a historical approach and correctly arrive at a, “The buck stops here,” mentality either.  What we have in this country is a bunch of irresponsible law makers, both Democrat and Republican, and hopefully there will be able to be some sort or leadership that doesn’t just run us into the ground.  Therefore, do your part.  Be a Senator and fix the problems, while letting historians be historians.