Addendum

(Please read today's first post before this one.)

I received an email today from Howard Dean. Yes, Howard Dean himself. Can you believe that? He wants me to buy a Democracy Bond.

But seriously folks, his message bothers me for the same reason that Rep. Murtha and Sen. Rockefeller bothered me last night. Here's what he wrote:

"'Elections have consequences.'

"In 2006 Americans sent a crystal clear message. As the war in Iraq continued and ordinary people struggled to make ends meet, scores of Republicans at every level of government were removed from office by the voters, every single Democrat running for reelection as a Senator, Governor, or Representative was reelected -- every single one.
It didn't happen by accident. It happened by building a strong opposition party with a clear message of change."

What bothers me? Dean's statement, summarized, is, "As the war in Iraq continued, loads of Democrats were elected." He could just as well have written, "As it snowed in Montana, Americans voted for Democrats." Just what "crystal clear message" Americans sent is left to the imagination by Dean's oblique statement. He is more interested in applauding all the new jobs for Democrats than in encouraging confidence in Democrat plans for getting us out of Iraq. He had an opportunity to characterize the "clear message" of the voters as a demand that Democrats end the war in Iraq, but he didn't do that. He settles on an unspecified message of "change". It's pretty easy to promise "change".

I am not criticizing the people I voted for before they've had a chance to get into action, but wishy-washy words make me nervous. I'm beginning to feel as if I'd picked up what I thought was solid rock only to find it sifting as sand between my fingers.