Jeffords did not stick to his beliefs

Sen. James Jeffords is a coward. Before your heart stops, your bloodpressure causes you to lose consciousness and you quickly start writinga nasty letter, listen and think about what I am about to say. I willspeak only the cold, hard, political facts. When I was a boy, I wasalways told, “Fight for what you believe in; stand up for yourself andyour side if you think you are right.”

Jeffords gave in because he cannot control the issues of the RepublicanParty and like so many politicians before him, acted just like any otherpolitician.

He did not fight for what was right. Jeffords is not some brave man tobe memorialized. He did not stick up for what he believed in. Jeffordsacted just like any old politician and ducked the issue.

The Republican Party is fighting for its essence and heart these days.There are many groups that are struggling to control the agenda, witheach group wanting its agenda pushed first. Jeffords is no different. Heis a moderate, northern Republican wanting price supports for Vermont’sdairy industry.

If you follow the news, instead of writing knee-jerk, liberal columnsabout the news, you will know President George W. Bush has alreadyrejected energy price supports for California. Why would Bush or anyRepublican vote for Vermont to have dairy price supports over sayWisconsin or Michigan dairy industry or California’s energy crisis?

Jeffords switched to get support for the price supports from theDemocrats, who would gladly support such an issue to regain control ofone of the houses of Congress.

Why would the Democrats vote for price supports when they have failed tovote with Jeffords in the past?

The Democrats have nothing to lose. They will vote the bill past theSenate, Bush will veto it if it passes the House, and the Democrats haveanother issue to help support their campaign efforts in New England.At the very least the bill will see the sunshine of the Senate floor,what Jeffords really wants, unlike it would have with the Republicans incharge.

Washington D.C. is not a classroom and politics is not a friendly gameof checkers. Politicians do what politicians have to do.

Lastly, if Jeffords was half the man you made him out to be, he wouldhave stayed and fought for the heart and soul of the Republican Party.He would have tried to do something for the party he supposedly loved somuch, that he saw slipping away. You fight for what you believe in, notabandon it when the political opportunity for your own advancement comesalong.

– Charles C. Hart II is a senior majoring in accounting.