I'm Pete du Pont with the National Center for Policy Analysis. Today a few more notes on the Bush cabinet selections — or rather, the reaction to them.
I can't decide which is most irritating, the liberals bashing of John Ashcroft disguised as concern over civil rights, the union bashing of Linda Chavez disguised as concern over hiring undocumented workers, or the attacks on Interior Secretary-designate Gale Norton, which isn't disguised as anything — it's just environmental extremists seem to like running out of electricity and domestic oil.
Ashcroft's record in Missouri is impeccable. To say he's racist is more than nonsense, it's an insult. Look at his record of promoting minority judges. Chavez' real crime was her earlier opposition to racial quotas and minimum wage hikes. Any surprises there? Unions spent millions to elect Al Gore.
And Norton? Norton's crime is her belief in property rights and her questionning whether global warming is real.
Oh, they'll probably be confirmed. But not without the kind of self-indulgent, grandstanding that sickens people of politics.
Those are my ideas, and at the NCPA we know ideas can change the world. I'm Pete du Pont, cut taxes now!