# MN Republican ex-governor's opinion



## seabass (Sep 26, 2002)

Elmer L. Andersen: Why this Republican ex-governor will be voting for Kerry 
Elmer L. Andersen 
October 13, 2004 ANDERSEN1013 
Throughout my tenure and beyond as the 30th governor of this state, I have been steadfastly aligned -- and until recently, proudly so -- with the Minnesota Republican Party.

It dismays me, therefore, to have to publicly disagree with the national Republican agenda and the national Republican candidate but, this year, I must.

The two "Say No to Bush" signs in my yard say it all.

The present Republican president has led us into an unjustified war -- based on misguided and blatantly false misrepresentations of the threat of weapons of mass destruction. The terror seat was Afghanistan. Iraq had no connection to these acts of terror and was not a serious threat to the United States, as this president claimed, and there was no relation, it's now obvious, to any serious weaponry. Although Saddam Hussein is a frightful tyrant, he posed no threat to the United States when we entered the war. George W. Bush's arrogant actions to jump into Iraq when he had no plan how to get out have alienated the United States from our most trusted allies and weakened us immeasurably around the world.

Also, if there as well had been proper and careful coordination of services and intelligence on Sept. 11, 2001, that horrific disaster might also have been averted. But it was a separate event from this brutal mess of a war, and the disingenuous linking of the wholly unrelated situation in Iraq to 9/11 by this administration is not supported by the facts.

Sen. John Kerry was correct when he said that seemingly it is only Bush and Dick Cheney who still believe their own spin. Both men spew outright untruths with evangelistic fervor. For Bush -- a man who chose to have his father help him duck service in the military during the Vietnam War -- to disparage and cast doubt on the medals Kerry won bravely and legitimately in the conflict of battle is a travesty.

For Cheney to tell the hand-picked, like-minded Republican crowds in Des Moines last month that to vote for John Kerry could mean another attack like that of 9/11 is reprehensible. Moreover, such false statements encourage more terrorist attacks rather than prevent them.

A far smaller transgression, but one typical of his stop-at-nothing tactics, was Cheney's assertion in last Wednesday's vice-presidential debate that he'd never met Sen. John Edwards until that night. The next day -- and the media must stay ever-vigilant at fact-checking the lies of this ticket -- news reports, to the contrary, showed four video clips of Edwards and Cheney sitting next to each other during the past five years.

In both presidential debates, Kerry has shown himself to be of far superior intellect and character than Bush. He speaks honestly to the American people, his ethics are unimpeachable and, clearly, with 20 respected years in the Senate, he has far better credentials to lead the country than did Bush when he was elected four years ago. And a far greater depth of understanding of domestic and foreign affairs to do it now.

Not that the sitting president has ever really been at the helm.

I am more fearful for the state of this nation than I have ever been -- because this country is in the hands of an evil man: Dick Cheney. It is eminently clear that it is he who is running the country, not George W. Bush.

Bush's phony posturing as cocksure leader of the free world -- symbolized by his victory symbol on the aircraft carrier and "mission accomplished" statement -- leave me speechless. The mission had barely been started, let alone finished, and 18 months later it still rages on. His ongoing "no-regrets," no-mistakes stance and untruths on the war -- as well as on the floundering economy and Bush administration joblessness -- also disappoint and worry me.

Liberal Republicans of my era and mind-set used to have a humane and reasonable platform. We advocated the importance of higher education, health care for all, programs for children at risk, energy conservation and environmental protection. Today, Bush and Cheney give us clever public relations names for programs -- need I say "No Child Left Behind? -- but a lack of funding to support them. Early childhood education programs and overall health care are woefully underfunded. We have not only the largest number ever of medically uninsured in this nation, our infant mortality rates, once among the lowest in the world, have worsened to 27th.

As taxes for the wealthy are being cut, jobs are being outsourced if not lost and children are homeless and uninsured, this administration is running up the biggest deficit in U.S. history -- bound to be a terrible burden for future generations.

This imperialistic, stubborn adherence to wrongful policies and known untruths by the Cheney-Bush administration -- and that's the accurate order -- has simply become more than I can stand.

Although I am a longtime Republican, it is time to make a statement, and it is this: Vote for Kerry-Edwards, I implore you, on Nov. 2.

Elmer L. Andersen was Minnesota's governor from 1961 to 1963.


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## SniperPride (Sep 20, 2004)

blah blah blah, I didnt even have to read past the first sentance, same old same old. I see the democrats are going into panic mode..."kerry has better credentials from his 20 years in the senate" 
Get real look at his voting record, it basically contradicts everything he says.
"Today, Bush and Cheney give us clever public relations names for programs -- need I say "No Child Left Behind? -- but a lack of funding to support them"
Wow insightful, kerry voted for the no child left behind act, and then now wont vote for its funding, why would it be underfunded??
I could go on and on, but there is no point, that would be like explaining how to drive a car to a blind person.


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

Both canidates uke: We need a person from middle America to run this country! I cannot even watch these guys (Bush and Kerry), they just lie, lie, lie!

I hope a new party can be formed soon, before the next election!!!


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## seabass (Sep 26, 2002)

SP,
You should really take the time to go through it. It is written by a republican like yourself and a governor no less.


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## SniperPride (Sep 20, 2004)

He was governor in the early sixties lol


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

Yea, and I voted Democrate once in the 60's. Last time though.


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## seabass (Sep 26, 2002)

> He was governor in the early sixties lol


...and with experience comes wisdom, no?


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

Or senility


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## SniperPride (Sep 20, 2004)

seabass said:


> > He was governor in the early sixties lol
> 
> 
> ...and with experience comes wisdom, no?


lol yes with experience, not with age! Once again democrats are getting confused :lol:


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## sdeprie (May 1, 2004)

Everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion. Now, let's see. Who was Mn's last governor? Oh yea, a professional wrestler. I'm sorry, doesn't carry a lot of weight here.


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## racer66 (Oct 6, 2003)

One thing is for sure, we are exposing Kerry's lies, one after another. I guess your Gov. can't beat up our Gov. any more. :beer:


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

deacon said:


> Both canidates uke: We need a person from middle America to run this country! I cannot even watch these guys (Bush and Kerry), they just lie, lie, lie!
> 
> I hope a new party can be formed soon, before the next election!!!


I hear you! We have two rich-*** pukes from Yale...some choice! Like either of these guys can really represent the middle class of this country. Michael Jackson is almost as in touch as these two concerning how an average american lives and what their concerns are. These two don't really care about us, even if they lost they're still billionaires...what will they ever do?

We might as well have a friggin' king. :eyeroll:


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## racer66 (Oct 6, 2003)

Is this class envy I hear.


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

racer66 said:


> Is this class envy I hear.


To a certain extent yes. It's not like I'm poor and I'm talking about redistributing the wealth in this country or anything along those lines. I just think that we might be better off with someone who could relate to how the average american lives and what their concerns are if they are going to lead us.


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

> I feel your pain


 Bill Clinton uke:


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## sevendogs (Sep 19, 2003)

I want to thank you for expressing your opinion. I am an independent, but if I knew that many Repubicans think like you do, I would join the Republican Party. I agree with you 100%. I am afraid we are moving back to Middle Age time. Torchures are back, SS is being eliminated and our President' mentality is not much different from Osama bin Laden. Both are inspired to fight by religion, not common sense.


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## sdeprie (May 1, 2004)

If you could show a poor, honest, common sense man (or woman) who could actually be elected, I would be tempted. Facts of life, it takes being rich just to get started at that level of politics. Try to go back and tell me who the last president was who was not considered independently wealthy.


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