ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, May 27, 1996 TAG: 9605300015
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: HOLIDAY
COLUMN: BEN BEAGLE
SOURCE: BEN BEAGLE
While we were driving around trying to see if President Clinton or Bob Dole had been able to bring gas prices down, the Democrats came up with what kind of looks like the Republicans' "Contract with America."
It's called the Democratic Agenda for Progress and they say it isn't like the Republican contract at all. (You remember the GOP contract. All of us apparently signed on to shut down the government several times.)
The Democrats say they're going to concentrate on "honoring work, fighting for children, protecting families, responsibility and basic fairness."
(Is it just me or is "My Country 'Tis of Thee" really playing in the background?)
I don't expect people to pay much attention to this new program. Of course, I don't get around as much as I used to - except for the old biweekly trip to the recycling place at the shopping center.
When you're at the recycling place, your main interest in life is putting the No. 1 and No. 2 plastic jugs in the right hole.
I think people who are trying to save the planet just aren't interested in politics. I know I didn't hear a word about the "Contract with America" last year.
I've never talked politics with my fellow recyclers. You can't just go up to a housewife who is driving a brand new Cherokee and throwing several Chivas Regal bottles in the right hole and say: "Pardon me, madam, but I'm wondering if you have any thoughts on the Democratic Agenda for Progress?"
You do that and she goes home and tells her husband, an ex-linebacker, that a strange old person has been bothering her at the recycling bins. The next time she has some Chivas Regal glass to dump, she brings him along.
I didn't hear the "Contract with America" discussed at the barber shop and the United Parcel Service man never mentioned it. I think it's going to be the same with the Democrats. A New Deal this is not.
The people at the convenience store sometimes mention the price of gasoline and Hillary Clinton, but I don't expect a lot of talk about fighting for children.
If it doesn't get talked about at the barber shop, the recycling place, the convenience store or UPS, I'd say they've got another lead balloon on their hands.
All I know is that I'm not signing anything.
While we were driving around trying to see if President Clinton or Bob Dole had been able to bring gas prices down, the Democrats came up with what kind of looks like the Republicans' "Contract with America."
It's called the Democratic Agenda for Progress and they say it isn't like the Republican contract at all. (You remember the GOP contract. All of us apparently signed on to shut down the government several times.)
The Democrats say they're going to concentrate on "honoring work, fighting for children, protecting families, responsibility and basic fairness."
(Is it just me or is "My Country 'Tis of Thee" really playing in the background?)
I don't expect people to pay much attention to this new program. Of course, I don't get around as much as I used to - except for the old biweekly trip to the recycling place at the shopping center.
When you're at the recycling place, your main interest in life is putting the No. 1 and No. 2 plastic jugs in the right hole.
I think people who are trying to save the planet just aren't interested in politics. I know I didn't hear a word about the "Contract with America" last year.
I've never talked politics with my fellow recyclers. You can't just go up to a housewife who is driving a brand new Cherokee and throwing several Chivas Regal bottles in the right hole and say: "Pardon me, madam, but I'm wondering if you have any thoughts on the Democratic Agenda for Progress?"
You do that and she goes home and tells her husband, an ex-linebacker, that a strange old person has been bothering her at the recycling bins. The next time she has some Chivas Regal glass to dump, she brings him along.
I didn't hear the "Contract with America" discussed at the barber shop and the United Parcel Service man never mentioned it. I think it's going to be the same with the Democrats. A New Deal this is not.
The people at the convenience store sometimes mention the price of gasoline and Hillary Clinton, but I don't expect a lot of talk about fighting for children.
If it doesn't get talked about at the barber shop, the recycling place, the convenience store or UPS, I'd say they've got another lead balloon on their hands.
All I know is that I'm not signing anything.
LENGTH: Medium: 84 linesby CNB