Kerry’s L-Word Double Talk

George C. Landrith

In presidential elections political philosophy matters. Being conservative is a plus. Being liberal is a minus. Being ultra-liberal is the kiss of death. This explains why Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry refuses to embrace or even honestly discuss his exceptionally liberal 20-year record in the U.S. Senate. Instead, Kerry prefers to talk about his innumerable, but vague, plans.

Since 1968, those running in presidential politics as conservatives beat those running as liberals. Even 1976 wasn’t an exception – Jimmy Carter was not widely perceived as liberal until 1980 when he lost badly to Ronald Reagan. By 1992, it was so obvious that admitted liberals couldn’t win the presidency that Bill Clinton ran as a “new Democrat” (i.e. not a liberal). In 2000, Al Gore ran as a progressive liberal and lost. Thus, for the past 36 years, liberals have proven they cannot win the White House.

This axiom – liberal presidential candidates lose – explains why Kerry won’t embrace his own liberal record and instead disingenuously denies his political heritage.

John Kerry is breathtakingly liberal – perhaps the most liberal candidate ever to run for president. The nonpartisan National Journal reviewed key Senate votes and named Kerry the most liberal Senator in 2004 – beating out such renowned liberals as Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton. Year after year, the National Journal ranks Kerry among the most liberal in Congress.

Ultra-liberal organizations rate Kerry highly because he consistently votes for their ultra-liberal agenda. The National Committee for an Effective Congress gave Kerry a perfect 100% score. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the group that opposes the Pledge of Allegiance and Boy Scouts, gave John Kerry high marks for liberalism – the same score as Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton. The National Abortion Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) – which ferociously champions the barbaric practice of partial birth abortion – gave Kerry a perfect 100% ranking.

Conversely, taxpayer groups give Kerry low scores because he consistently votes for higher taxes and budget-busting programs. Americans for Tax Reform scored Kerry 0%. The National Taxpayers Union rated Kerry in the bottom 1% of the House and Senate – even Kennedy and Barney Frank scored better on taxes and spending. Business groups also gave Kerry failing marks. The National Federation of Independent Businesses, National Retail Federation, Associated Builders and Contractors, and the National Chamber of Commerce all scored Kerry 0% because of his anti-business and anti-jobs votes.

But don’t take my word for it. Before running for president, Kerry said, “I’m a liberal and proud of it.” Now as a presidential candidate Kerry won’t even acknowledge his liberalism. When Bush recited Kerry’s 20-year record and mentioned the respected National Journal study, Kerry defensively said, “Anybody can play with these votes. Everybody knows that.”

One might take a vote or two out of context, but one cannot play games with a consistent 20-year record. Kerry’s record speaks for itself. Kerry is nothing if not liberal. But Kerry denied the obvious, saying, “The president is just trying to scare everybody – throwing labels around…. Labels don't mean anything.”

Actually, Mr. Kerry, labels do mean something. Billions of dollars are spent every year printing labels and affixing them to products – canned food, toys, computers, clothing, etc. Laws regulate label content. Labels provide important information – whether the can contains chicken soup or green beans, the nutritional value of food, the size of the shoes, whether the pants are washable, whether the shirt is made of cotton or polyester blend, the speed of the computer’s processor, etc. Kerry asserts that labels are useless. But we rely on labels everyday.

Obviously, inaccurate labels are not helpful. For example, if chicken soup is labeled green beans or small pants are labeled extra large, the labels only mislead. That is precisely what Kerry is doing – purposefully obscuring his liberalism and applying a false label – hoping voters will buy what he is fraudulently selling.

The liberal label applies perfectly to Kerry – a review of his 20-year record proves it. Proud liberal organizations consistently give Kerry their liberal “stamp of approval.” Recently, ultra-liberal icon, Michael Moore said it best, “There's a reason they're saying Kerry is the No. 1 liberal in the Senate. It's because he is the No. 1 liberal.” Moore intended it as praise.

Kerry won’t honestly discuss his 20-year Senate record because it proves beyond any reasonable doubt that he is liberal. John Kerry knows that to embrace his liberalism is to become just another presidential loser.

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Mr. Landrith is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was Business Editor of the Virginia Journal of Law and Politics. He had a successful law practice in business and litigation. In 1994 and 1996, Mr. Landrith was a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's Fifth Congressional District. He served on the Albemarle County School Board. Mr. Landrith is an adjunct professor at the George Mason School of Law. He is recognized as an authority on constitutional law and jurisprudence, federalism, global warming, and property rights.

george@ff.org