‘Liberal elite’ versus the GOP

Re “The Democrats’ anti-liberal strategy,� Opinion, Oct. 26

Jonah Goldberg continues the GOP drumbeat of calling Democrats the “liberal elite.� He deludes himself.

The truly “elite� are the super-rich conservatives who have received massive tax breaks while U.S. jobs are sent overseas in an effort to convert millionaires into billionaires. This unpatriotic action has turned the proud post-World War II middle class into a marginalized segment desperately fending off poverty. Meanwhile, the lobbyists who buy their influence with GOP power brokers continue to laugh all the way to the bank.

DAVID OHMAN

Irvine

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Goldberg rather condescendingly assumes that “liberal elites� would see the Democrats capturing the House and/or Senate as a reinforcement of their agenda. I can only speak for myself, but this progressive Democrat has no illusions. I’m not thrilled by the continuing rightward turn of my party, and I’m aware that any changes made in a Democrat-controlled Congress will be modest at best. That being said, were I a drinking man, I would indeed be inclined to pop a champagne cork if the Democrats end up controlling one or both houses of Congress.

I realize that the current Democratic Party is only the lesser of two evils, but after six years of the worst president and worst Congress in American history, I’m quite ready for a little less evil.

STEVE OMLID

Riverside

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Goldberg is your typical unabashed conservative. As his party self-destructs because of criminal conduct by senior members, being completely out of touch with the American people and running a culture of corruption throughout Washington, all he can do is name-call. I agree with him that it is too unsavory to engage in intelligent debate about how this country is being led, when all he has are the war in Iraq, Katrina, the Jack Abramoff and Mark Foley scandals and massive debt and deficits as evidence of how successful the Republican leadership has been.

His only hope, a pathetic one at that, is to reach the remaining gullible, Kool-Aid drinking Republicans who are unwilling or unable to generate an independent, intelligent thought and define for them what it is to be or vote Democrat. As if he would have a clue.

Mr. Goldberg, progressives are nothing like Bush. We read, think for ourselves and, most important, we care about the future of this country.

GENE E. SCHWARTZ

San Diego