Friday Morning: Bill Young, Cable Wars, Insurance, Shooting The Moon

If history teaches us anything (to paraphrase Michael Corleone), it is that anybody can be beaten in politics -- but they usually aren't. It is hard as heck to defeat a sitting politician, especially one as veteran and entrenched as U.S. Rep. Bill Young, R-St. Petersburg.

Can the Democrats successfully target him, as this morning's article reports they are doing? Sure. But here's how NOT to do it -- sneer at him, call him nasty names, try to whip up the usual Five Minute Hate, and expect the moderate and reasonable voters of Pinellas County to jump right in. I would use the "He's A Nice Old Guy And We Are Grateful But It Is Time And Besides Did We Mention He Is In The Same Party As Bush'' approach.

But, why win when you can smear? The motto of modern party politics is: Us good, them bad. State Democratic chair Karen Thurman set the tone on Thursday, saying Young cares more about "public relations" in the Army hospital scandals than "wounded soldiers falling out of their beds and sleeping in their own urine.'' Very nice.

Elsewhere:

* Don't be fooled by this bogus promise in Tallahassee of "repealing" the big 2003 telephone rate increase. The big hikes have occurred already and can't be taken back. The repeal would only cover future increases that probably weren't going to happen anyway -- the phone companies got what they wanted. More about this fight in the Legislature between phone and cable companies in my column coming Sunday.

* Do we have enough proof yet that the Legislature's special session on insurance rates didn't fix the problem?

* All I know is what I read in the papers, but this mooning seemed a little more than innocent and youthful exuberance. A good old-fashioned drive-by would be one thing...

Comments

Dear Mr. Troxler -- I am a Democrat and have been for some 47 years, and I received the email from Ms. Thurman. I was appalled at her attempt to smear Rep. Young. I am no big fan of Young, after all, he could vote to stop sending troops to Iraq but doesn't, but I believe that the nasty accusations and this reprehensible manner of trying to win elections needs to stop. Karl Rove is the master of the negative campaign, but that doesn't mean that Democrats should try to outdo Mr. Negative in the race to become the lowest common denominator. In case Ms. Thurman doesn't realize it, many of us are tired of all the slime that accompanies politics today, and by engaging in this kind of behavior, Ms. Thurman runs a great risk of turning Democratic voters off.

[Boo Boo]

Let me think, wasn't CW's wife removed from the State of the Union speach for wearing a tee shirt "Support the Troops" and Cindy Sheehan got the boot along with her for her "Stop the War" shirt. He jumped all over security about it. I wonder if he would have done that if it was just Cindy getting tossed. Most of these guys sit around with their thumbs up their well you know what until there is a scandal. Like our wounded soldiers having to pay for their own meals while recovering form their wounds. Or falling out of bed and left to sleep in their own urine. I want to know who allowed these dumb a** policies to be put in place. Did they just fall out of the sky? Someone thought it up and someone approved it. Time for change in Congress. My pick Karen Williams-Seel, I am a Conservitive Democrat and would split out my vote for her.

i would love to see young and his wife gone from the scene. what a couple of self-serving partisan hacks. why aren't any of their family members serving in the military in iraq? it is galling that the cheerleaders of this mess refuse to allow their own family anywhere near it. shame on them!!!

Howard, your assessment here is spot on! Virtually anyone who's actually lived here for any length of time, and has been even just modestly involved(Republican & Democrat alike) owes something to Bill Young. That being said I agree that no one is unbeatable. It's just that going with a generic Democratic Party cookie cutter approach won't come close to getting it done. Your column reminds me of a conversation I had early last year with a political consultant friend of mine on this very subject.

dems beat clay shaw, who was essentially scandal-free and 100 times better than bill young.

to 1:15 p.m. Two of Youngs sons have served. One served 5 years in the Air Force, one served only one year in the Marine Corps - how dare he only serve one year - oops we forgot, the kid was shot 4 times in back during a friendly fire mission in that exotic place called "Kuwait". Shame on all of you. Leave his kids out of your partisan politics and you might want to apologize to them and thank them for risking their necks for your freedom of speech. And before your next stupid remark, they both were enlisted.

Boo Boo:
The charges for meals went into effect right after Vietnam. Who changed those rules: Bill Young did. His wife met a wounded marine who told her about the $8.10 meal charge and when Mr. Young found out, he had the rules changed. Ask Bill Adair at the St. Pete Times, he did the story. For Confirmation on this story you can contact Sgt. Bill Murwin, USMC retired who is now a Nevada State Highway Patrolman, who Mr. Young helped througout his hospitalization and transition back into police work after losing a foot in Iraq. Shame on you, Boo Boo, for spouting information you can't confirm or deny. It was Youngs wife who found the soldier lying in his own urine and she cleaned him up and went after the entire administration on that. You need to follow up on your information. You are totally uninformed and vicious in your attacks. Shame on you.

Howard:
Thanks for covering this story with class and professionalism. Your points are well taken.