I recently received a letter with the address printed in blue on the envelope in a very clever font that looks all irregular like genuine handwriting. It didn't have POSTMASTER: If undeliverable, please process following applicable Postal Regulations on it, so I opened it. It was from a candidate for national office who promised "to wage a spirited campaign that celebrates American values and embraces a positive vision of one America, moving forward." He is, it seems, in favor of good-paying jobs and opposed to waste; he wants affordable health care and a strong national defense. This all seems like good news. I had decided I was going to send money, in fact. But then we had a clean-up of the living room, I lost the letter, and now I can't remember which side that candidate was on. I'm all in favor of celebrating American values and embracing a positive vision of one America, moving forward, toward good jobs, health care, strong defense, and no waste. I don't want to send money to the party whose platform involves not celebrating American values (possibly even celebrating unAmerican values) and embracing a negative vision of several Americas, moving backward toward unemployment, untreated sickness, military weakness, and profligacy. Dammit. If only I could recall which was which...
Posted by Geoffrey K. Pullum at August 31, 2004 06:34 PM