First, let me thank the Huffington Post for allowing me, a moderate independent journalist/blogger, to occasionally contribute to this site in these times of enormous political polarization.
"There was more polarization UNDER CLINTON!"
More than ever, what remains of the American middle is under pressure by left and right to definitively choose sides -- and a key reason is the increasingly unpopular Iraq war.
"There were unpopular wars, too, UNDER CLINTON!"
One of the most annoying developments in American politics is that whenever the Bush administration or White House come under fire, they and their supporters immediately point to something they said happened under Bill Clinton.
"We pointed to more problems under Clinton UNDER CLINTON!"
It's as if they think by pointing to someone else -- correctly or erroneously -- they are somehow erasing the original criticism. It's seems like a way to divert attention, shift the focus of debate away from the actual issue raised and to avoid personal responsibility.
"The White House evaded more responsibility UNDER CLINTON!"
It's getting to where they're getting quite tiresome.
"We were more tiresome UNDER CLINTON!"
I want to apologize, though, because this column may not be my best because I'm getting over a touch of the flu...
"You had double pneumonia and jock itch UNDER CLINTON!"
I better edit this column...
"People edited more UNDER CLINTON!"
Hey, what is going ON here?
"More went on UNDER CLINTON!"'
Rush Limbaugh has regained some weight....
"He gained more weight UNDER CLINTON!"
The sky is blue.
"The sky was grey UNDER CLINTON!"
I'm thirsty...
"You were thirstier UNDER CLINTON!"
You're a parrot.
"I was more of a parrot UNDER CLINTON!"
Republicans in 2000 talked a lot about how with Bush we would be entering into the era of personal responsibility but they often don't want to seem to accept any when things go wrong.
"The Democrats talked a lot too UNDER CLINTON!"
Anyway, you can see it's hard for me to talk amid all of this, so let me just say that even though many on the left and right feel times are tough, on balance I think no matter what the challenges, our future still seems bright.
"Our future seemed brighter UNDER CLINTON!"