DADvocate

Jesse Ventura appeared on Larry King last night and gave his frank opinions on politics. Ventura is a man's man. I love his blunt unapologetic style.

This exchange between Ventura and former Clinton official, David Wilhelm, had me laughing.

WILHELM: I guess as a former Democratic party chair, I need to take some exception to the notion that there is really no difference between the two parties. I think there is actually a pretty significant difference between the two parties. Whether it is on Iraq or whether it is on economic growth policies, or whether -- a party like the one that I once led, that has been the party of civil rights and Social Security and the New Deal and winning in World War II.

I remember asking my dad, an immigrant, why we were Democrats. He said, because they stand up for the little guy. I think part of what Governor Ventura is saying, the parties have got to get back to that. The role of big money needs to be diminished. And we need to stand up for the little guy once again.

KING: Governor, wasn't the Democratic party generally regarded as the party of the little guy?

VENTURA: Yes, they might be. In the words of my buddy Charles Barkley, poor people have been voting Democrat for 50 years and they're still poor.

KING: You don't think the programs have worked?

VENTURA: No.

Emphasis added.

All of Wilhem's political platitudes of crap whithered into nothing under the force of Ventura's direct, concise statements. How stupid is King's question about the programs working? If the Democratic programs worked, how come we still have so many poor? Duh.

Ultimately, the Democratic programs are designed to perpetuate poverty so the Democrats can have a base voting block they can depend on for votes. It's a "we'll give you just enough money to get by without really working if you'll vote for us" because we care SO much deal. Without poor people the Democratic party would vanish.

Ventura made some great points on the war in Iraq.

WILHELM: Well, out of control spending; let's begin with the unnecessary war in Iraq. But that's the kind of big issue that represents a fundamental difference between the two parties. And I guess that's the point I want to make. I do not believe that there isn't a dime's worth of difference between the two parties. This race is about big stuff this year.

KING: Jesse?

VENTURA: OK, now the Democrats are opposed to the war in Iraq? What about before it happened? Where was their spine then? They went along with it. They voted for it. They gave the president this carte blanche to go. And you know why they did it? Because they believed that it would be about a three-week war, gas prices would go down, and if they weren't on board, it would solidify the Republican position. They were gutless when it came to the war on Iraq.

And now, all of a sudden, at the eleventh hour, because it's gone bad now, now they're trying to tell us they didn't support it. The Democrats did too support the war in Iraq.

Again, Wilhem's political crap cut to shreds.

Republicans weren't completely spared from Ventura's wit.

KING: You want to respond, Jesse? You laughed when he said Obama. You don't think Obama can change?

VENTURA: I think the only thing that is going to change is that your taxes are going to go up. Now let me categorize this.

MADDEN: With Obama?

HOLMES: I agree.

VENTURA: Both of them spend equally. The difference is the Republicans put it on the credit card, the national debt. The Democrats are more cash and carry. So it will be equal spending. It's just that now our taxes will go up.

It's refreshing to hear someone just tell it like it is.