Originally created 10/31/04

Dems must reinvent themselves

For the past 30 years, we were in need of a Ralph Nader - one in every state. Since the early 1970s, Democrats were screaming for a complete overhaul of the party, one that will bring it back to basics, a reversion to the principles that made us proud to be Americans.

Politics is a power game, and most of the time the winner is on the ruthless team. The Republican Party always has played skillful games, and in the past four years it has shown a capability to do anything to make itself powerful, and consequently dangerous and frightening, and making the country mad.

Nov. 2 will be the turning point. President Bush has been lying to the American people since he came to power. He and his cronies have to vanish from the political scene. On Nov. 3, the Democratic Party must reinvent itself - get rid of every opportunistic and unprincipled politician whose only concern is to stay safe in place.

We must join efforts to eliminate once and for all those unscrupulous, partisan cable-TV political pundits who play games by pretending to disagree with one another. Only then might we see the renaissance of a nation as divided as it was during the Civil War.

Yes, Mr. Nader, the country will always need you - the same way you were needed when you crusaded for American consumers. But if you want to keep your credibility, for heaven's sake don't mess with this election as you did four years ago.

Joaquin Godoy, Aiken, S.C.