Lee Hamilton
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-10-18/lee-hamilton
After 34 years in Congress as a Democratic from Indiana and 12 more as the head of the Wilson Center in Washington, Lee Hamilton is going home. His retirement is, many say, Washington's loss. He’s one of what seem to be a shrinking number of people in public life who know how to bridge the partisan divide to solve to complex problems. Congressman Lee Hamilton, former Chair House Foreign Relations Committee, Vice Chair of the 9/11 Commission talks about what's wrong with Washington and how we can fix it.
Guests
Lee Hamilton
president and director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and director of the Center on Congress at Indiana University. Co-chairman of the Iraq Study Group. He was a congressman representing Indiana's Ninth District from 1965 to 1999.
Comments
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Is there any purpose in "bridging the partisan divide" if the factions cooperating both serve the same vested interests? Now that media is solidly a part of large international corporate conglomerates, how can it play an informational role in elections? Rebranding of the same old "judas goat" ideologies will lead us to slaughter. I was never overly impressed with the Concord Coalition, just more anachronisms. Turnover by age could be a natural good thing if a little wisdom had been imparted, but alas, education is a corporate commodity too.
Have a good retirement and don't worry about the rest of us, Lee Hamilton. You tried your best.
The link for the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is http://www.wilsoncenter.org. The one currently listed under Related Links is not working.
I ran in the 2010 primary election for my local County Council in Baltimore County, Maryland. My campaign took the approach to educate my constituents on all of their choices and linked all of my opponents on my website (both sides of the aisle). I find it discouraging that after the election ended there was a "jump in the line" attitude from many in my party to immediately back those winners in the political party. We must be open to looking at our choices and vote according to platform issues-not merely based on a particular party affiliation. If we are to find common ground then we must consider and respect one another's opinions. Many of our greatest leaders were born out of the notion that change is possible and that we can disagree with the political norm. If it were not for people taking on new non-partisan positions then some of our greatest moments in history would be forgotten and lost.
End to the civil war
Civil rights movement
Women's right to vote
Etc. -Lets move forward not backward.
Why did the supreme court open the door to political campaign financing without taking into account the impact on society?
Related to the future of capitalism, please note the distinction between capitalism and plain greed. Making a profit is laudable, but not to the detriment of the whole system, e.g. the failure of the banking system. That is self destructive. The market needs checks and balances in leu of the moral compass business seems to have lost.
Tough Questions
Do you think the US should be at perpetual war? Why or why not?
Do you think corporations should put profits ahead of patriotism in these economic times? Why or why not? Thanks.
Capitalism as practiced in the United States has been marginalysing more and more citizens for several decades; what would congressman hamilton do to reverse this trend?
Why have I not heard Democrats say what seems obvious to me, that the Republican plan to end unemployment: deregulation and tax cuts for the super rich, are exactly the same ideas that caused masive unemployment in the first place?
Diane: Thank you for graciously and courageously asking the questions we posed in the comments section in an effort to glean some wisdom. Listening to Congressman Lee Hamilton I can see he is ready to retire. His time has gone. He seems not to grasp the urgent issues we face at present, and he wisely leaves the future to the young. I think his comments on the 9/11 Commission were incomplete and betray suspicions he dares not broach. He probably thinks,"It's done now, and we'll just have to live with it." He has seen many other skeletons in his career. Moderation in defense of a failing regime is futile, but Hamilton is entitled to defend his life history. He'd already cleaned out the closet, hadn't he, Diane?
I have the unfortunate privilege of working in the trucking business and as such I'm pretty up to date on profanity. So, it makes me cringe whenever I hear the word "teabagger" used to describe Tea Party members. To "tea bag" or "teabagging" is a term used to describe a very lewd sexual act or prank. It has unfortunately been applied to members of the Tea Party.
I sincerely believe that Congressman Hamilton does not know the origins of this foul insult, but someone should probably tell him.
I enjoyed listening to Mr. Hamilton. However, I too, was offended by the caller who identified Tea Partiers as Tea Baggers. Mr. Hamilton referred to them as such as did Diane. I am not a Tea Party member, but knowing what the slang term of a tea bagger is (look it up) I'm surprised you allow this kind of language or innuendo on your family program. I'm sure you wouldn't let other innuendos concerning other groups get by like this. Please don't use that term any more on your program. Thank you.
I only caught a few minutes of your show today, because I was between appointments. But I'm surprised you didn't hear me screaming at the radio - I was deeply offended to hear Mr. Hamilton refer to the Tea Party as "Teabaggers". I was glad to see that some other comments agreed with me. I am not a member of the Tea Party and I do not agree with some of their ideas. I also do not agree many of the ideas of the Left, but I would never refer to any of them by using a vulgar term. I didn't originally know what it referred to, but it only took me a couple of minutes to find out. I suggest Mr. Hamilton take the time to educate himself and maybe he will offer an apology to some good honest people, who do not share his opinions.
This "insult" is self inflicted:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58372028@N00/3907451829/sizes/l/in/photostr...
I had your show on yesterday in my gifted 3rd through 6th grade classroom. I was very surprised when you and then your guest referred to people associated with the Tea Party as "Teabaggers". I am not sure if you are aware of the meaning of the term "Teabagger", but some of my students had heard the term, or if you just don't care about the language used on your show. I can assure you I will not have your program on in the classroom as that is not language that children should be exposed to.
Regarding the use of "teabagger", my impression was that neither the caller nor the guest were remotely aware of the connotations. I don't think this is a situation worth being offended or upset over because none was intended. Offence implied is the speaker's fault. Offence merely inferred is not. Clearly the caller was not a "tea partier", but my guess is that she had heard the term from others, maybe assuming it was similar to "carpetbagger". If she's been notified of the original meaning of her term, I suspect you'll find her duly mortified. :-)
I found it amusing - it reminded me of various times when I've made similar mistakes. Of course, mine weren't broadcast internationally in conversation with a congressman.
Earlier this week Diane stated on-air that Sarah Palin was wrong either way in her use of the term "blood libel"--whether she knew what she was saying or didn't. Wouldn't this would seem to apply equally to the use of the flagrant and inflammatory term "teabaggers" on her own program.
I've not heard an explanation or apology from Diane with regard to this seemingly provocative language.