The American Spectator

THE VALUE OF THE SOUTHERN MAN br> Re: Nathan Maskiell’s letter (“No More Southern Men”) Overcome by Fumes : /p>

Nathan Maskiell and his ilk of Southern bashers need to remember one thing — it’s us redneck, Bible-thumping Southerners (and other red state troops) who make up the majority of the military defending blue state voters who want to surrender to Islamic extremism and cut and run from the war we’re winning in Iraq. We are also the base of the Republican Party that keeps our country from being taxed into oblivion and pulled into the moral sewer by blue state voters.

Some facts overlooked by Mr. Maskiell: Harry Truman’s Missouri family supported the Confederacy and he viewed himself as a Southerner. That’s why his grandmother wouldn’t let him wear his WW I dress blue army uniform into her house. Also he was terribly unpopular during his second term (not unlike President Bush at this point) and only became popular after he left the White House and Americans began to appreciate his forthright and matter-of-fact leadership.

As to some other factoids: FDR without WWII was a total failure. The depression was worse in the late '30s at the height of the New Deal. Clinton and Carter politically were blue state Yankees. It is not merely carpetbag politics that led the Clintons to relocate to New York — that’s their political heartland. Also where do Carter’s stupid ideas and even the man find praise (hint — not south of the Mason-Dixon Line)?

p>As for the slurs against Bush 41 (born and bred in New England) and 43 they reveal the ignorance of so many so-called “conservatives.” A few facts about President Reagan that are conveniently overlooked by the Bush bashers — as Governor of California Reagan raised taxes and signed the states abortion law, President Reagan adopted a Democrat scheme to “fix” Social Security that merely passed the problem onto future generations, he granted blanket amnesty and citizenship to millions of illegal aliens, to pacify Democrats and raise his poll numbers he raised taxes in his second term (that led to a near meltdown of the stock market), as a percentage of GDP he had deficits higher than today, he appointed moderates to the Supreme Court and he allowed Iranian backed terrorists to murder over 250 Marines and U.S. military personnel in Beirut without retaliating. The fact is President Bush (43) is governing as conservatively as President Reagan he’s just not as eloquent or photogenic. Also let’s not forget that during his second term President Reagan was excoriated by many of the same conservatives who now are joining the liberals to attack President Bush (43). I know I was always an unabashed supporter and apologist of Reagan like I am of Bush (43). br> — Michael Tomlinson br> Crownsville, Maryland /p>