You should have seen it! I had a real nice column for St. Patrick’s day. It was about my family from Ireland and some history about St. Patrick. Little did I know I was going to get bumped by Senator Susan Collins and her editorial on invasive weeds. When I agreed to do this column for the paper it was going to be a kind of a Democratic response to what was coming from the editor and from Lane and Tommy.

Unfortunately, I have to admit that it has become a bit of a second rate Andy Rooney column. It’s because Democrats aren’t in constant attack mode all of the time. Can you imagine watching Bill O’Rielly say, “OK, so that’s what I don’t like about Democrats, here’s a story about what I enjoy and what I believe in.” You won’t hear that ever from the other side. Oh, they like to say they enjoy family but who doesn’t? It’s attack, attack, attack.

In that spirit, I give you one Democrat’s response to last week’s one-sided “fair and balanced” Republican opinion page. Sen. Susan Collins did an editorial on invasive weeds that are choking our lakes. Well that’s great, Senator. Anything to draw attention away from the weeds of corruption that are choking your party and the country. We’re about to lose the Attorney General and your party is outing CIA agents and you’re working on the weed problem? That’s kind of like worrying about how dirty the carpet is when the house is on fire Senator.

If we are to believe Lane and Tommy, environmental problems that are caused by nature are to be laughed at and ignored like climate change. Oh wait, the rumor is people brought these weeds in from the bottom of their boats. What’s the verdict Lane and Tommy? Make fun of the messenger, ignore the problem or blame it on people you don’t like? Republicans will do anything to change the subject and re-direct an attack.

This week, I watched the Republican TV station Channel 13 tell us that the mastermind behind Sept. 11 was not Osama bin Laden but some other guy they captured. Fox News can’t get enough of the Anna Nicole Smith story. Anything to take the heat off of what’s really going on. I really didn’t know that area colleges like St. Josephs don’t pay taxes. Seems like a great story about tax fairness that Lane and Tommy could have done. Instead they laugh at something that most scientists who aren’t paid by the Republican party agree on; the climate is changing and it’s not just nature causing it. By the way, you guys must have missed the meeting where the name “global warming” was changed to “climate change.”

Regardless of the name, something is going on and Republicans choose to ignore it. Don’t ignore problems, Republicans! Embrace them and attack, attack, attack! I say bring back lead-based paint! Let’s paint all of the classrooms with lead-based paint and have all of the walls covered in asbestos! I’ve got a great idea, Senator! Let’s kill those invasive weeds with DDT! Just because egg-headed scientists, say they’re bad doesn’t make it so. Isn’t that right Lane and Tommy? OK, I’m done ranting for my side. Here’s a story about what I enjoy and what I believe in. I enjoy spring and look forward to many warm nights fishing in my canoe on a weed-free lake.