Fraters Libertas

Free Rudy!

Fraters Libertas, inspiring you to “read more about it.”

An appropriate tag line if Our Reader Tom (ORT) is any indication. ORT writes in to comment on the account of my charitable activities last week (in the piece entitled “What Would Rudy Boschwitz Do?”).

Having just relocated to the Mpls area I didn't know who Rudy Boschwitz was. I Googled his name and found this bio from the self-described nonpartisan organization, Texans for Public Justice (TPJ) ...

"Boschwitz heads a big chain of home-improvement stores. Poorly funded populist Paul Wellstone ousted this ex-U.S. Senator in ’90 and whipped Boschwitz again in ‘96. Voters were underwhelmed by Boschwitz’s record in the Senate, where he opposed minimum wage increases, abortion and tough environmental rules, while championing weaker corporate liability, unfettered global trade and a flat tax. Voters also were repulsed by a ’90 Boschwitz mailer that told Jews that he was “more Jewish” than Wellstone. The letter attacked Wellstone for marrying a Christian and for not raising his kids Jewish."

For all I know it's true although I don't know how one "ousts" an ex-Senator from his Senate seat. I like the idea that they are non-partisan, but from their description of Boschwitz record in the senate, I would like to have them define partisanship.

A good concluding point by ORT. I think their definition might go something like “Partisanship: an accusation to throw at Republicans whenever they don’t succumb to our every demand.”

But I must caution ORT to not believe everything he sees on the Internet. Because that description of Boschwitz is pure partisan bunk. Boschwitz was an honorable, and one could fairly say, moderate Senator. Now he’s reduced to a hatchet job description like that, from a delusional liberal organization claiming no political affiliation. Worse yet, it appears as the second reference on Google. As George Patton (or Daffy Duck) might say- “despicable.”

It’s time to set the record straight. First off, Tom is right. You can’t really oust an ex-US Senator from his Senate seat. Technically, I think that means putting him back in the Senate. But, in 1990 Boschwitz was the sitting Senator, not the ex-Senator.

Secondly, Boschwitz wasn’t “whipped” in 1996. Wellstone only got 50% of the vote then, precisely what he got in 1990. While Boschwitz did decline from 48% of the vote in 1990 to 41% in 1996, this can mostly be attributed to the presence of vanity candidate Dean Barkley of the Independence Party (who got an appalling 7% in 1996). Wellstone never whipped anybody. Throughout his elected tenure, until his death, he remained a divisive, polarizing force, one never supported by more than half of Minnesotans.

Regarding TPJ’s description of Wellstone as a “poorly funded populist”, according to the Almanac of American Politics (2002 edition), here are the 1996 totals for campaign contributions in their Senate race:

Wellstone - $7,459,878
Boschwitz - $4,385,982

Regarding their value laden characterization of Boschwitz’s voting record and Minnesotans reaction to it, simply ridiculous. Raving, malignant rhetoric worthy of a Star Tribune editorial. Not even worth dissecting.

What is worth pointing out is their emphasis of the “Jewish” question in the 1990 campaign. Something voters were “repulsed by” according to TPJ. In truth, this controversy was one of those patented last week of the campaign hit tactics by the Democratic party. And this one the media swallowed and disseminated to an unprecedented degree.

The facts of the case surrounded some letter circulated to selected Jewish citizens saying that Jewish Paul Wellstone wasn’t as observant of his faith as Jewish Rudy Boschwitz. A statement of fact. But for most Minnesotans, this is an issue of absolutely no interest or import. At the most, this was an internecine (score!) debate among a cultural group representing less than 1% of the population. A laughably small issue, not even meriting a paragraph on page 8B of the metro section.

But during the last week of that campaign, all the news broadcasts led with this story. The newspapers printed one breathless, scandal mongering front page article after another. Boschwitz was characterized as evil incarnate for daring to question the religiosity of Wellstone. All the while Wellstone was characterized as this fuzzy little imp of compassion and love (a facade the media keeps up, even to this day). It was this media campaign which changed the minds of enough of those fine folks on the fence, the type who don’t pay attention to or care about substantive issues. And that’s what tipped the scales of that election towards Wellstone (final tally 50% - 48%).

The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but it. Sadly, I don’t think Fraters Libertas is going to ascend past TPJ on the Rudy Boschwitz reference list any time soon. After all they’re #2 overall on the man’s name. This means they’re likely to continue spreading their self styled “non partisan” view of things to any and all Rudy Boschwitz seekers for years to come.

That is, unless YOU are wiling to put a stop to it. With Google it’s all about the links. The more sites linking, the higher on the hierarchy you go. Therefore, if you care about the legacy of Rudy Boschwitz, about historical accuracy, or about a woman’s right to choose (to read the truth about Rudy Boschwitz), you need to help us ascend the staircase of Googling preferences. Link to the truth. Link to this post. Link to Fraters Libertas today! Remember, only you can save Rudy Boschwitz’s legacy.

(And don’t underestimate your power to help in this matter. Remember, it was you beautiful people who made us number ONE with a bullet for this.)