Zell Miller:
A National Party No More

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Of John Kerry: "You can't make a chicken swim, and you can't make John Kerry anything but an out-of-touch ultraliberal from Taxachussetts." National Democrats are "being cannibalized, eaten alive by the special-interest groups with their single-issue constituents who care about their own narrow agenda."

Senator Zell Miller (D) Ga. did not seek reelection to his Senate Seat in 2004.

He had replaced a Republican Senator, Paul Coverdell, in 2000, who had passed away while still serving.

Senator Miller authored the book, A NATIONAL PARTY NO MORE, published in 2003.

In the introduction to that book, former Attorney General, Griffin Bell, a Jimmy Carter appointee, wrote “United States Senator Zell Miller is perhaps the most experienced public official in our nation.

He has served in the state government of Georgia as an administrator of a number of vital agencies as an assistant to two governors, as head of the State Democratic Party , as Lieutenant Governor, and then as Governor.

…has taught at four different colleges.

…Zell not only believes in our constitutional system but understands it. He knows in order to govern, the views of everyone must be accommodated to the greatest extent possible.

He knows there is no room for special interest groups to get more than their share.

In short his idea of representative government is, there is a common good and each of us owes allegiance to that good."

Upon entering the Senate [U.S. Senate] Zell Miller…stated he was not representing the Democrats or the Republicans but that he would represent all of the people of Georgia.

He has been faithful to that promise. But in the meantime it is becoming clear that Senator Miller is right:

The Democratic Party is no longer a national party in seeking to represent the common good as it may be implicated in national questions involving all sections of our country.

Citing FDR Zell stated:

…President Franklin Roosevelt, the greatest Democratic president of our time, knew this when he said the Democratic Party was a big tent with room for all.

That presupposed those in the tent would be dedicated to the common good rather than to the good of each special interest group.

So, Zell Miller, a staunch lifetime Democrat has stated the Democratic Party no longer represents the common good but rather its special interests. and lists these complaints:

1. The Abortion Lobby seems to be the dominant Democratic interest group.

2. Trial Lawyers also own a major share of the party. Dems never get close to backing any meaningful tort reform, even though circumstances cry out for it.

3. On Unions:

A. The (NEA) National Education Association, claims to be neutral which is a total farce.

B. AFCMSE-the government union, very powerful in constantly growing the government. AFCMSE stands for American Federation of County, Municipal and State Employees.

C. AFL-CIO John Sweeney and other powerful leaders use the dues of the 40% of Republicans, who don’t want that money used, to support Democrats.

The leaders do it anyway.

Here are some other statements from Zell Miller:"unfortunately what I discovered in Washington was truth, and truth did not set me free".

"It simply made me mad. It filled me with anger on behalf of Americans."

You might still ask why I would want to take my own party to the woodshed.

"The answer is simple: my conscience made me do it".

"Most recently in the mid-term elections of 2002, not a single national leader could come to the South to campaign without doing more harm than good.

They were strangers in a foreign land. No, not exactly strangers---they were too well-known. That was the problem".

"So, if this is a national party, surfboarding has become our national pastime".

"These people leading our party and those asking to lead our country are like a bunch of naive fraternity boys who don't know what they don't know".

..."I've learned a few things about Democrats in Washington. They always act as if the last election never happened". "They also believe in purity. Do they ever?!

Like that old Ivory Soap commercial, 99.44/100 percent pure is all that will do.

You cannot agree on just seven of their ten issues, or even nine.

All ten must be embraced and ostentatiously hugged to your bosom with slobbering kisses."

"Remember how Democrats wouldn't let Governor Bob Casey of Pennsylvania even speak at our national convention because he was pro life?

That was keeping the convention pure."

Some of Zell Miller's public service.

Elected as a Democrat, Miller served as Mayor of Young Harris, Georgia and state representative.

He was Lieutenant Governor from 1975 to 1990.

Governor of Georgia from 1991 to 1999.

United States Senator from 2000 to 2005.

Miltary Service

Served three years in the U.S. Marines. Was discharged as a sergeant.

Zell Miller has high praise for his Marine Corps training.

Of that training he says the following:

"In the twelve weeks of hell and transformation that were Marine Corps boot camp, I learned the values of achieving a successful life that have guided and sustained me on the course which, although sometimes checkered and detoured, I have followed ever since,"