A very large number of my friends and most of my family are liberals. Not surprising, as my family is made up of Jewish San Franciscans.  And, as I am open minded and willing to listen to others, I count many liberals among my closest friends and acquaintances.
    Recently, a young woman told me that she won’t vote this year, as she sees no difference in the parties. After all, don’t they both behave the same?
    What this is leading up to, is that often when I get into discussions and arguments about the current political scene, we compare parties and candidates. And, whenever I might point out the corruption and dirty tricks taking place in the Democrat camp, there is one standard response that I get from any and all liberals/Democrats.  That response is:  “Both sides do it.”
    Well do they? Let’s take a look.
    Sept. 4: The Washington Examiner reports that Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz said that the Israeli Ambassador told her that Republicans are “dangerous” to Israel.
    Sept. 5: Debbie Wasserman Schultz says that the Examiner misquoted her and then criticized the paper as a “conservative” publication.
    Later that day, the Examiner reporter, Phillip Klein produced a recording of the Democratic National Committee’s chair making precisely that statement.
    Do both sides do it?
    On July 31, Harry Reid said in front of the U.S. Senate that Mitt Romney had not paid taxes for the past 10 years.  This statement was made before the nation, and never an ounce of proof offered.  It took president Obama until April of this year to produce his birth certificate. President Obama has spent about $2 million hiding his school records. 
    On March 10, 2010, Nancy Pelosi tells Congress and the nation that regarding the 3,000-page health care bill:  “[W]e have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.”
    Do both sides do it?
    Per the “Yahoo Voices” website, there are approximately 40 tax cheats working in the Obama administration.  Among those named in various news sources are Timothy Geithner and Kathleen Sebelius. The U.S. Senate did confirm Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis despite issues related to their taxes.
    Michael Isikoff of Newsweek reported that, in June 2009, public-interest groups were dismayed when the Obama administration rejected a Freedom of Information Act request for Secret Service logs showing the identities of coal executives who had visited the White House to discuss Obama’s “clean coal” policies.
    Attorney General Eric Holder in 2009 referred to the American people as “a nation of cowards” on race relations. He also refused to prosecute the New Black Panther party who were standing outside a Pennsylvania polling station with baseball bats intimidating voters. At one point he referred to them as “my people.”
    Do both sides do it?
    In the course of the past few years, Barack Obama has told us that there are 57 states in the United States. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told us, “We have three branches of government. We have a House, a Senate and a President.”  Vice President Joe Biden told us that “jobs” is a three-letter word. The Democrats tell us they are concerned that Mitt Romney is a Mormon, but never concerned that Barack Obama attended a church where the pastor said “God damn America.” Further, they are concerned that Mitt Romney is rich, but were never concerned over the wealth of Ted Kennedy or Dianne Feinstein.
    Do both sides do it?
    The Democratic Party and the public service/teachers unions have the ultimate symbiotic relationship.  The public service unions give money to the Democrats and the Democrats in office give money to the unions.  The unions go to the Democrats in office when they want a raise, and the Democrats go to the unions when they want a donation.  Everyone is happy.
    Neither the Republicans nor Democrats are innocent.  I’d be foolish to make a claim that Republicans are not human and subject to corruption.  But, with the blessings of a press that generally refuses to report in total what is really happening, we have no choice but to ask if both sides do it.
    And, the answer is “No.”   Both sides don’t do it.

Al Jacobson is a Commerce City homeowner.