Missouri Democrats on the offensive

It's amazing what a whiff of victory on Social Security issues and a newly inspired party backbone can do:

"This is the meanest bunch of Christians I've ever encountered," state Auditor Claire McCaskill said Saturday, as she blasted Gov. Matt Blunt's proposals to eliminate state money to buy wheelchairs and artificial limbs for the poor.

McCaskill, who lost to Blunt in November, was among a series of speakers at this weekend's yearly Democrat Days event who accused Republicans of appealing to pulpits for votes, then failing to follow biblical teachings.

Democrats are pointing to GOP proposals to slash state programs for the poor, elderly and disabled. The Democratic line: Republicans are offering religious lip service, but focusing on protecting tax breaks for the rich and big business.

Reflecting the religious theme, stacks of bumper stickers on tables at Saturday's brunch asked, "Gov. Blunt, WWJD?" That's a reference to the popular religious slogan, "What Would Jesus Do?"

Declared Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon: "There is no compassion in the party of Matt Blunt." Nixon, who may challenge Blunt in 2008, added, "There is deceit, but there is no compassion."

Democrats kept up the religious message at Saturday night's banquet, which featured former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, who was the Democratic Party's vice presidential nominee last year. Democrats, he said, can stand for "moral clarity" by fighting for a better life for "people who don't have a voice." Republicans, despite their religious talk, "value one thing alone - money," Edwards said. "They want to make sure that those who have it, keep it."

If they are going to claim to be the party of religion, then they should be held accountable for it, I say. And it's nice to see Democrats learning that.