After the 2006 Mid-term election victory, the Bush Administration spent a few days pretending to be conciliatory to Democrats, and then went back to their draconian ways. Over the past week we have heard discussion about bombing Iran. We have heard about plans to send more troops to Iraq. We have heard nothing about overturning Orwellian limits on our Habeus Corpus rights. We have heard nothing about ceasing military and intelligence efforts that include torture. We have heard nothing about stopping the re-emerging threat of nuclear proliferation.
Once the Democrats assume control of the House and Senate in January, they must proactively stand up to the Administration to address these issues from their first day in session. The conflict in Iraq is destroying our economy and our global reputation more and more each day. The longer we wait to get out of there (or find some resolution) the more damage will be done that all Americans will live down for decades to come.
Without leaving Iraq, Democratic Party proposals to raise the minimum wage, increase college loans, and give more people access to health insurance are meaningless. The economic costs of Iraq dwarf funding for all existing government programs, including the social programs that Republicans always complain about (which exist to keep the poor and working class from living in third world conditions -- of which some already do).
Before the election there was a lot of discussion about the Democrats possibly holding Presidential impeachment hearings. Soon after the Democrat’s victory, House Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi tried to put that discussion to rest. While I agree that impeaching the President is not what we need to do at this moment, it is clear that if he refuses to reach a resolution to Iraq, we might just have to impeach him. And that goes not just for President Bush, but for Vice President Dick Cheney as well.
In fact, if the Bush Administration is truly unwilling to budge on the Iraq issue, the only solution the Democrats can pursue is to cut off funding for the war. Forget the political consequences or the political polls. The American people voted for Democrats to get us out of Iraq. Even if there is a political backlash for the Democrats cutting off funding for the war, it will not last as long as it results in a resolution. If that happens, the Democrats can claim that they did it to answer the will of the people, and will easily overcome Republican criticism in 2008. The only way they can do this is by boldly joining together to stand up to the Administration right away. If they don’t, they risk losing the great opportunity we have fought long and hard to give them since this war started 3 and ½ years ago.