If we are to have a hope of winning back seats in places like the 1st District of Kentucky where I live, we need congressional Democrats to position our party as the real conservative party guided by law, tradition, faith, and morality. The Hamdi decision is our amazing opportunity to demonstrate these values -- if ya'll up there in D.C. can just grow some spine.
Instead of the garbled, kowtowing mush coming out of the mouths of congressional Democrats about Bush's demand for "military tribunals," could you please get clear on a few simple talking points, such as:
- RESPECT FOR THE LAW
- BUSH BROKE THE LAW
- DEMOCRATS FOR LAW AND MORALITY
America wants to see you putting some brakes on this out of control administration, demonstrating some care and wisdom. Please demand hearings into the best course of action. Our laws and legal system have served us well through 200 years of history. It is not by any means self-evident -- on the contrary far from it -- that the president should have extraordinary new powers.
The president BROKE THE LAW. This is not a minor thing to be swept under the rug, the way the Republicans are trying to play it, with the shameful cooperation of too many Senate Democrats. He BROKE THE LAW by trying to assert power he does not have in this democracy. He BROKE THE LAW. That's what the Supreme Court said. It bears a lot of repeating.
The Guantanamo detainees aren't going anywhere. THERE IS NO EMERGENCY. For the sake of our nation, do your duty and insist on a full debate. We need you to find out how is our current code of military justice inadequate? How does it need to be changed for this situation? Get the JAGs in to testify, PLEASE. Get Hamdi's lawyer. Get the legal scholars. Get West Pointers. Air out the whole Geneva Convention aspect. Find out whether it's true as the administration claims that everybody who is being held is a dangerous terrorist. Find out if we may be holding innocent people and what should be done about that if we are. Find out what authority is actually needed to protect the nation. This is the DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US AND THEM. We are thoughtful, careful to get things right.
I hope those of you who can do so honestly will mention that you are giving this issue prayerful consideration. After all, Christ himself in Hebrews 13:3, instructed us to "Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them." We Democrats who are Christians have a faith-based duty to get this right and there is every reason to say so if we want to win votes from Christians.
Obviously, Democrats haven't the power to make hearings happen. So get a think tank ally to hold an all day symposium elsewhere and go to it. The media will be all over it if Democratic members attend because they want to responsibly perform their duties and they want the people to "get the facts."
The Repubs will want to bring this up to a vote immediately. Dems should insist that if they are to vote on it, the president must publicly promise that he will not attach any signing statement. He must assure the world, before Democrats vote, that he will (for a change) faithfully execute whatever law Congress passes.
If the Republicans will not permit proper oversight (hearings, etc.) and if the president will not abjure a signing statement, then it's time to draw a line in the sand and bring as much light to bear as possible on the difference between us and them by ABSTAINING FROM VOTING. Let them pass whatever they want, but let the blood of injustice and illegality not be on the hands of our party.
Of course, the tactics and strategy I suggest will drive the other side into a crazy meltdown & they will throw all kinds of mud. But we will be the winners if we take a stand with dignity and keep it simple.
We are so sick, out here in the real world, of Democrats in congress who refuse to fight these thugs. If we are to have a hope of winning back seats in places like the 1st District of Kentucky where I live, we need you to show that Democrats are now the real conservatives guided by law, tradition, faith, and morality. So stiffen your spines, please, and get on with it!