OK, I confess. I am angry. I am actually more than angry, I am furious. I am furious that a US president would announce to the American public that he has ordered domestic spying without a warrant in violation of federal law. I am furious with a Republican controlled congress that receives this slap in their face and does nothing. I am furious with most of the Democrats in congress who remain quiet to this frontal assault on the Constitution and the laws of the United States. But worse yet, I am terrified that congressional Democrats are going to get caught in a nightmare scenario and make no gains in the House and the Senate during the 2006 election.
I cannot speak to our president. He is listening to neo-con voices in his party who believe war is a favorable and transformative fire. I cannot speak to the Republicans who control congress. They desire power and are captive to the president and the power that flows from him to them. However, I can speak to the Democrats in congress. These are the people that I vote for. These are the people that receive my checks. These are the people for whom I sit at phone banks and walk precincts and stuff envelops and help to GOTV.
Many diaries on DKos decry the Democrats in congress for being spineless and without a plan. Examples include Maryscott OConnor and Devilstower. I agree with Maryscott OConnor and Devilstower who call on the Democrat leadership to take action. However, I would argue that congressional Democrats have a very clear plan. Their plan is displayed in what they do...just look. Congressional Democrats have chosen the strategic plan to stay quiet and let the Republicans self destruct. This plan might work, but it has a big downside. It hands the initiative to President Bush and the Republicans.
I disagree with the congressional Democrats and their plan to stay quiet and let the Republicans self destruct. I believe Democrats need to be on the offensive concerning a president that willfully and wantonly violates federal law. I am terrified that the congressional Democrats are unconsciously cooperating with President Bush to implement My Nightmare Scenario.
My Nightmare Scenario starts with the knowledge that the Bush administration will do anything to maintain power. No lie ("Saddam has WMD and we know where they are") is too large, no action (torture) is too horrible, no soldier's life (2,329 US Service Members killed in Iraq) is too important if it is needed by the Bush administration to keep control of the government. The nightmare scenario has already begun. Steps 1 through 3 are already underway. Here it is in outline form.
1. Use Operation Swarmer to set the perception that the Iraqi security forces are active and ready. Conduct an Operation Swarmer type activity every 4 to 6 weeks until August 15, 2006 to reinforce the "Iraqi forces are ready" message.
2. Get every Republican media hack to continuously repeat the message that "good progress is being made in Iraq."
3. Make what appears to be a slip that US forces will be in Iraq until after the 2008 election. This will be a perfect head fake to keep the congressional Democrats quiet and waiting.
4. Spring the trap during August 2006 and announce that the Iraqi forces have demonstrated their ability to provide security to Iraq as evidenced by the successful Operation Swarmers and that enough progress has been made to bring a major portion of the US troops home. Announce that 40,000 troops will be brought back from Iraq by the end of the year.
5. Start bringing troops back to the US in the middle of September. Bring 5.000 troops back to the US every week.
6. Have a congressional Republican meet every plane. The first troops to return should be from Blue States and swing districts.
7. Get the entire nation overjoyed about the returning troops. Claim this event as a vindication of the attack on Iraq and a success in the GWOT.
8. Win the election in November 2006 because of the joy felt by the American public that the troops are coming home.
Unfortunately, congressional Democrats are walking quietly into this trap. By staying quiet now, congressional Democrats will get overwhelmed by the return of the troops and the Democrat message for the 2006 election will be heard about as well as someone hears a shout in a hurricane. This is my nightmare scenario.
As I said above, I disagree with the strategy of the congressional Democrats. I want them to change strategies and go on the attack. But they are in charge and I will support them ONE more time. I will work for them and vote for them. We have tremendous advantages on our side. We should win decisively in the November 2006 elections. However, if the congressional Democrats and the Democrat leadership fumbles these advantages and leaves us with about the same number of Democrats in the House and Senate as we have now, I am through. I will join Steven D as another voter that the Democrats lost. If the Democrats in the House and the Senate fumble the November 2006 election, I would hope that they would all resign in shame for their poor management of the mid-term election. Since it is not likely that they would realize they are deadwood, it would be necessary for us to vote against all the incumbent dead wood Democrats in the House and the Senate during the 2008 election. We would have to clean the deadwood out in order to start again.