William Chirolas -- World News Trust
Oct. 27, 2006 -- If
the Democrats win the House, and even if they also win the Senate, they
will not be able to end the War in Iraq, or save Afghanistan from Bush's
inattention, or work out a deal on North Korea or Iran, or even Global
Warming. These are all the prerogatives of the President.
Even if the Democrats had veto over-ride sized majorities in the House and Senate, they do not have enough agreement amongst themselves to repeal the Patriot Act. At best the Democrats might restore most of the civil rights that were unnecessarily curtailed. But no one expects Democrats to get a veto-proof majority in either house after the election.
Likewise the Military Commissions Act and its approval disregarding the Geneva Convention we signed concerning torture, and its approval of the end of all rights in the Constitution by making meaningless the right of habeas corpus, would not be repealed. The problem of having no rights, because the rights in the Bill of Rights are unenforceable without habeas corpus, will only be corrected if the Supreme Court agrees that MCA is unconstitutional.
After a Democratic victory Nov. 7, NSA and CIA and FBI spying on innocent U.S. civilians for political or for no reason, without a Court review and permission, will continue. Even if all Democrats could get unified on their version of "Contract with America" (perhaps raising taxes back to Clinton levels while retaining the tax cuts for those earning less than $200,000, ending the cap on Payroll taxed wages, solving the health insurance crisis with single payer national health, treating the rich folks investment income the same as the wages the rest of us live on by using the same tax rate for both), none of that program will become law over the Bush veto.
Any bill that orders the Pentagon to cancel the contracts for unneeded military toys, and which is lucky enough to get attached to a bill that can’t be vetoed for political reasons, will be ignored by Bush as Bush does a signing memo and claims Commander in Chief power to ignore Congress. Impeachment because of that signing memo, or because of Bush's other high crimes and misdemeanors, is not likely to be even voted on.
Those of us who want change, and not just the entertainment value of a few investigations, are left with getting from a Democratic victory a simple hike in the minimum wage, and little else that is new. But a Democratic Victory does give us something that is more important than new Democratic initiatives. A Democratic victory allows us to stop the destruction of America under Bush.
Protecting women’s rights, stopping the destruction of social programs like Social Security, stopping the theft of our environment, and stopping the gifting of billions of dollars to the rich and corporate friends of Bush and the GOP is a duty we have to our children. Plus those entertaining hearings that would start immediately after a Democratic victory may be the only way to get the right-wing controlled corporate media to reveal the war profiteering by the Bush GOP.
Today our media hides the harm done to us and to our future children by Bush’s doctrinaire and irresponsible policies. We need those hearings that the Democrats will call, and the media coverage of those hearing, if we are ever to get Democrats in control the House, Senate, and Presidency at the same time, so that we can actually correct the horror left behind by Bush. Since if we win we still can't make major changes, what is the point of calling for victory so as to make changes?
Doing so will only scare the average voter who hates the insecurity that arises from rapid change, perhaps more than the insecurity caused by threats by foreigners. Because elections -- even stolen ones -- even stolen ones approved by a corrupt court system and media, have consequences. Bush and the GOP have indeed established a new status quo.
Our change of the new status quo will be slow even when we get total control. But we will not even start on that path to change if we do not win control of at least the House in 06. For now it is best for the Democrats to present themselves as the "other choice," the "not GOP," and, by not scaring the voters, perhaps getting elected and starting on the path to mend this country from the destruction of the Bush years.
Besides, it would be nice if the rest of humankind could look at me and not hate me for what my government has done and was continuing to do. The United States might even be able to start on getting real cooperation from other countries, and even friendships.
It would be nice if the United States could get a “coalition of the willing” that is not just the bribed, the afraid of us, and folks tied to us by history and misplaced loyalty.Indeed, it would be nice to vacation outside of the United States and not feel like my hosts think I am scum because of the country I come from.
Please vote on November 7th.
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