I'm afraid to say the elation I felt as I watched America hand the Republicans a bunch of pink slips is beginning to ebb. The election has done much to restore my faith in people, but now it's time to talk about the reality of the situation.
Although the Democrats now have a majority (a very thin one in the Senate), it will still come down to how each congress member or senator votes. In many cases these are the same individuals who have voted to continue to fund Bush's war in Iraq, and have done little to stand up against the legislative atrocities the neo-cons have passed in the last 6 years.
There is much more to contend with than our strategy in Iraq. The line between church and state was blurred with Bush's "Faith-Based Initiative," our civil rights were badly weakened with the passing of the Patriot Act, and we have sanctioned torture in the Military Commissions Act. Moments after signing the Military Commissions Act, Bush signed a law (John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007) that would allow him to take control of the National Guard, posting them wherever and whenever he wished. This was previously a power held only by state governors. (You can read more on this subject in Ted Rall's Nov 7 piece, "Like Cornered Rats, GOP Losers More Dangerous Than Ever."
So, now that all this damage has been done, what will the Democrats do about it? "Rolling Back Neo-Conservative Offenses to the Constitution" is sadly not on their agenda. Now, while there are some good things in their "6-point plan," when will they get around to restoring our civil rights and the separation of church and state (which they were complicit in undermining in the first place)?
Pelosi's post-election appearances have indicated that the Dem's strategy will be to take the high road - it's not about retribution for them. She has now emphatically restated her promise that impeachment is "off the table." They're not going to look back at what has been done before. They're thinking positive and looking to the future. Makes sense, doesn't it? They're Democrats after all - full of love and forgiveness, right? Clearly, the Dems are attempting to lay claim to the idea that they are standing on moral high ground.
I'm concerned that this is what has made the left, not just weak in the eyes of many, but truly weak. What about serving justice? What about prosecuting criminals for their crimes? What about being strong and standing up for what is right? People are hungry - starving - for this. The Republicans made a good show of claiming to stand up for something, and they remained in power because of it. They were brought down more by their own hubris than anything the Dems had to offer. The Dems simply stood up for being against the Republicans - an offer that pales by comparison.
So here's what I believe should be the Dems new agenda (caution, requires a backbone):
1. Impeach Bush, Cheney, and any of their cronies who are guilty of lying to the public about WMDs, and/or spying on us without warrants. The evidence is there. Just do it. Three thousand dead Americans and literally hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis and their families demand it.
2. Roll back the neo-con laws that violate the Separation of Powers clause in the Constitution (Patriot Act). Roll back the law that blamed teachers for the failings of their parents and communities and restrict funding for schools who don't supply the military with a list of their students (No Child Left Behind). And roll back those laws that undermine our civil rights (Military Commissions Act, etc).
3. REQUIRE the IRS to more stringently enforce rules restricting churches from getting involved in political races. They're not supposed to advocate for or against political candidates, but they do it anyway. Enough of this anti-constitutional, dogmatically self-righteous encroachment on our laws and schools.
4. Take away all those incentives to the oil and gas industry. Give them to the industries who are leading the way toward truly renewable energy sources. Reclaim all those oil and gas leases on our "protected" lands, and make them clean up after themselves. They've left a terrible mess.
5. Listen to the Iraqi people - bring our soldiers home. Of course, we can't just walk away entirely - we have to pay for Bush's mistake of occupying their country for nearly four years, and the mistake we made in allowing him to do it. There will be decades of rebuilding in Iraq, and that's only if they don't tear themselves apart when we leave. We have to help them mend their fences, restore their dignity, and rebuild their lives. It won't be easy, but we owe it to them.
6. Prosecute the companies that have profited so heavily from the war in Iraq, and setup better methods of auditing private contractors. Halliburton alone is guilty of bilking taxpayers for literally a BILLION dollars worth of unsubstantiated charges. (If you haven't seen it already, you really MUST see "Iraq for Sale - The War Profiteers."
It will require much more than this to restore what has been lost, but it's a start.
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