Democrats Preparing for Big Fight with Bush
by James Buchanan
The Democrats have announced that they will spend their first week in Congress passing several bills which poll well among Americans. One recent news article notes the “Democrats’ ‘first 100 legislative hours’ agenda includes measures to bolster national security, increase the minimum wage, cut the interest rate on student loans, reduce the price of prescription drugs, overturn Bush’s restrictions on embryonic stem cell research and end some subsidies to big oil companies.” Surprisingly the Democrats have proposed a “Pay (as you) go” bill which will require Congress to either raise taxes or cut spending after each new bill is passed. Perhaps the Democrats hope to build up some mainstream support for themselves after being out of power for twelve years.
The truly important issues facing the Democrats are the Iraq War and restoring the Bill of Rights. George Bush has started off his relationship with the new Congress much like an old chimp reacting to invading chimpanzees. Bush has decided to “fling his poop” at the newcomers –figuratively in the form of a “Troop Surge” trying to reassert his dominance. The invading chimps however are bigger and stronger. A vast majority of Americans know that the Democrats were elected to bring the troops home from Iraq. The same majority knows that Iraq is a hopeless quagmire. Bush’s situation is hopeless and digging in on the Iraq War –effectively “dissing” the Democrats and the anti-war movement is a great way for Bush to alienate and insult the new Congress, which will be investigating him for the next two years. (more…)