Lieberman loss spells doom for Democrats, says Sandiford

By Dan Sandiford
Collegian Reporter
August 30, 2006

It was a cold January afternoon in 1945. The United States was still engaged in World War II, and while the end was in sight, it was still a long haul before peace was to be achieved. Democratic President Franklin Roosevelt spoke defiantly at his final inauguration, preparing the American people to finish the fight.

That was a different time and a different Democratic Party.

The hardliner pro-defense, pro-military democrats have fallen by the wayside. Gone are the days of people like JFK telling Americans, “In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility – I welcome it.” We now have folks like Ned Lamont, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Congressman John Murtha who view our military power as a greater threat than troublemakers abroad.

This summer’s primary election in Connecticut illustrates how far to the left the Democratic Party has gone. Far left businessman Ned Lamont took on moderate Joe Lieberman in the Democratic Senate primary for the right to be on the ticket in November.

Lieberman voted in favor of action in Iraq in 2003 and has stood by his vote through thick and thin. He is one of the movers and shakers on Capitol Hill that is willing to work with Republicans, represent a majority of his party’s views and take a responsible view on the war on terror.

Lamont entered the race purely as an anti-war candidate. He was heavily supported by left-wing blogs who were instrumental in getting the far-left vote out in Connecticut.

Lieberman plans to run in November as an independent; however, Democratic Party brass has already dropped him like the Times Square New Year’s Eve ball. Party Leader Howard Dean, Sen. Hillary Clinton, Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and former Senator John Edwards have all expressed their fervent support for Lamont. They have shown that there is no room for moderate Democrats in their party, and they have further highlighted their own weaknesses in areas of defense.

In recent years, Democrats have repeatedly failed the American people on issues of defense. In 2005, 54 House Democrats voted against a $37 billion funding bill for military action in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2003, 11 Senate and 115 House Democrats voted against spending bills for military operations and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Democrats also lead the way in voting against funding for critical military technology. In the time period between 1989 and present day, they voted against funding the B-2 Stealth Bomber 18 times. They went on to vote against funding the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet, the Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, the Tomahawk Cruise Missile and the LHD Helicopter Carrier.

This year alone 30 House Democrats voted against $512 billion in defense funding, which included $17 billion for military family housing.

Even in the post 9/11 world, Democrats have voted against intelligence funding; in 2003, 33 Senate Democrats voted to withhold $50 million for intelligence.

Democrats have also voted to weaken our missile defense capabilities. During the 1990s they voted seven different times to cut our Ballistic Missile defense program. If the Democrats had succeeded in knocking cutting the missile defense system, we would be in even greater danger from North Korea. According to a July 21 report in the Wall Street Journal, the United States is a great deal safer because of the Ballistic Missile defense system opposed by the Democrats. The article points out how our cruisers have been able to intercept and shoot down missiles with great accuracy in the many tests carried out by the military.

We are facing some extremely dangerous times. It is essential to our security that we combat terrorism, control rogue nations that pose us massive threats and ensure that our nation is protected. This was something that was understood by Republicans and Democrats alike during World War I and World War II, when our nation faced immanent danger.

Today we face a great danger; I just hope we have politicians that will defend us. Lieberman loosing his seat will be an unfortunate day for America.

sandifordd1@lasalle.edu