Democrats present weak case in November's midterm elections

By Joe Baker
Collegian Staff
October 11, 2006

A few weeks back, I was approached by a representative for the Democratic National Committee who asked me if I wanted to help, as he put it, “get the soul-less Republicans out of Congress.” As a Republican, I naturally disagreed with his assessment, but the question struck me as rather awkward. It drove home a thought I had been having for a week or so, ever since the National Intelligence Estimate was leaked by the New York Times. What are the Democrats offering the American people, as we approach the midterm elections, other than just being an alternative to the Republicans?

The answer, I discovered, was not much. Following the leaking of the report, which claimed, among other things, that the war in Iraq has become “cause celebre” for the jihadists. The liberal talk-machine paper exploded with the idea that this report was proof that America needed a change in leadership this November. While there is no doubt that this report will harm many Republicans in the upcoming election – including the Keystone State’s own incumbent senator Rick Santorum – they will not be the only candidates to feel the pain. If one looks a little closer at the report, it is clear to them that the Democrats may be hurt just as badly on Nov. 7.

While the assessment clearly concluded that the war in Iraq has incited terrorism rather than quell it, the document also plainly states a withdrawl of forces now would be devastating to Middle Eastern stability, the world economy and the overall safety of the globalized world. In essence, it claims we must change our approach if we want to be successful – not abandon the cause and the Iraqi people.

This is where American voters should listen. Democrats thus far in the campaign – and it is getting rather late – have offered no strategy for the war other than extremely vague plans for a possible phased withdrawl of U.S. troops. No coherent plan has been displayed for what the NIE deemed as crucial – an alternate, effective approach to solving the Iraq puzzle.

Democrats who wish to make the war in Iraq, and the newly released National Intelligence Estimate, a major talking point for the midterms should be careful. While Howard Dean and Co. find great joy in harping on the administration’s call to “stay the course,” they do not provide the American people with any answer as to what course they themselves would take if elected.

The NIE delivered a non-partisan, objective assessment – the war in Iraq is not going well. The job of the American voter in this coming election is not to play Monday morning quarterback and punish the current administrations missteps in Iraq. We, as a society, need to cast the vote that will be the best for our future.

While we can sit and debate whether the war was worth it as long as we please, it will not change the fact that we are there now. What we need in our government are leaders with the commitment to do what is necessary to win the war, not to just debate it. If the Dems truly want to capitalize on the report and succeed this November, they need to be more than just an alternative to the so-called “soul-less Republicans” – Democrats need stop being clueless.

bakerj2@lasalle.edu