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www.conyersblog.us
Best Of Luck To Cindy
Other Developments
First off, let me offer my best wishes to Cindy Sheehan and her family as she goes to be with her mother during her illness. The last thing Cindy needed after right wingers like Rush Limbaugh dismissed the loss of her son, was her mother suffering a stroke. But Cindy is a strong resolute woman, and if her mother is anything like her, I'm sure she will come through with flying colors.
Two interesting pieces in today's New York Times. First, a front page article entitled "Bad Iraq War News has some in GOP Worried Over '06 Vote." The article lays out a case for GOP concerns, but unfortunately offers far too much in the way of Republican spin. For example, Adam Nagourney and David Kirkpatrick write, "Some said that the perception that the war was faltering was providing a rallying point for dispirited Democrats and could pose problems for Republicans in the Congressional elections next year." How does one of the worst justified and conceived wars in our nation's history come seen as merely a "perception" that it is faltering? The many families who have lost loved ones and still can't get decent body armour will tell you it is far more than a perception. Also, I can tell you first hand, Democrats are not "dispirited" -- we have lost some battles, but if anything we are energized by the GOP excesses and corruption we see every day in Washington.
Moreover, after laying out numerous problems for the GOP, the authors out of the blue add, "Given the speed with which public opinion has shifted over the course of the war and the size of the Republican majority in the Senate and House, no one has gone so far as to suggest that war policy could return Democrats to power in the House or the Senate." Really? If no one has suggested, let me be the first to suggest it -- the Republicans are at risk of losing their majority. We need to pick up less than 20 seats in the House, or less than the average historical loss during the midterm of a second presidential term. With regard to the "speed" of public opinion, the authors neglect the fact that while public opinion moves fast, since the start of the war, the direction of the opinion has been pretty much downward. And of course, this doesn't even take into account the way Bush and the GOP have messed up the economy, blown up the deficit, ignored the middle class, intruded in people's private lives, etc. etc.
Bob Herbert writes an excellent column today, entitled "Blood Runs Red, Not Blue." He poses the same poignant question Michael Moore asked in Farenheit 911 and Cindy Sheehan posed when she asked why no one in the president's family had enlisted. That is, "If the war in Iraq is worth fighting - if it's a noble venture, as the hawks insist it is - then it's worth fighting with the children of the privileged classes. They should be added to the combat mix. If it's not worth their blood, then we should bring the other troops home." I have yet to hear a cogent response to this question.
BTW, my letter with Maurice Hinchey asking for a review of Ashcroft's handling of the treasongate case received some more coverage. In addition to Rawstory's article yesterday, it was also picked up by Bradblog and Democracy Now. My interview on this topic this morning with Amy Goodman on Pacifica is also posted.
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