Democrats Opening Assault on Bush Security Policies

[ProSense]

Democrats Opening Assault on Bush Security Policies

By STEVEN R. WEISMAN
Published: March 29, 2006

WASHINGTON, March 28 — Seeking to capitalize on President Bush's troubles overseas, leading Democrats in Congress are unveiling a broad attack this week on the administration's security policies at home and overseas along with a set of proposals intended to demonstrate that they have a credible alternative.

In a set of policy papers titled "Real Security: Protecting America and Restoring Our Leadership in the World," Democratic leaders in the House and Senate plan to join with leading figures in the party, including former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright and Wesley K. Clark, the retired general and former presidential contender, in presenting the plan on Wednesday.

Snip...

Democrats also want to give greater powers to the office of the national intelligence director and to investigate accusations of abuse and torture of detainees. They say they want increased financing for screening containers at ports and securing nuclear and chemical plants and training emergency health workers.

Most of the proposals are not new. Many echo arguments put forward by Democrats and by their 2004 presidential nominee, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, including a demand for more military equipment and body armor for troops and improved veterans' benefits.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/29/politics/29security.html

[Mass]

1. delete

[jamesinca]

2. Won't happen in a Repug controlled congress

That is why we need to take one or both houses this fall. The repugs voted to cut Veterans benefits, increase the amount that active duty pay for any service and I believe I read that one of their budgets or fiscal decisions cut funding to children's hospitals. If somebody could confirm the children's hospital thing for me that would be most appreciated.

[MH1]

4. Yet, read Bond's remark

He is trying to imply that this Democratic platform is just what the republicans are doing, and Dems have taken " all this time to figure out what we've been doing for a long time."

Yeah, right....

[MH1]

3. Also this version at MSNBC

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12062280/

Of course that author doesn't mention that many of these ideas were part of the 2004 Dem platform, as Weisman does in the NYT piece. This is important because apparently a Republican Talking Point is going to be what Weisman quotes Kit Bond as saying - "Senator Christopher S. Bond, Republican of Missouri, said he had just obtained a copy of the Democrats' plan and added, 'It's taken them all this time to figure out what we've been doing for a long time.'"

So, let's keep reminding folks that Bond is wrong - a) this is NOT what the republicans are doing and b) this is what Dems voted for in 2004, the current Congressional leaders are just reiterating it.

[wisteria]

5. MSNBC is becoming more and more like Fox News. They are so

obvious in there support of Republicans, I can not watch most of their shows any longer. The running theme is to make the Democrats look like a joke no matter how terrible the Republicans are.

[ginnyinWI]

6. agree--low budget and low in intellect

Keith Olbermann excepted. :)

Tweety is getting worse and worse--or so I read on Media Matters' website. And we already know all about Scarborough and Tucker Carlson. And as for Rita Crosby and Abrams report are always about crime.

[AuntiBush]

7. I Couldn't Agree More...

Right before the holidays when Fitzmas was kicking, there was a shot that maybe, just maybe, Tweety (Chris Matthews) was changing. So, I started tuning-in again. Then BANG, he started hitting the Democrats so badly I almost threw the remote at the tube.

Since then, the only time I tune into MSNBC is when Keith Olbermann is on. Other then that, they're at the same super-low level that Faux is on and thats really, really low.

[AtomicKitten]

8. yeah, baby, hit 'em in their (perceived) strength

This is such smart strategy. Make 'em bleed.

Let the snotty MSM cackle. Just talking about the weakness of the GOP on national security is good news.

[gratuitous]

9. Well, beyond the political dimension

I'd like to see a report that takes the Bush administration to task for its failure to implement even some of the most elementary security measures, four and a half years after 9/11.

There's no dispute from me that some of the Democratic proposal is politically motivated; but beyond that is the clear failure of the Bushistas to do anything to enhance national security. That might have worked for a better lede, doncha think NYT (O bastion of liberal mediadom)?