The Do-Nothing Congress And Bush's Failed Foreign Policy (DNC Release)

[MaineDem]

For Immediate Release
September 5, 2006
Contact: Stacie Paxton/Mark Paustenbach - 202-863-8148

The Do-Nothing Congress And Bush's Failed Foreign Policy

Washington, DC - Today, the Republican "Do-Nothing" Congress finally turns its
attention to the war on terror and the war in Iraq, while President Bush
continues with his election-year PR campaign. But, instead of holding the Bush
Administration accountable for its failed foreign policies, Congressional
Republicans are focusing on these issues in order "to stem an erosion of
political support threatening their control of Congress," according to
Bloomberg News. While they engage in partisan games,
Republicans in Congress "will leave major domestic tasks undone" including
"long-promised legislation to toughen the restrictions on lobbying" after
Republicans were caught in a number of recent scandals. The 2007 budget will
also not be completed, help for seniors "struggling" with the Medicare
prescription drug plan will not happen and "as many as eight of the 11 bills
needed to fund the government will not be passed before the November
elections." Congressional Republicans have also
"abandoned a broad overhaul of immigration laws," as they are more concerned
with their diminished prospects in November than they are about the getting the
job done for the American people.

At the same time, President Bush today continued to stick by his failed
policies during a speech to the Military Officers Association of America. A new
report also released today by the Third Way National Security Project details
these failures. "The evidence leads us to conclude that the Bush Administration
has failed," it notes, "the number of terrorist attacks and recruits are up
worldwide; many of our enemies are stronger; their reach is greater; their
weapons of mass destruction are more developed, plentiful and available."


The incompetence of the Republican "Do-Nothing" Congress and President Bush's
failed foreign policies help explain voters' disapproval of GOP leadership,
according to the latest CNN poll. According to CNN, 76 percent of Americans are
angry with the way the country is going, up 16 percent since February. And, 53
percent of Americans would support the generic Democratic candidate in the
November elections, a ten point lead over Republicans. Furthermore, 56 percent
of voters said the Democratic Party was the "party of change," while only 29
percent said the same thing of Republicans.

"President Bush’s speech today was designed to scare the American people and
make them forget about his Administration’s monumental failures. Five years
after 9/11, Osama bin Laden is still on the loose. Five years after 9/11,
America is not as safe as it can and should be,” said Democratic National
Committee Press Secretary Stacie Paxton. “Democrats want to fight and win the
war on terror by fighting the terrorists where they are, which is why we are
concerned that Iraq is bogging us down from that mission. The American people
are ready for a change from the ‘Do-Nothing’ Republicans in Congress who have
rubber-stamped the President’s polices that have let Iraq slide into civil war,
and allow Iran and North Korea to become more dangerous. The world is a more
dangerous place because of the misplaced Republican priorities and it’s time to
change course.

"Unlike the incompetent Republican policies, Democrats have been trying since
9/11 to ensure that we close the gaps in our security here at home, not just
months before the election. Democrats also remain committed to redeploying our
troops so that we can effectively track down terrorists, providing our troops
and agencies with the tools they need to stop future attacks and implementing
the 9/11 Commission recommendations to improve our homeland security, and
properly equipping our National Guard."

Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, www.democrats.
org. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's
committee.