On election night hope was restored, and by the next evening, many were giddy with the news that the Democrats had taken not only the House of Representatives but the Senate as well, albeit by as slim a margin as possible. I've never been so deliciously wrong in my predictions. For the first time in twelve years, Democrats have a majority in the House and will chair committees and field inquiries. However, before we celebrate too much, we must consider the daunting task ahead of us. We face the most belligerent administration perhaps in history, outdoing even the disastrous Nixon administration. We can't expect to be given legislative victories, and any failure to break down the edifice will be used as ammunition against us.
We also can't be complacent about the election system in this country, just because we were able to overcome all the obstacles thrown in our way this time. The unadjusted exit polls actually projected a much larger margin of victory for Democrats than the final tally showed. Time spent looking into this too closely could get us accused of being sore winners, but nothing less than the integrity of future elections depends on it. There is evidence that 20% of the methods used to vote failed, and this was actually stated as a positive: 80% of our voting system worked! This shouldn't be acceptable in a true democracy, and would be considered sub-standard in a third-world country.
Some states have still not settled their elections, especially Florida, where 18,000 votes were lost by the electronic voting machines, in a race settled by 369 votes. A recount isn't possible because there is no paper trail; the Democrat, Christine Jennings, is calling for a new election as the only fair way to resolve the issue. Unfortunately, there would need to be a whole new voting system in place first. With all the supposed technology we have at our disposal it should be possible, but going by past experience in Florida, we can't expect much. This is, after all, the House seat vacated by Katherine Harris of 2000 election debacle infamy.
Many opinions have been expressed about a change of course in Iraq, although the best newly-empowered Democrats seem to be able to offer is a "phased" withdrawal beginning in 4-6 months. This is a dangerous plan that echoes the campaign promises of President Nixon during the Vietnam War that ultimately led to a full retreat after thousands more died. If saving lives in both the short and long term is the goal, the only realistic solution is for a complete withdrawal of U. S. Military forces from Iraq as quickly as possible. The length of time it would take to fly our soldiers home is the only phased withdrawal we need. If President Bush doesn't want to set a timetable, then he should just make a surprise decision to "redeploy" (for lack of a better term) immediately. Bush would have to face "defeat" of his plans to transform the Middle East in his image, but he could mitigate the damage by having the courage to admit his tragic mistake. It would be astonishing coming from him, but stranger things have happened (like the Dems retaking Congress in the face of a thorough Republican takeover of our democracy). Unfortunately, it is quite unlikely we will see any progress, because the Bush administration never plans on leaving Iraq; it's part of their ill-advised plan to control Middle Eastern oil and natural gas reserves with permanent bases.
There is only one remedy to this problem. A lot of opinions are being bandied back and forth about whether the new Congress should initiate impeachment proceedings against President Bush and Vice President Cheney. I think it's telling that the new Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was forced to state that impeachment was "off the table." That this was even reported is in itself an admission by the mainstream press that it is an issue that should be taken seriously. It is at least diplomatic of her, and of new House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, to not sound the battle cry before they are sworn in. Then there is the question of whether enough time remains for impeachment hearings before the run-up to the 2008 elections. It should be remembered that the Republicans succeeded in getting an impeachment trial involving President Clinton started and completed in 5 months. Of course, the circumstances are much different now, and the charges against Bush and Cheney, et al., are much more involved; the world situation is also more dire, ironically because of those needing impeachment. The sheer magnitude of the crimes committed by this administration daunt the ability to provide oversight. Investigations must be thorough, and since they haven't even officially begun yet, it's truly doubtful they could be completed before Bush's term skids to an end anyway. The chips should fall where they may, however, and it is Congress' duty to hold the executive branch accountable. The administration shouldn't be allowed to simply run out the clock, though it seems quite likely that they will, at least, succeed in accomplishing this ignominious goal.
We can try to think positively, and indeed it's necessary, as we face the nearly insurmountable challenges ahead. Not only the United States, but the world is in a predicament that is completely unprecedented. We must move quickly to embrace policies that preserve both security and the Constitution. Habeas Corpus must be restored as soon as practicable and we must re-join Geneva Convention guidelines on torture. This would be a beginning towards mending the rifts our government has fostered both nationally and internationally, but it needs to start immediately. The clash for resources combined with the threat of global warming present us with dwindling opportunities for course correction. For instance, there is a chance now for a shift towards renewable energy, but time is running out on implementing the necessary changes. Our natural heritage can still be preserved while attaining new standards in solar, wind, and biomass technology. We've made a crucial step in the right direction with these congressional elections. Let's not squander the clear voice of the people backing our endeavors. A bright future is still possible, but we must build on these small victories until a consensus can be reached that everyone regardless of political persuasion can agree on.
Sources:
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1128-28.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1128-30.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1126-07.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1126-27.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1118-23.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1119-22.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1117-21.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1117-33.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1115-29.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1115-33.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1114-22.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1114-30.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1112-21.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1112-26.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1110-25.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1109-22.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1109-27.htm
http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_rob_kall_061117_clear_evidence_2006_.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/23/AR2006112300965.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns
Thursday, November 30, 2006
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