Time for Democrats to get in the game

[kurth]

Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Time for Democrats to get in the game
By HELEN THOMAS
HEARST NEWSPAPERS

WASHINGTON -- Where are the Democrats now that they have President Bush on the ropes? They are going to blow it big time if they fail to take advantage of Bush's political failings, which have left the country in a state of uncertainty and with a glaring lack of direction. What has struck home is the incompetence of this administration, especially in dealing with the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the reconstruction of Iraq. That is political pay dirt for the Democrats. Judging by the drop in his approval ratings to 37 percent in the latest USA TODAY-CNN-Gallup poll, the American people appear to be fed up with the debilitating war...

But without an agenda of their own, the Democrats have no reason to gloat. They can't just sit there. They have to articulate their vision for the future, both domestically and in foreign policy... The Democrats should take a firm stand against torture of prisoners of war and detainees. The image of the United States approving the cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment of anyone as a national policy has to be abhorrent to all. It's incredible that the president has the chutzpah to be preaching human rights on his Asian tour. Surely, he's kidding in view of what we know about U.S. abuses of prisoners. The Democrats should demand that detainees have access to U.S. courts and the right to habeas corpus, rather than keeping them in limbo...

The Democrats should also try to bolster the U.N. budget to finance a takeover of Iraqi security by the U.N. "blue helmet" peacekeepers. We have done it in other trouble spots... Lest we forget their personal sacrifices, top priority should be given to the benefits and needs of the thousands of U.S. war veterans -- especially the wounded.

The Democrats also should try to restore or reaffirm some of the treaties that were spurned by the Bush administration, including the global warming pact and collective security covenants. On the domestic side, the Democrats should propose a universal health insurance plan based on payroll deductions -- the same way that Social Security and Medicare are financed. With gasoline prices still high and the giant oil companies making whopping profits, the Democrats should propose special taxes on those corporate windfalls. It's time for the Democrats to speak up and say what they stand for. They may never have a better chance.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/249215_thomas22.html

[acmavm]

1. Oh so true. So very very true. We may never have a better chance.

.

[USA_1]

2. Rank & File Democrats

Rank & file Democrats need to do their part as well by positng on web sites controlled by right wingers such as those in Real Cities -


http://www.knightridder.com/papers/krd_realcities.html


All too often these web sites are filled with right wing posts and the web site hosts are right wingers as well. It would be fitting to have more balanced presentations on these sites but that would entail the participation of Democratic voters and posters.

I cannot do much in that regard because I was banned from these sites. I posted the truth whereas right wingers kept posting bullshit and petitioned to have me banned from those sites.

Talk up, people. You spend too much time talking to yourselves here on DU and it would be more constructive if you talked up on Real Cities.