Don’t tell me Karl Rove and Bush didn’t somehow have a hand in the timing of today’s announcement of the death penalty for Saddam Hussein. The verdict had previously been scheduled to be released earlier. But two days before a crucial election that will determine the fate of who controls Congress? Give me a break.
What better way to try to deflect Bush’s failures in Iraq than by having Saddam declared guilty today. It is brilliant election eve strategy to focus people’s attention on the one thing both Democrats and Republicans can agree on – that Saddam was a murderous dictator that deserved to be punished.
You have to hand it to Rove and company for strategic timing. But American voters need to keep focused on the larger picture and keep the conviction of Saddam in perspective. His conviction was a forgone conclusion and not unexpected.
Tuesday’s vote is not about Saddam Hussein. The vote is about whether Republicans deserve to control Congress. The vote is about American’s future actions in Iraq. It is about many things that need to change in America.
Voters need to remember that Republicans retaining control of Congress would be a vote for staying the course in Iraq.
It would be a vote in favor of ignoring action to reduce global warming.
It would be a vote in favor of not working for real energy independence and for supporting the oil companies stealing from consumer’s pockets by their record profits.
It would be a vote in favor of opposing stem cell research and opposing decisions based on science rather than politics and religion.
It would be a vote decreasing citizen protections guaranteed in the constitution and for giving the President more power.
It would be a vote for opposing an increase in the minimum wage and a vote for opposing health care for all Americans.
It would be a vote to ignore helping students get a college education at a reasonable cost.
It would be a vote for drug company profits over senior citizens’ financial independence.
It would be a vote for eliminating audits of Iraq contracts
A lot is at stake. Do we want one party rule and secrecy and special interests and corporations dictating the future of our country or do we want to restore checks and balances against unbridled Presidential power and a Republican Congress that can’t police itself and which doesn’t address critical priorities?
Avoid the smoke and mirrors of Republican domination. A Democratic vote on Tuesday is a vote to put our country’s future first rather than special interests. A Democraic vote on Tuesday would be to put Democrats in power in Congress and end one party rule. A Democratic vote on Tuesday would be restore the system of checks and balances on power in Washington. A Democratic vote on Tuesday will be a vote to resolve the Ieaq conflict now, not pass it on to some future President.
Democrats need to keep in mind that even if they win one or both houses of Congress, the White House would still be run by Bush. He would be able to veto any legislation he doesn’t want and would probably now exercise this power. He would still control all the Agencies and Departments that he does now. But at least there would be a check and a balance on the Executive Branch that hasn’t been present under the unchecked and unbalanced one party rule of the Republicans now controlling both Congress and the White House.
It’s time for a change. Vote to put the Democrats in charge of the US House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
Vote for Democrat Maria Cantwell for US Senate.
Vote for Democrats Darcy Burner, Peter Goldmark, and Richard Wright for Congress.
