After the last few days of seeing alot of our nations leaders in front of us questioning the whole Iraq issue and its ramifications, one truly gets a little bit of perspective of just who it is that truly carries the water for the Amercian people and those that are merely playing career politician.
Now, I have no issue for someone hammering hard questions of course but for this whole process has taken my mind back to when Oliver North appeared before Congressional hearings. It was really the first time in my life that I can remember watching hearings on TV let alone seeing a military man being questioned regarding rather political undertakings. I remember though the level of respect that seemed to be given North even by those opposing the reasons by which brought North before him. There was civility and honor it seemed among both sides of the microphone back then. I wonder how North would have been received if he had to come before them now as he did some twenty years ago.
After today and the Senate turn, I find our leaders today much less civil, much less concerned with the greater good and more concerned with political posturing before the cameras. I learned today that there is a reason they call these things Congressional Hearings and that is because most of these leaders on the Hill are great at "hearing" just not too many a long on "listening".
I think it would be great if we could have Congressional Listenings.
To begin the process with an absurd and rather dangerous ad put out by MoveOn.org attacking General Petreaus was afterall rather typical, but for many of the leading Democrats including those who would like my vote come 2008 not to condemn such an outragoues attack against the integrity of our military was striking to say the least.
I recall those same leaders telling us that the organizations like MoveOn are but a small part of the overall Democratic base, and yet these leaders constantly promote that very agenda, turn around and attend the Kos Convention all the while reassuring us that these elements are but a small part of the Party. If anyone was naive enough to believe that then they certainly cannot deny that the lack of condemnation of the ads placed is surely due to the fact that that element is certainly NOT a small faction of the left after all. It is becoming readily apparent IT is the Left.
I respect many parts of the progressive platform but am beginning to truly believe that moderates and fiscal conservatives of the Party have to admit there is I hijack in progress on the Democratic base. I only say thatin light of such observations as the lack of support for the DLC, that brought Bill Clinton to the Presidency I might add, by the very same leaders that say that the far left isn't the power of the left.
Now I realize that we are constantly being told that those old labels of "left", "right", "liberal" or "conservative" are becoming less defined in modern poltics as maybe in the past, but I cannot get over that this hijacking of the Democratic base, at least in terms of lobbying power, cannot be merely of "primary" influence but will spill over into the general election. I am tired of trying to figure out whioch face these leaders are playing on a daily basis while I'll country's domestic policy swings in the balance.
Say what you mean, mean what you say and get to work on moving our country forward. Thats apolitical by the way. My head as many Amercians I presume is tired of spinning. When we as voters have to determine what it is you (ie politcian) mean something is certainly wrong.
I must say that I have been impressed by two politicians over the course of the last two weeks and they are (R)Duncan Hunter and (D) Barrack Obama. Hunter has impressed me on his obvious expertise with regard to immigration and now the Iraq question and like Obama is passionate about his message. A message that comes of as genuine. Obama has taken some licks by the Clinton machine, but whatever his failings in terms of political strategy he seems ready to go after the issues of Afghanistan, Pakistan situation and carry on the war on terror all be it differently and voice his views and positions without regard to posturing. Thats inspiring.It would impress me even more if Obama would come out and condemn MoveOn.org for its attack on the General. Hunter on the other hand took it to those who would support such ads within Congress and I would not be surprised if he and John McCain makes those memebers who support it "famous".
I think that those that would shoot the messenger rather than "listening" and then making judgements does our whole nation a disservice. Whether or not we agree about the war or what to do in Iraq or how to wage the war on terror, you simply do not allow your very soul to come into question because you fail to condemn those that are so obviously indefensible.
Have we no shame anymore? I wonder.
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4 comments:
Thats pretty funny. y assumption is you were speaking to Baracks and Duncans style and passion and not their ideology. They are polar opposites on Iraq and other issues.
So did Biden , McCain, Hunter, Obama simply just blow away Clinton or what the past two days? And she is supposed to be good to go on foriegn policy? I think not. She offers no solutions just rhetoric. She's no Bill Clinton thats for sure.
The Congress as long as it has mouthpieces like Harry Reid will keep the attnetion of Iraq because they have failed to provide any solutions on domestic policy. Look at the campaign funding for the Democrats running for President and you will find that they are taking money from the same corporations that the Republicans are. Both the Stock Market and Housing Market have provided huge financial widfalls to individuals and people want the tide to keep on rolling. Status quo on domestic policy is here to stay.
The point is that these Congressman hold these hearings not really as a matter of "listening" to what the presenters have to say, but use it as a free opportunity to use it as an opportunity to further there own agenda.No conflcit of interest there. I always enjoy having our politcians attempt to prop themselves up as being experts on everything let alone military tactics. I would be interested in learning just what Jim Webb's son would have to say after returning to Anbar today a year removed? I wonder if that would be contrasted or be similar to the son of Duncan Hunter who is over there as well. Forget these politically motivated views, lets roll the CSPN tape of the EOD clean up teams from August and listen to the soldiers themselves. On the one hand politcians downplay the sacrifice and then have to audacity to tell the Amercian people what is is the military is feeling. A striking contradiction from the one portrayed by certain leadership in Congress is found amongst the soldiers themselves. You can bet if this strategy was truly not working or at least the trends were not moving in a postive direction, we would have some MSNBC, CNN embedded folks backing up the view that this is a failure by providing coverage in these provinces as well as in the north with the Kurds and yet all we have is the same foriegn correspondant telling us the same thing he has for two years. Could some one please just for once take us and let us see the successes of our labor, just once instead of focusing on anything and everything that is negative in Iraq.
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