The Biggest Fairytale Ever Told

Dispatch from NYC 2:30P

Last November the American People handed control of congress to the Democratic Party. They voted Democratic because of a promise to end the War in Iraq and to hold Bush and Cheney accountable. If the Democratic Candidates had said 'we’re taking impeachment off the table' and 'we are going to continue funding the Iraq War', the Republicans would still be in power. In fact, they still are because a majority of the Democratic Congress refuses to change the course of anything.

As I watched the State of the Union Address last night I kept wondering why Bush and Cheney aren't in prison? I kept wondering how many more of our brave men and women will die during the next 10 months in Iraq. All the while we will be lost in the campaign promises of a party that has done nothing to gain credibility. Oh yes, Senator Obama gives beautiful speeches and Senator Clinton promises the sky but what will the reality of a Democratic President be like? I have only one way to judge each of these candidates and that is by their voting record. Words are easy but action is much harder. On the Iraq War both Hillary and Barack have exactly the same votes with the exception of the nomination of General Casey. They have both voted for continued funding and given Bush all the extra money that allows this criminal act to continue. Not once has either of them taken the lead in opposing the war in Congress. Hillary has even voted to condemn the Iranian Military as a terrorist organization, Barack never bothered to vote on the resolution. On Impeachment their silence is deafening.

So what are Progressive Democratic Liberals to do? All my voting life the millimeter of change is what was important. In this election we have the illusion of change. When Obama speaks of empowering the people to change the government, well, we did that last November. We voted for change that never happened. We voted for the Constitution and to save our young men and women. Where were all those wonderful speeches defending the Constitution and holding Bush and Cheney accountable? The speech we heard was that ‘we need sixty votes to change things’. That was a lie because either Pelosi or Reid could have stopped the funding for Iraq by themselves which is why we put them in power in the first place! In spite of all, for lack of a viable third party and because of the Supreme Court, we must vote Democratic.

We don’t have any great statesmen or stateswomen in government anymore only people concerned with reelection. Lately the Democratic Congress is showing signs of life by opposing Bush on the FISA Bill. It’s amazing what a Presidential Election Year does to bolster courage in even the most feeble of politicians. In August they had no problem offering Bush even more wiretapping powers. When President Clinton referred to Obama’s anti-war rhetoric as being the ‘Greatest Fairytale Ever Told’, I thought he’s wrong but in reference to the majority of the Democratic Congress he’s absolutely right.

I’m leaving to travel across the Midwest this weekend after voting on an absentee ballot. I don’t have a single reason to believe either Senator Obama or Senator Clinton will end the war in Iraq. In fact they will most likely leave tens of thousands of our troops in Iraq beyond their second term (if they should get one). Why, because the Defense Department will convince them our withdrawal will cause a ‘Blood Bath’ in Iraq. As I said before I’m still hoping for that millimeter of change. The only change likely is either the skin color or gender of the new president. Perhaps that is change in itself, I just keep hoping for more.