In every election, there are many issues that congressional candidates must address. And, if a candidate is to win, he or she must build concrete programs and agendas around these issues to prove that they have the voter’s best interests in mind. In the past, Democrats have done this and won campaigns with groundbreaking programs that benefit the nation. FDR’s New Deal, Truman’s Fair Deal, and LBJ’s Great Society are perfect examples. Unfortunately, the Democrats of today have no similar programs. They are fixated on two things: bashing the president and reversing his policies. By ubiquitously adopting this simple-minded agenda, Democratic candidates have proven that they are out of touch with the citizens they claim to represent. Americans care about terrorism, the economy, their health, their jobs, and their educational systems. They have no time for muckraking.
While Democrats have been embroiled in their partisan bickering, the Republican controlled congress has worked towards a better America. This is not to say that the GOP is without its faults, but it has enjoyed success on all of the issues about which Americans care. If control of congress falls into Democratic hands, these triumphs will be repealed and by the time the American people can vote again, they will have seen two stagnant years full of nothing more than congressional squabbling.
After the attacks of September 11, Republicans brought safety to America. They did this by stopping terrorists abroad in Afghanistan and Iraq. The reason these campaigns have been so successful is that the troops have been given the means to defeat terrorists. And who gave them these means? The Republican controlled Congress did. The result: no significant terrorist attacks against Americans since September 11.
Democrats, on the other hand, can’t seem to grasp this. Perhaps nobody better captures the Democratic Party’s ignorance on the issue of terrorism than their leader and proposed Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.
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But what, if anything, will Democrats do about the War on Terror? If Democrats win this November, they will repeal the funding of American troops and may even remove the troop presence all together. Democratic New York Senator Chuck Rangel made this manifest by declaring that he wants to "stop this war."California Democrat Lynn Woolsey clarified the Democrats’ position by saying that she "wouldn’t spend another dime [on the war]."Democrats, therefore, have declared that they want to put a "stop"to the two things that have kept Americans safe since September 11: engaging enemies abroad and funding troops. Doing this would be a victory for terrorism and a recipe for the loss of more American lives.
While the War on Terror will be a focal point in the elections, the most important reason to keep Republicans in control of Congress is the economy. After the burst of the dotcom bubble at the end of Clinton’s presidency, President Bush and the Republican controlled Congress pushed through a series of tax cuts. The results have been nothing short of phenomenal.
The economy grew at a rate of 4.1% for the first half of 2006. That means that, on average, Americans have more money, a higher income, and businesses, both large and small, are thriving. This growth is again reflected in the unemployment rate, which stands at a mere 4.6%, an outstanding figure for any economy. Wages have also risen by 4% over the past year. Not only has this strong economy put more money in the pockets of Americans in every tax bracket, it has helped America cut its deficit.
So what would the Democrats do with the economy if they gained control of Congress? Well, let’s return to our friend Charlie Rangel, the Democrats’ proposed leader of Congress’ top economic policy committee. He "cannot think of one"Bush tax cut that he would keep. Yes, that includes the 10% tax cuts for the lower classes and every other tax cut that has resulted in America’s booming economy. He would be reversing all that the Republican controlled Congress has done and be pulling the rug out from under the American economy. The above statistics would vanish.
Of course, Rangel’s proposed action would do a lot more harm than just tarnish statistics. It is estimated that his tax raises would cost the average American family $2,000 more per year. That’s $2,000 less per family per year for health insurance, prescription medications, college funds, textbooks, and groceries. The Democrats, however, will undoubtedly need this money when they’re filling out countless unemployment checks.
So why haven’t Democrats campaigned with programs that are aimed at helping the American people? In a contemptible display of shameless partisanship, Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer recently answered this question. He says that creating a campaign around actual goals for progress would be a bad idea because it "gives Republicans a target."Allow me to remind you, Senator Schumer, that the success of the American people is more important than the success of your party.
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Sources:
www.yaf.org
An Honest Democrat
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Bureau of Labor Statistics
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