On Midterms, Mandates, and Murtha --Arriana Huffington

[Demeter]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/on-midterms-mandates-an_b_33647.html


Everywhere you look, "experts" are sifting through the rubble of last night and offering standard-issue, conventional wisdom-approved explanations for the GOP's defeat. For a perfect example, check out Ron Brownstein's reading of things in the LA Times, where he divines that the "GOP ceded the center and paid the price." Or DLC founder Al From, who -- surprise, surprise -- claimed Tuesday as "a victory for the vital center of American politics over the extremes."


Nonsense. The GOP lost for three reasons: Iraq, Iraq, and Iraq. Period. End of discussion.
Election Day 2006 was an unambiguous repudiation of the Bush administration's failed and tragic policy in Iraq. In race after race after race, Democrats who were unequivocal on Iraq prevailed. Democrats who ran campaigns by the book, listened to their consultants, and veered to Al From's "vital center", lost.

The Iraq dynamic played itself out across the country. In New Hampshire's 1st District, social worker Carol Shea-Porter, who unequivocally said "We have to leave Iraq," defeated incumbent Jeb Bradley, despite no financial support from Rahm Emanuel and the DCCC. In Kentucky, anti-Iraq progressive John Yarmuth, who said that Americans are no longer fighting terrorists in Iraq, "we're fighting Iraqis," unseated five-term incumbent Ann Northrup.

And here are some other Senatorial and Congressional winners on Iraq: SEE LINK FOR LIST OF THOSE WHO RAN ON IRAQ AND WON, AND THOSE WHO DIDN'T AND LOST!

Don't let the DLC and DCCC spin-meisters fool you. This election was not a mandate for the Democratic Party to run to the middle. It was a mandate for the Democratic Party to do everything in its power to get us out of Iraq -- rapidly and responsibly.

And that's why the next thing Democrats need to do is make sure that Jack Murtha becomes the new Majority Leader of the House. He led the charge to make Iraq the central issue of this campaign, and led the charge to keep pressing the issue when other Democratic leaders wanted to tone down the rhetoric or move economic issues to the forefront.

Jack Murtha's leadership sparked last night's victory and has given Democrats control of Congress for the first time in a dozen years. Now they have to complete the end-the-Iraq-debacle mission the voters have given them. And Murtha's the leader who can take them the rest of the way.

[lapfog_1]

1. I think Arianna is right on

When I hear about Nancy's 100 hour plan, well it all sounds good... BUT it doesn't satisfy. I want the 100 hour plan to also include some sort of withdrawal. It's got to be shoved down bunnypants throat.

[dbackjon]

2. No Iraq withdrawl plan

Could be done in 100 hours. We need to have a detailed plan - to show the nation what REAL war-time planning looks like.

And don't forget - we can holler all we want, but Bush is commander in chief, so if he wants the troops there, they stay. Our challenge is to come up with the plan to succeed.

[groovedaddy]

3. Congress funds the military so

just like with Vietnam, Congress can threaten to withhold funding for this mess to pressure Bush into making a decision that he is not likely to make.

[groovedaddy]

4. Not just Iraq

Exit polling said voters were upset by the corruption too.

[bemildred]

6. Congress is the 800 pound gorilla in US politics.

When it wants to be. The supine performance of these last years is intentional avoidance of responsibility, not a lack of power to do something if they so choose.

[bemildred]

5. Right on. nt

[Vidar]

7. Right on, Arriana! Murtha for ML!