Conventional political wisdom holds that the Republicans need to change the political discussion from the Foley scandals to other major political issues. This view overlooks the fact that Republican candidates are facing a "perfect political storm" of news developments in the closing weeks of the 2006 election cycle.
On the terrorism issue, the National Intelligence Estimate reported just before the Foley scandal broke concluded that the Iraq War has made terrorism worse. Bob Woodward's book, State of Denial has revealed that Rice and others in the Bush White House were briefed on the Bin Laden organizations intention to launch terrorist attacks inside the United States months before the 9-11 attacks. It appears that the Bush White House has intentionally hidden their failure to act on these warnings from the voting public for years.
The Iraq War has gone from bad to worse. Our military expects the situation to decline even more over the next year. The body count is rising rapidly. The cost is approaching $2 billion a week by some reports. Security in Iraq is almost non-existent. Civil war is apparent. It is clear that the Bush Republicans lied to the American public to get us into an unwise and unjustified war. Staying a losing course is simply looking ridiculous to more and more voters.
Housing costs, prescription drug costs and energy costs have increased dramatically while wages have failed to keep pace. Middle class Americans are hurting financially and very angry. Every day consumers get more bad news about price increases and jobs.
Almost all voters are very aware that the Republicans are siding with the Super Wealthy and international corporations on economic issue after economic issue instead of helping struggling workers. Millions of workers are being stripped of their right to unionize to defend themselves. Republicans are actively helping large corporations send millions of good American jobs to third world nations.
Written by Stephen Crockett (co-host of Democratic Talk Radio http://www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com ). Mail: P.O. Box 283, Earleville, Maryland 21919. Email: midsouthcm@aol.com . Phone: 443-907-2367.
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