The Democrats are understandably wary of the Bushite propaganda campaigns, by which the Iraqi disaster might be dishonestly pinned on the Congress for not giving Bush a blank check. It's time to attack the Bushite deceptions head on, to discredit in the eyes of the public everything that comes from this lying White House.

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On Countdown (on Tuesday, April 10), President Bush was shown fully engaged in the dishonest game his regime is playing in Iraq. Bush was trying to pin on the Democrats the blame for the situation he himself has created. More specifically, he was saying that it is because the Democratic Congress hasn't agreed to give him the blank check he demands for his war that some troops will have to stay in Iraq longer, and some other troops will have to go to Iraq sooner, than they'd expected.

The message here was: If the troops and their families are suffering, it's because the Democrats are trying to influence policy. The overall message the Bushites are working to sell to the American people is: whatever is wrong in Iraq is the fault of the Democrats.

It is, I believe, the fear of this phony propagandistic move by the Bushites that most inhibits the Democrats from putting their fingerprints on this disaster in Iraq. Understandably so. But the time has come for the Democrats to be bolder, not more cautious, in approaching the Bushite propaganda. Not, perhaps --at least at this stage-- by taking greater ownership of the Iraqi debacle. That might play into the Bushites hands. But by counteracting the propaganda itself.

It is time for the lies to be boldly named as such and --thus discredited-- to be robbed of their power.

THIS IS AN ADMINISTRATION THAT HAS LIED TO AMERICA AT EVERY TURN

It is time for the Democrats to call the attention of the American people, by strong statements made through the mainstream media, to the whole pattern of dishonesty plain to see in the Bushites records.

"The president is lying here, when he claims that the way he's stretching our military to the breaking point has anything to do with what Congress has done. This is what they've been doing right along. And so also is the lying.

"This is the same president who "fixed the intelligence" to deceive the Congress and the American people to support a war, concocting a threat to justify what they wanted to do for other reasons they kept to themselves."

And this bold indictment should lay out some of the pattern of deceit on issues that go beyond Iraq as well.

"This is the same administration whose memoranda surrounding the firing of the U.S. Attorneys talked about stringing Congress along, making efforts in 'good faith' --with 'good faith' put in quotation marks.

"This is the same administration that has pressured its scientists not to speak the scientific truth when it runs counter to the political agenda of the White House."

The sooner the American people --or at least the 2/3 who are not under the Bushite trance-- stop giving any credence whatever to what this Bush White House says, the sooner American policy --not just on Iraq but generally-- can become sane.

BRING ON THE DESIGNATED HITTER

It would be good for the Congressional leadership to work toward naming this persistent LYING by the Bushites and toward thus discrediting --in the eyes of the public-- whatever the White House says. But it might be good for this perception to be given a secure beachhead in the American consciousness by being delivered by someone not directly in the partisan fray, and in a better position therefore to speak boldly.

This would be one excellent occasion for Al Gore to play that role as "designated hitter" about which I wrote not long ago (at www.nonesoblind.org/blog/?p=537).

If not he, then perhaps Jimmy Carter who has some moral authority, and has shown himself willing to speak plainly about the disreputable nature of this regime.

And then perhaps there are the presidential candidates. In particular, perhaps Barrack Obama could be the one who delivers this message in a powerful way. This would require him to get beyond his stance as the man of hope and add to it a more prophetic dimension-- an addition that might carry some risk but that could also make him a more full-bodied spokesman for the opposition to these Bushites.

IN CONCLUSION

"To the American people, then, I say: Do not allow this administration to deceive us further. It's time for us to ignore the smoke-screen this administration creates to obscure our real situation and its real purposes.

"And to the president, who is trying to put the blame for his own failures and blunders onto others, who continues to insist on playing politics when American lives are at stake, I ask: At long last, sir, have you no decency?

"When will you --who spoke so glibly about bringing integrity to the Oval Office-- start taking responsibility for what you have wrought?"

Authors Bio:
Andy Schmookler, an award-winning author, political commentator, radio talk-show host, and teacher, was the Democratic nominee for Congress from Virginia's 6th District. His new book -- written to have an impact on the central political battle of our time -- is WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST. His previous books include The Parable of the Tribes: The Problem of Power in Social Evolution, for which he was awarded the Erik H. Erikson prize by the International Society for Political Psychology.