Wednesday, March 6, 2002
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Wednesday, March 6, 2002 |
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Politics: Let's have some open exchange By DAVE HAMRICK The jockeying for position that politician/statesmen do as an election approaches is always interesting, and now maybe a little more so in the wake of Sept. 11. Democrats are faced with a dilemma, because the president is riding high on a wave of public support because of his handling of that crisis and the ensuing military action. They have to criticize the president, because his popularity might have coat tails that Republicans could ride in November, and the possibility of the GOP controlling both the legislative and executive branches is a real one. But they have to be careful how they criticize, lest they be portrayed as unpatriotic, as not supporting the president and the troops during a very popular war. All was quiet on the political front for awhile, but now Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle has, perhaps somewhat timidly but also carefully and deliberately, begun doing his job in recent weeks, airing the criticisms and taking the heat. He has chosen one tried and true avenue, calling the president's economic stimulus package foolhardy, and complaining that the tax cuts it contains favor those who actually pay taxes (of course, he doesn't put it that way). On another front, in a way I admire Daschle's courage. He is trying to plant in the voters' minds the idea that Bush's war in Afghanistan will have been a failure if we can't produce the corpuses dilecti of both Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar. There is real risk of backlash here, and I'm sure Mr. Daschle knows it. And there is also the possibility that those who accuse Daschle of the basest sort of political gamesmanship giving aid and comfort to the enemy for the sake of his own power lust are correct. But I prefer not to try and read his mind and guess his motives. He has stated several times his belief that it's the job of the loyal opposition to criticize when it's appropriate, and that he believes what he is saying, and I take those statements at face value. We have to be careful in this country. We could easily get so wrapped up in our patriotic fervor that we forget the freedoms we're fighting for in the first place. Republicans, in a way, have an equally difficult task, and they have been equally wary as they parried Daschle's thrusts. They can't be seen as calling into question Democrats' patriotism as a political ploy. That would be just as base and would invite just as damaging a backlash. Some have done so anyway. There have been statements and memos to that effect. When you pin down party leaders, though, they run away from the question. They are wise to do so. Instead of playing the patriotism card, I would greatly prefer that they state the obvious that Mr. Daschle's assertions are preposterous and moronic. If Hitler had escaped to some hideaway somewhere, would WWII have been a failure? Of course not. But they don't say that either. The leadership are also afraid to call Daschle an obstructionist, though that's exactly what he is. He has put himself in the way of almost every piece of good legislation to come down the pipeline this year. He can call that "the politics of personal destruction" all he wants to. It doesn't change the truth. He would be better off admitting he has been an obstructionist and arguing that he did the right thing, that the legislation was all bad. He also has insisted on provisions in the campaign finance bill that are clearly unconstitutional, and the president should veto that legislation and succinctly state why. As election time draws nearer, both sides will take off the gloves a little bit, but for the Republicans timing is crucial. If they begin making their case too late, it looks like they're just desperately reacting to polls. They need to make a strong case now that having Democrats in control of the Senate is keeping a lot of good things from happening in America. And yes, I think if they simply try to ride the war wave, the polls will start to go against the Republicans. If the economy shows rapid improvement, though, that's a wave they can ride without saying a whole lot. In either case, I think the voters are better served by an open and honest debate on both sides. Mr. Daschle, go ahead and criticize. It's your right and your duty. Republicans, answer with arguments and bold statements. Don't be afraid to publicly marvel at the stupidity of the "must get bin Laden" argument, and don't be afraid to call an obstructionist an obstructionist. Come on. Let's not let Sept. 11 turn us into a bunch of political wusses.
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