Though it is likely, there is no guarantee that the Democrats will take back the House and unlikely to take back the Senate. Still, if the Democrats take charge, it would be advisable for the moderate Republicans to cooperate to an extent; otherwise, there will be little for the Dems to do but exercise subpoena power which will only further extreme partisanship.
First and foremost is an agreement on how best to settle the Iraq challenge politically and militarily. All seem to agree that a massive assault on insurgents and terrorists will effect even greater damage politically and collaterally. Democrats must put behind them the administration’s motive for the invasion in the first place and focus on an Iraqi truce and “peace talks” among the warring parties with perhaps the help of the UN to iron out differences. If it turns out to be so deeply rooted in Islamic sectarianism, then it would seem an agreement must be reached on the principle of religious freedom and the country thus divided if tolerance is unacceptable. If, however, the parties show their hands to be political; that is, not ceding to democratic principles in violation of their constitution, then all efforts of nation-building by the US will cease if at least one faction does not join the federal forces in a formal civil war against authoritarianism. If there is a wholesale break in the ranks of the federal security forces, the US will completely wash its hands of the debacle, but more than likely US Troops will be held in reserve and unleashed in the event the good guys are pinned down.
On the home front the Dems should push for incremental rollbacks of the tax windfall for the top 1%, and penalize corporations for outsourcing and mass layoffs thereof. They should make moderate gains in stem-cell research but leave the embryo till ’08. Oversight of the environment should be revitalized without being extreme and bazaar. An annual COLA should be implemented immediately in behalf of the current minimum wage. Subsidize major US corporations for their employee health care plans, and tax credits for small businesses with health care. Work on a plan for the uninsured that would tie-in with incrementally increasing their Medicare payroll withholding. The government should power bargain for Medicare prescription drugs. Set aside a portion of SS surplus to invest prudently in several accredited diversified mutual funds.
If some of these are realized America will have been granted a decent congressional term.
Copyright © 2006 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: October 27, 2006.
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