The bottom line with the war in Iraq is that a majority of Americans believe it is time to change course in the Middle East. And the current administration wants to maintain the current course. In all likelihood the administration will get its way, for the most part, until OCP (our current president) packs up and leaves the White House. What to do until then?
What is essential for activists to keep in mind as we pass through this interim period? The essential point is to stay informed about the facts on the ground about the war. Listening to Iraqis might be a good thing. Those facts are crucial to making the next six things come about. These are ambitious goals, but not unreasonable.
First -- Elect a Democratic President in November. Decide based on who has the best exit plan from Iraq. If this does not happen you can forget any withdrawal any time soon.
Second -- Elect enough Democratic Senators to break past the 60 vote majority in the Senate. And maintain a hefty Democratic majority in the House of Representatives. Exercise checks on the administration as able with the current slim majority.
Third -- Congress should cut back on non-essential military spending for the Iraq operation through the power of the purse, and begin immediately.
Fourth -- Congress, through the power of oversight committees, should investigate wrong-doing and law-breaking within the current administration.
Fifth -- Through legislative action or mere maneuvering, forestall any further erosion of civil liberties, constitutional rights or unlawful executive power grabs by OCP, all negative consequences of the invasion of Iraq.
Sixth -- Through activist communications with the mainstream media, keep them informed of all instances when one side of the Middle East story is missing, when essential facts are in error, and when they have been unfair with a story. Note that blogging is an essential form of this communication.
View my current slide show about the Bush years -- "Millennium" -- at the bottom of this column.
(Cross-posted at The Reaction.)
My “creativity and dreaming” post today is at Making Good Mondays.
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