What drives the Democrats ?

Question

What drives the Democrats ?
Article Last Updated:05/02/2007 11:56:39 AM PDT
LEGISLATION passed by congressional Democrats would force United States troops to abandon Iraq beginning Oct. 1. Though a veto was foreordained, the vote was great news for the jihadis in Iraq, their second such morale boost in a week. On April 19, Senate majority leader Harry Reid had run up a white flag, declaring that "this war is lost and the surge is not accomplishing anything" — music to the ears of al-Qaida and its allies.

Why is the Democratic Party so wedded to defeat in Iraq? What drives its determination to see this war end in American failure?

The most generous explanation is that Democrats genuinely believe that Iraq will be better off with the Americans gone — that removing US troops will eliminate the catalyst of al-Qaida's butchery.

But as Connecticut's Joseph Lieberman pointed out that "in each of these places where US forces pulled back, al-Qaida rushed in. Rather than becoming islands of peace, they became ... islands of fear and violence."

Some Democrats are clearly motivated by ideological conviction. There may be some on the party's leftmost fringe who would welcome a US defeat on the grounds that the only good superpower is a humbled superpower. There are certainly Democrats in Congress, such as Ted Kennedy and Dennis Kucinich, who almost always oppose any use of military force on principle.

And then there are those who cannot bring themselves to acknowledge the magnitude of the stakes in Iraq or in the larger conflict against radical jihadism. The reality of this struggle — that we are in an existential war with a totalitarian enemy that celebrates death and cannot be appeased — is too bleak and hopeless. They would rather escape into an alternate reality, one in which Americans can choose to end the war by quitting the battlefield.

But in the end there is no escaping that for many Democrats, this is all about politics. Both President Bush and the war in Iraq are unpopular, and the Democratic leadership hopes to capitalize by opposing both of them.

"We are going to pick up Senate seats as a result of this war," Reid said candidly at an April 12 news conference. "Senator Schumer has shown me numbers that are compelling and astounding." To which Schumer, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, added: "The war in Iraq is a lead weight attached to their ankle. ... They are looking extinction in the eye." He spoke those words, Congressional Quarterly observed, "making no attempt to hide his glee."

That glee is very telling. It would be one thing for lawmakers to conclude regretfully that America's campaign in Iraq has failed and that bringing the troops home is the least bad option left. Were that the case, voting to pull the plug would be a sad and painful duty, one no member of Congress would carry out with "glee."

Yet when the House of Representatives voted last month to force a withdrawal from Iraq, Democrats were jubilant.

"Many House Democrats stayed on the floor, reveling in their victory," reported The Hill on March 23. "House Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey and Representative John Murtha hugged each other while a smiling (majority leader Steny) Hoyer shook every hand he could find. ... (majority whip James) Clyburn joked with members as (Speaker Nancy) Pelosi kissed and hugged her colleagues."

The New York Times noted that in conversations with "dozens" of Democrats, Pelosi's argument for the bill was overtly political: "Did they want a headline saying, 'Congress is standing up to President Bush,' or 'Congress gives President Bush free rein?'

Senator John McCain, adamantly supporting the current "surge" in Iraq, says he would rather lose a presidential campaign than a war. Democrats, all smiles, prefer to lose the war and win the campaign. They're not alone. In Iraq, al-Qaida is smiling, too.

Jeff Jacoby ([e-mail]) writes for the Boston Globe.

Answer 1

Is this a question?

Because it is a fact of life that both Republicans and Democrats act "overtly political" each and every day both in Washington as well as around the country. Oh, yes, minor parties do overtly political things as well.

Why has being political become a dirty word? Being political transcends government and can be found within universities, social clubs, religious organizations, etc.

Whenever you have at least two people with differing opinions, one will always try to improve his or her priorities within the group.

Answer 2

"What drives the Democrats ?"

A Utopian view of their unrealistic world mind-set. Peace at any price, with any eventual consequences on the back burner - if considered at all.

They've thrown in the towel when it concerns the war in Iraq - or the war on terror, for that matter. They are doing everything they can to force Bush out of Iraq - if the troops are still in Iraq and a democratic president is elected, they will have to either put up or shut up. The consequences of a terrorist victory will then be in their court should they pull the troops out before a stable and viable government is set up in Iraq to counter the insurgency - and they know it. They have essentially painted themselves into the proverbial corner by accepting the premise that a defeat in Iraq is an acceptable policy. They will spin any inevitable consequences of an early withdrawal or a set date for withdrawal totally on Bush's administration.
It's a sad commentary when defeat becomes policy and some of our esteem representatives take pride in their stance to boost the moral of our present ruthless enemies.
As far as the polls, why doesn't someone take a pole and simply ask Americans if allowing the terrorists a successful outcome to their tactics of indiscriminate slaughter of innocent civilians is acceptable policy? Or, better yet, how do we respond when their tactics continue around the world after we leave?
Sad indeed.

Answer 3

What drives the Democrats is the idiot who put our troops in harms way in the first place. Bush had no idea what he was starting when he lied about WMD's. He had no idea what he was doing when he claimed "Mission Accomplished" 4 year ago. He started a war under false pretense and has caused a big poop storm in the Middle East. the Iraqi people are far worse off now than they were before we arrived. 4 million Iraqi's have fled the country. Thousands have died. Every time Bush is told by a general serving in Iraq that he's screwing up the President gets rid of him because he wants a yes man to tell him what he wants to hear. Wake up man! Our boys are getting killed for nothing. It was all about money. Not freedom for Iraqi's. And al-Qaida hopes we'll stay so they can blow up more Americans. Bush has never served in the Military and McCain never saw war from the ground.
You want to help win the war? Go serve in Iraq and then write back and tell me it worth it. It isn't and that's what drives the Democrats.

Answer 4

As further and extra human beings awaken to the creative Liberal Socialist Democrats willingness lie, libel, slander, defame to smear combatants as foretold in rules for Radicals by skill of Saul Alinsky. Immoral Alinsky habit proves that creative Liberal Socialist Democrat philosophy is evil & amoral such as that of psychotics or serial killers i.e. psychopaths for the 'extra desirable stable' of Socialism. then human beings comprehend David Axelrod is a real believer practising Alinsky strategies on all that oppose Socialism, so what's the alternative Tea occasion or Republican? so it relatively is connect the Tea occasion

Answer 5

Ideology, specifically a SOCIALIST ideology.

Today the party is led by Dean, a self-avowed socialist, pelosi a card carrying member of the socialist party, clinton who adores the socialist method of taking a country.

The most amazing thing to me is it is never mentioned in the press, not even fox it is like SOCIALIST, is now the S-word in politically correct speech, I mean half the time they never even call them their more respectable name of liberal.

I have written fox numerous times asking about a report on the subject.

The links below prove the point I made, they are anti-AMerican, card carrying commies and American need to know that.

Answer 6

I don't know.. I could ask the same of Repugs... I will say this, Dems were given false intel by the BushCo, for the purpose of forcing their hand.. The Patriot acts Are clearly the single most aggressive maneuver ever taken by an administration to undermine the American way of life... and last but not least, it isn't just Democrats that think we should get the Hell out of Iraq... Dems are Wussies? why aren't you out there getting your legs and arms blown off if this is such a righteous and just war.. Hypocrite pansy's ..all of you neo-loons..

Answer 7

Have you ever listened to any democrat making any speech where they didn't advocate higher taxes on the rich? No?

Aren't they breeding envy with every speech?

Have you ever heard them make speeches praising the white race for it's assistance and fair play towards blacks? No?

Aren't they inciting racial hatred and bigotry?

Ever heard any Democrat make a speech where they voiced strong opposition for the Muslim fascists making women into slaves and the wanton murder of innocent people to cause terror? No?

Aren't they advocating slavery and human suffering?

The list goes on and on.

The next logical step is to ask: Since the Democrats are advocating and working toward envy, hatred, greed, bigotry, slavery, human misery.... who benefits? Is it God, or the father of all lies? I believe that if you look for who benefits from the outcome, you will find the driving force.

Answer 8

Jeff Jacoby (b. February 10, 1959) has been a Boston Globe opinion/editorial columnist since 1994. Born in Cleveland, he is a graduate of George Washington University and the Boston University School of Law. From 1987 to 1994, he was chief editorial writer for the Boston Herald. He generally writes from a conservative perspective.

Answer 9

Jacoby is a classic conservatard:

CONSERVATARD A person who is politically conservative to an extreme degree, often with no sound intellectual basis for his or her beliefs. Conservatards believe that loud volume, belligerence, and personal attacks trump logic and reasoning in any argument. In a conservatard's eyes, logic and reasoning are used by communists and hippies to warp the minds of the innocent young, and therefore must be avoided at all costs. When engaged in political discourse, conservatards change subjects often; preferring to point out unrelated (or even fabricated) examples of liberal folly rather than directly addressing the topic at hand. Some conservatards like to use large words like "misunderestimate" and "nukyular" to impress others with their advanced grasp of English vocabulary, and by extension, their intelligence. Conservatards generally have no concept of history, and in fact, may not even be able to read above a third grade level. Most of their belief structure is dictated to them by Fox Television and talk radio. With its recent ruling requiring intelligent design to be taught in schools, Kansas has become, at least temporarily, the nation's conservatard capitol.  

Answer 10

So tell me smarty pants-- what constitutes a win in Iraq? For that matter what is a loss? The administration keeps changing (flip-flopping?) on what that is... They're ADD when it comes to Iraq.

Let's see-- Reasons for war
- WMD's - Gone/none found to speak of
- Democratic Iraq - They have constitution and elected gov.
- Train Iraqi soldiers - they have around 300k soldiers supposedly trained.

Bush has indicated progress the whole time we've been there.

So why not delcare victory and leave? Who cares if they're not totally stable-- let them sort it out.

We've accomplish most of what we intended to do there. Call it close enuf for government work and leave.