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Selective Listening
One of the mantras that has been repeated over and over again since the elections last November is that the “voters have sent a message to President Bush.” The logic goes something like this:
- Democrats bashed Bush and the war in Iraq relentlessly, declaring early and often that they were opposed to both.
- The Democrats got elected.
- Therefore, the American populace is opposed to Bush and the war in Iraq.
Obviously there are some gaping holes in that logic, including the fact that the ballots listed candidate names, not policy positions on a single issue. Having said that, let’s just suppose for a moment that voters, as a group, really did intend to send a message to the White House when they cast their ballots. Just because voters allegedly want something, does that make it the best option? Obviously not. If Americans voted to liquidate the public school system and use the proceeds to fund an effort to build a swimming pool in every American’s back yard, would that make it a good idea?
And yet, leaders like Reid and Pelosi continue the drum beat. “We’re not going to stop until we surrender. Why? ‘Cuz The People said so!” This sandy moral-high ground has become the platform from which they thumb their noses at the President. They decry the arrogance of this administration, lamenting just how out of touch Bush is.
In considering this supposed referendum of the people, I wondered if Reid and Pelosi had always been so dedicated to serving at the whim of their constituency. I did some digging regarding another hot-button political issue: same-sex marriage.
In a 2004 article, T.R. Reid of the Washington Post noted that “voters around the country found at least one thing they could agree on… banning same-sex marriage.” Wikipedia offers a map of the United States showing a state-by-state breakdown of same-sex marriage laws. Maps like this are typically a checkerboard of red and blue, but this particular map is overwhelmingly monochrome. At time of writing, pollingreport.com lists an Associated Press/AOL poll from January of this year showing that 51% of those surveyed would “favor… a law that would ban gay marriage, requiring that marriage should be between a man and a woman.” Only 45% would oppose such a ban, and 4% were unsure.
My personal opinion on this specific issue aside, it would seem clear to me that the American people have spoken. With such a clear mandate, you would expect Reid and Pelosi to act decisively in favor of the “will of the people.” Yet, when given a chance, each of them were arrogantly out of touch with their constituents. Reid opposed the Federal Marriage Ammentment in July of 2004, and again in June, 2006. Pelosi voted against a similar amendment in September of 2004, and again in July, 2006.
Thus, it would seem that Reid & Pelosi, et. al., are willing to listen to clear and direct mandates… but only when they line up with their own political agendas and ideologies, or can be used for their political gain. Their hypocrisy knows no bounds, as they continue their sanctimonious scolding of the President and his refusal to pursue failure at all costs in Iraq.
Let’s face it, patience and perseverance are values that have all but disappeared in recent generations. As a country, we have tired of the war in Iraq. It is expensive, it is hard work, and it involves sacrifice. Courtesy of The Media, we are reminded multiple times a day of the growing death toll (though it is still incredibly low compared to every war in this nation’s history), and of the instability in the region. We should not be surprised in the least, especially considering the “leadership” coming from the Democratic party, that the popular opinion is that we should just quit and come home.
Is this an occasion for our leaders to demand that we wave the white flag as soon as possible? Not at all. What we need now are leaders that will stand up for the national security of this country. We need our leaders to lead us by reminding us of our rich and storied history, how it is not in our blood as Americans to just get up and walk away when things get tough. To be sure, seeing things through in Iraq won’t be easy, but it is absolutely vital to the safety and freedoms we enjoy as a nation.
As Jeff has pointed out, “ending the war” won’t end the war. When terrorists aren’t willing to stop until they’ve destroyed The Great Satan, bringing the troops home will only bring the terrorists home with them. No matter what the opinion polls say, it seems obvious that this is not what is best for the United States. Unfortunately for us, political vultures such as Reid and Pelosi aren’t really concerned with what’s best for anyone but themselves and their political party.