Tag: democrats

The Hollow Politics of Escalation

An underlying conceit of the new spin about benchmarks and timetables for Afghanistan is the notion that pivotal events there can be choreographed from Washington. So, a day ahead of the president’s Tuesday night speech, the New York Times quoted an unnamed top administration official saying: "He wants to give a clear sense of both … Continue reading “The Hollow Politics of Escalation”

Who Will Protest Obama’s War?

Here we are on the verge of a momentous announcement – President Obama’s unveiling of his "comprehensive plan" for escalating the war in Afghanistan – and where is the so-called antiwar movement? Missing in action, as this news report reveals: “‘There’s this trust that he’s going to fix it all,’ said Shara Esbenshade, 19, a … Continue reading “Who Will Protest Obama’s War?”

The Democrats’ War Tax

Sen. Carl Levin has a solution to the problem of how to finance our losing, futile war in Afghanistan – a war we are fighting to support what has now been officially deemed the second most corrupt government on earth: he wants a war tax. An "additional income tax to the upper brackets, folks earning … Continue reading “The Democrats’ War Tax”

Biggest State Party to Obama: Get Out of Afghanistan

This week begins with a significant new straw in the political wind for President Obama to consider. The California Democratic Party has just sent him a formal and clear message: Stop making war in Afghanistan. Overwhelmingly approved on Sunday by the California Democratic Party’s 300-member statewide executive board, the resolution is titled "End the U.S. … Continue reading “Biggest State Party to Obama: Get Out of Afghanistan”

A Golden Opportunity to Declaw PATRIOT Act

You remember the USA PATRIOT Act, don’t you? It was that 342-page bill that sped through a supplicant Congress within weeks of 9/11, dismantling our privacy rights like a castoff Hollywood set. A reauthorization in 2006 made some things better and some worse, but mostly the law stayed the same – really bad for American … Continue reading “A Golden Opportunity to Declaw PATRIOT Act”

Obama Confronts Democratic Skepticism About Afghanistan

Growing skepticism among key Democratic lawmakers about the U.S. commitment to the war in Afghanistan is certain to pose one of the most difficult political challenges faced by President Barack Obama in his first year in office. With the military apparently preparing to press for a significant increase in the number of U.S. troops deployed … Continue reading “Obama Confronts Democratic Skepticism About Afghanistan”