Predictions From Before The 2006 Elections

I was looking back to last fall, specifically back to the lead-up to the November 2006 elections. Many people, other than the Democrats and other liberals, wanted the Republicans out of power in one or both houses of Congress. The reasons varied; some wanted to teach the Republicans a lesson for not adhering to their party platforms, others thought that Democrats couldn't do any worse, and still others felt that an opposition party in the Legislature would reduce the run-away spending and provide fresh ideas and attitudes to move our country forward.

I didn't agree with those positions. I was concerned that Democratic wins in the House and/or Senate would end-up hurting America because I believed that the Democrats would try to cut funding to our troops (and possibly attempt to legislate a direct or indirect reduction or removal our troop levels in Iraq), launch investigations and/or impeachment proceedings, increase taxes, and send a message of capitulation to the enemy.

Well, it's been nearly 150 days since the election, and what has happened?

Cutting funding to our troops
The House and Senate have narrowly passed a supplemental funding bill that is stacked with pork, and mandates a withdrawal from Iraq by 2008. The Democratically led Congress was well aware that this bill would receive a veto from President Bush, creating a situation in which funding for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan could be jeopardized.

Launching investigations and/or impeachment proceedings
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is investigating whether the administration suppressed scientific research on climate change, as if the global warming hasn't received "needed" funding or attention.

Congress will likely be looking into who knew what, and when they knew it, regarding the death of Army Ranger Pat Tillman; all of this because there are allegations that the Pentagon may have told the administration that the death could have been friendly fire in order to protect the administration from making any embarrassing statements about the death of the former NFL player.

Congress is investigating non-issue case of the firing of eight federal prosecutors.

Grumblings about impeachment are still being heard, although it was a Republican (Senator Hagel) who most recently mentioned it on ABC's "This Week" (keeping in mind, however, that Hagel was one of only two Republicans in the Senate who voted with the Democrats on the supplemental funding bill).

Increasing taxes
The Democrats' budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year will likely increase the taxes that Americans pay.

Sending a message of capitulation to the enemy
The supplemental funding bill, and the failure for Pelosi to allow H.R. 267 (condemning Iran for taking the British servicemembers captive) to come to a vote before the House, are seen by many to be a sign of weakness and capitulation to our enemies in the war on terror.

Doesn't it give you a big warm-fuzzy seeing that it really does look like all of my concerns are becoming reality?

First, I'd like to thank the Republicans for being absolute morons and allowing things to get to the point that they were at last year. Second, I'd like to thank everyone who decided to use the 2006 elections to teach the Republicans a lesson, give the Democrats a chance, or to allow an opposition party to provide a check to the administration so that we could restore our country's development, reputation, and future.

Maybe things will change for the better under the Democrats by 2008, but at this point it looks like a big case of "I told you so."

USMC 9971 OUT