Article: To President Bush, "You can't always get what you want"

In listening to a debate that took place on Scarborough Country after the Senate passed the $120 billion dollar war appropriations bill with a dead line to bring this war to an end attached to it, MSNBC pundit, Pat Buchanan made certain remarks concerning the Democratic Party. Buchanan stated, “Joe, it is exactly the problem the Democrats are going to have. After the president vetoes it, and then they go back, his veto‘s going to be sustained in both houses. And then he says, we have got to have the money now...” Note to Pat Buchanan and President Bush, both the House and the Senate stated passed this resolution to further fund the troops, so take it or leave it. Both the Senate and the House are doing exactly what the American people want as this war’s approval rating continues to slip in the polls and as U.S. forces continue to come home in coffins or sent to Walter Reed Hospital. Buchanan went onto say, “Don‘t be silly about politics. They‘re going to give him the money, are you kidding? They‘re going to deny him the hundred billion dollars? They‘re going to give him the money in the end.” No one in said anything of denying any funds, it just comes with certain conditions attached to this bill. It is about time that this president is held accountable. At times like this, I am reminded of the Rolling Stone’s song, “You can’t always get what you want” But there is an important stanza within that song that does ring true “You get what you need” and what the American people need, and more importantly our soldiers need is an end to this war and our occupation of Iraq. As you read this transcript, Buchanan opines that by sticking with the original bill that the Democratic Party “will be split then…They are being set up for this hit.” This is where the Democratic Party needs to stay strong in order to prove pundits like Buchanan wrong. I was heartened to see Pat Buchanan concern directed towards the Democratic Party. As he was saying that his voice took on a tone of urgency as he shrieked. If by voting along with the Democratic majority those within the Republican Party were doing so in order to set them up, it is up to the Democrats not to give them one inch and state to them we will not play your game. If those Republicans in voting along with the Democrats did so as a game, they have failed to honor the service of our brave men and women. This is where politics must end and our elected officials act as rescue workers. Even Joe Scarborough chimed in, “do you think that the White House and the Senate leadership in the Republican Party is so Machiavellian that they‘d say, Hey, let‘s go ahead and lose this vote? It would be a historic loss...” as he questioned, Craig Crawford. But, it was this line cited by Scarborough that amused me, “Let‘s humiliate the commander-in-chief in America and around the world because we‘ll be setting up the Democrats.” First of all, the commander in chief namely President Bush has only humiliated himself around the world during these past six going on seven years. He does not need the congress to further humiliate him. In fact, President Bush has humiliated the American people and this nation during his administrations. I would throw in one of his priceless ‘Bushisms’ but a war rages on and lives are being lost. Bush only has less than two more years as our president and perhaps our congress members especially our Democratic ones can best define his legacy by not giving into Bush and NOT pulling that language from that bill. I would add, just look at how he has treated our soldiers. He has treated them like chattel and not men and women owed the respect as they stepped up to the plate and served their country. It is about time that this congress takes care of our soldiers and brings them home. While I have gone on record in past editorials to cut the funding to this war, I was glad to see Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi resolve as she spoke in holding President Bush’s feet to the fire. Maybe by adding that troop withdrawal language to this bill it is forcing President Bush to bring this war to an end sooner rather than later. Maybe it is the Democratic majority that is setting him up. Their case to the American people should be, we gave him the money, but with one stipulation based upon your vote and we will bring these troops home. They should clearly and strongly say to the American people to stand with them. There should be no stripping of that troop withdrawal language from the bill, but for congress to send it back. Should President Bush then veto it again, congress should stick to their guns and send it back to President Bush as is. Let him be the last man standing alone in support of this war. Our soldiers have shown bravery, courage, service to country, as they faced the enemy. Over 3,200 have paid the ultimate price and that is life itself. If by stripping that language from that bill to keep them over in that hell here on Earth known as the Iraq War, congress would have failed our soldiers and the American people who placed their trust in this new Democratic majority. So, when Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi states, “There’s a new congress in town” she had better mean it. Author’s note: If you have any comments concerning this editorial or others, my email address is, xmjmac@optonline.net