Promises, promises

Ah, the smell of obnoxiously repetitive commercials and sillified scandals in the air--it must be the fall campaign season.

A lot of folks, even some Republici, are saying America needs a new direction. The Democrats, pouncing on that "throw the bums out" mindset, have dusted off a "Six Point Plan" to take back power (ht Right Truth).

The plan has promises, but this post will not explore those promises. After all, every politician makes promises, it's in their blood from childhood: "Jimmy, if you trade me that Hank Aaron rookie card I'll give you these two lovely matchbox cars, which will provide you years of wonderful enjoyment and financial security.." "Gee, thanks Bill".

Instead, this post will critique the "wrong directions" the Democrats outlined in the plan. To be clear, those are things the Bush administration has already done, or tried to do. Here's what they think went wrong:

WEAKENED SECURITY Failed to capture Osama Bin Laden or destroy al Qaeda; rushed to war in Iraq on manipulated intelligence with no realistic plan to win the peace; failed to provide strategy to stabilize Iraq or begin the responsible redeployment of our troops; strained the U.S. military; wasted billions on no-bid Halliburton and KBR contracts; failed to protect our borders, ports, transportation systems, and chemical plants; received failing homeland security grades from the nonpartisan 9/11 Commission; cut veterans’ health care.

This one's a tough sell. While the Bush group hasn't exactly destroyed AQ they've done a tad better than the previous "tried and failed" administration. Bush at least grabbed the mastermind of 9/11 and destroyed AQ training bases as opposed to a few tents. On Iraq intelligence manipulation, perhaps they're talking about their own history. Do they consider their own rhetoric about Iraq throughout the 90s as misleading, too? Just can't bring themselves to face responsibility for their own actions, it appears.

Regarding attacks, just look at all the attacks. Ahem, oh yes, there haven't been any. Perhaps that was due in part to the snoop programs and "gulags" the democrats tried to scuttle as part of their war on security. The Halliburton contracts are low hanging fruit, even if no other company could have effectively competed with Halliburton. Oh, and as to scanning every single container coming into our ports, that just wouldn't be prudent. Besides, isn't that an egrigious intrusion on interstate commerce? What next, randomly stopping cars on the highway for searches?

RISING ECONOMIC INSECURITY No minimum wage increase for 6.6 million Americans since 1997; real family income down since 2001 as CEO compensation soared; support for subsidies for outsourcing American jobs; $5.6 trillion budget surplus turned into $3.2 trillion deficit; national debt doubled to $12 trillion by 2011.

First off, the Repubs should have raised the danged minimum wage, at least once. The deficits are coming down, but there's a perception that family incomes are, too, depending on what the definition of a family is these days. But let's see, what would put more money in the pocket of the average American? Perhaps the democrats are suggesting more tax cuts!

RISING COLLEGE COSTS $12 billion cut from college student aid; cost of loans increased; college Pell Grants frozen as tuition soars - 57% at public universities and 32% at private schools since 2000.

Aside from the private colleges the cost of public universities can be reasonable depending on where one lives. In Tennessee and Georgia the Hope Scholarships make college affordable to just about everyone except skid row bums who did poorly on their ACT. And these scholarships have been put in place without any governmental wallet-raids. Just buy a few lottery tickets and you're a contributor.

RISING ENERGY PRICES Gas over $3 per gallon; growing dependence on foreign oil; billions in new subsidies for oil and gas companies despite record profits; blocked efforts against price gouging; opposed energy efficient technology and alternative fuels.

D'oh! Just bought gas in Memphis tonight for 1.88 per gallon thanks to cheaper oil and the magical Kroger Card. Besides, they can hardly blame Bush for manipulating prices while simultaneously blaming him for higher prices. As to dependence, the democrats have done nothing to allow exploration for more resources, are against coal and nuclear energy, and generally don't favor the construction of more refineries. Gotta protect those snail darters.

RISING HEALTH CARE COSTS Family health insurance costs up 70% ($4,500 per family) since 2000; 6 million more uninsured; confusing Rx drug benefit prohibits negotiating lower drug prices; stem cell research obstructed.

Confusing, eh? Only the democrats could find a way to complain about a giveaway program. As to solving health care, good luck. If TennCare here in Tennessee was any example then HillaryCare will be a national disaster. Thing is, everyone wants free health care but nobody wants to pay more. The democrats cannot solve that riddle nor can anyone else. If they really wanted honest government they'd change their slogan to "pony up, sucker".

RISING RETIREMENT INSECURITY Promoting substantial privatization of Social Security and benefit cuts for millions of retirees; employee pensions collapse while CEOs get golden parachutes.

There was a distinct sound of crickets when Bush asked the democrats to help him fix Social Security. They don't want to tinker with the greatest political tool ever invented. But give them credit, there are some things that need fixing in this arena regards retirement--things the republicans seem incapble of ever doing, ever.

A wrong direction the democrats don't have a clue on--

Although they list inaction on the border as one of the wrong directions, their plan is rather nebulous on what they consider securing the border. Harold Ford, supposedly a moderate democrat, had a last-minute change of heart and voted in favor or what some Democrats were calling the "new Berlin Wall" legislation a few weeks ago. Whatever it is I'm sure they'll call it tougher and smarter.

PART OF THE PLAN? 10/7/06

Apparently part of the new democrat plan is to construct an all-digital army. That way no one actually has to serve or be sent off to war.

Seriously, unless there's a darn good excuse for this, it should lose them the election. If they can be that deceitful about the military, they should not have any influence over it whatsoever. Especially during a time of deployment.