We! The People Webzine: The Symbolic Opposition of the New Congress by Larry Sakin

by Larry Sakin
January 16, 2007

Internet progressives have been abuzz today, sending out urgent notices about attending rallies to protest President Bush's new war policy. Some groups have gone so far as to say his move to increase American troop levels is another constitutional crime to add among the list of illusory articles of impeachment. Others are asking that their peers support the new Democratic majority in Congress, because they're taking bold steps to expose the weaknesses of the Bush White House.

Bullshit.

If anything, the 110th Congress is stepping very gingerly around the President's war authority. So courageous are these bunch of hacks, they plan to take a 'symbolic vote' against the president's plan to raise troop levels and at the same time, have no intention of denying him further funding for the war effort. It seems to me the perils of Bush's intervention in Iraq are beyond the 'symbolic opposition' of the supposed opposition leadership in Congress.

And sorry to burst progressives' bubble here, but there isn't anything unconstitutional about Bush throwing more lambs to the slaughter in Iraq. When Congress gave Bush his war powers mandate in 2002, they told him he could pretty much do whatever he wanted as Commander-In-Chief. That's the problem with handing over such a huge responsibility to a moron like Bush-some things you just can't undo.

Now don't get me wrong-I don't like Bush's new or old war policy. Frankly, I think the prick should have a sack thrown over his head and be whisked away to some Eastern European rendition center so he can feel the pain of his own torture policy. But if the democrats in Congress really want to show they're serious about ending the war, stepping out of Bush's ruinous path is not the way.

If you're attending one of the myriad candle light vigils across the nation Thursday night, good for you. But don't think you're changing a damned thing. Bush and his ilk don't give a shit about your symbolic protests, just like he could care less about the meaningless Congressional vote against him. You want to really make a difference? Forget about the symbolic gestures and ram a Hummer up his ass. That's what this jerkoff understands.

The sad thing is Congress could do just that. They have a prime opportunity to deprive Bush's parasitic military action of the blood it so desperately needs to survive, but they have no intention of letting that bug go hungry. Why? Democrats want to use the Iraq conflict as their means to win the presidency in 2008. If the conflict ends now, the American electorate will start looking at all the other things Democrats needs to do something about but haven't. And that won't bode well against a strong Republican like John McCain.

But right now, Iraq is a can tied to the Republicans. And the Democrats are more than happy to keep this awful conflict going just so they can get some political mileage out of it. Bush certainly wants to keep the war going. He's thrilled at Iraqi's willingness to kill one another, keeping things chaotic while giving him an excuse to hand over more taxpayer funds to his pals at Halliburton, Bechtel, and Raytheon.

So what we have is an unjust military action which will kill thousands more being used cynically by the leadership of both major parties. And none of these leaders are giving you anything but symbolic opposition and nationalistic slogans.

So have fun Thursday night, and smoke a doob for me. But don't raise your expectations that the Iraq War is coming to end soon at a theater near you. You'll have to smoke a lot more than one joint to ever have that vision.

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Larry Sakin is a former music executive and medical non-profit administrator. He has published a number of articles in both fields and is currently writing a book about coping with loss. More of his work can be found on www.blogcritics.org , www.changeforamerica.com, and www.mytown.ca .