There it is, unless Jesus speaks to Bush in the middle of the night and commands him to leave Iraq, our country is condemned to at least two more years of bloodshed in the increasing insanity that is Iraq. 

This leaves the new Democratic leadership in a tough spot. They were for the most part elected to change the course in Iraq. Of course, the Executive Branch (Bush) makes all decisions concerning Iraq and our foreign policies. The reality is, the Democrats are toothless when it comes to forcing the changes the American people want. The only way the Democrats could force any change in Iraq is with the power of the purse. Cut the funding for the war. Something the Democrats have been threatening, but I hope not seriously considering. 

If the Democrats start cutting funding, we can expect all hell to break loose. The Democrats will be accused of not supporting the troops, leaving them “without guns, food or water.” Imagine the joy of Rove if he got his hands on this? Rove will have half the Bubba’s in the country foaming at the mouth. It will be brutal for the Democrats. So, I propose a different tactic, with the same results. 

Despite this administration’s much flaunted bright economic forecasts, few Americans believe that things are getting better. The growing 9 trillion dollar nation debt and stunning trade deficits have put the squeeze on Middle America. It’s the economy stupid, and the vast majority of the American people and Bubba get this. He’s not doing so good these days. Therefore, I propose that a special temporary “war” tax be imposed…now don’t panic, read on. 

With a 9 trillion dollar national debt and mounting, we have been funding this war in part by dipping into the Social Security cookie jar and signing enormous IOU’s with Communist China, yet the funding requests just keep on coming. We can no longer put this war on a credit card. If George W Bush believes in this war as much as he says he does, he will ask the American people to sacrifice to “get the job done”. 

Paint Bush into the corner. What’s Bush going to say, our country can continue to afford this war without sacrifice? Nope, once again, the numbers don’t lie. What are the Bubba’s who continue to support his war going to say? If they believe in this war, they will support the troops by sacrificing. How unpatriotic if they didn’t? 

If the Democratic leadership can come together and get this done, Bush will be forced to stand before the American people and veto a bill for funding a war that he believes in, and tell the American people, in effect, he’ll just print more money and sign more IOU’s; damn the economic future and stability of this country. In today’s political climate, America ain’t gonna bite. 

Who knows when the Iraqi war will end, but the debt is not going away, to continue to add to it without a plan to fund it or pay it off puts our country, families, children, and grandchildren in great economic peril. America and Bubba get this, if you buy it, you gotta pay for it. George Sand