It's About Time Congress Steps Up To Bat!

"The Constitution makes Congress a coequal branch of government. It's time we start acting like it." This is what Senator Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) said at a hearing today on Congress' war powers. Senator Arlen Spector (R-Pa) stated that, " I would suggest respectfully to the president that he is not the sole decider (about what happens in the Iraq War)," and that "The decider is a shared and joint responsibility."

For too long, with the Republican controlled House and Senate, whatever George W. has decided has occurred with little or no debate, and certainly no contradiction. But that time is now over! Mr. Bush is going to have to realize that he is president, not dictator of the US. George W. is not going to have things done just because he wants them done so. George W. is going to have to have the approval of Congress on this issue and many others. The US was thrust into this ungodly war because of the failure of Congress to debate and disagree, and it's about time Congress takes up its appropriate role and share some of the responsibility in the decisions made about US involvement in the world.

Congress could actually halt the war by stopping funding of the war. But this would be a political gamble that not too many in Congress seem willing to take. Vice President Dick Cheney challenged Congress to back up its objections to Bush's plan to put 21,500 more troops in Iraq by zeroing out the war budget, understanding that such a drastic move is doubtful because it would be fraught with political peril. But I believe the Congress has the backing of the Americam people who spoke in the November 2006 election, showing their disdain for the war. George W. & Company have chosen to use the election results as a means to say Americans wanted a change in direction, not an exit from Iraq. But I believe the American people are ready to see the US involvement in Iraq STOP! And I hope Congress takes the gamble and does what the president will not: get our troops out of Iraq NOW!