With only forty-eight hours before the midterm elections, it was a prudent decision to open today's Meet The Press with the Deputy National Security Advisor, John Brennan. As he stated, "They [Al Qaeda in Yeman] are at war with us, and we're very much at war with them." The point being, let's not forget what is going on around us as we focus on our little of bubble in the world.
What we found interesting about the conversation is that Mr. Brennan kept speaking about Yemen and Al Qaeda in Yeman, but never mentioned Anwar al-Awlaki by name, the head of this faction on the Arabian pennisula. Al-Awlaki is a U.S. Citizen targeted for assassination by the Obama Administration. So you can say what you will about President Obama's domestic policies, but he is continuing and enhancing the aggressive stance of the United States started by the Bush Administration when it concerns our "war on terrorism."
Some have argued that the United States can not target one of it's own citizens for execution without any charges or trial, and technically that is true, but Al-Awlaki stopped being a U.S. Citizen a long time ago. We're not usually given to cavalier opinions in this column, but in regard to this one individual, we'll make an exception. There is no other figure in Al Qaeda right now more dangerous. And at this stage, we'll not see a situation like we did with Al-Zarqawi in Iraq.
He was thrown to the wolves for becoming too powerful and too much the focus of Al Qaeda in general. Al-Awlaki could potentially be elevated to the top spot, succeeding Osama Bin Laden. The myth created that an American Muslim comes to lead the one Muslim organization willing to fight against the United States is a powerful message for the disenfranchised Muslim masses.
Now we understand that Mr. Brennan did not mention to specifically not put a face on this Yemeni faction, but it's vital to know the background to understand the why. For Al-Awlaki, who was once a moderate Iman in American denouncing the September 11th attacks, but obviously not so now. The biggest fatal flaw that the United States military and intelligence operations should exploit with these people is their respective egos. Al-Awlaki figured it was better to live as a famous radical than an anonymous moderate. They are trying every possible angle to break through our security systems and we can certainly expect more of these kinds of smaller-scale attempts.
This week's bomb-package plots aboard cargo planes wasn't the top story but for one day and it reminds us that this is a time for serious people, people we're not going to get anew as these midterms come about.
Mr. Brennan's short interview gave way to a longer segment with Governor Haily Barbour of Mississippi and DNC Chair (former Governor of VA) Tim Kaine, which typically was less informative because of all the spin with every answer.
Mr. Kaine, for his trouble, said that he thinks the Democrats will hold both houses of Congress. We get it, he's the DNC chair, but in the real world, his optimism truly rings hollow and come to think of it, he had no conviction in the statement. However, it is absolutely correct that the Republicans under President Bush created a lost decade. Where he's wrong is that we think he's mis-identifying which decade. This decade starting in 2010 is the one that's lost! It will take us to at least 2018 to resolve the deep crisis that this country is in - directly caused by the Bush Administration's policies.
And only a Republican of the ilk of a Haley Barbour could raise our cynicism about politicians' intentions higher than hearing false optimism. He said that this midterm election is a repudiation of "Obama's policies." [Reason we put that in quotes is that Mr. Barbour doesn't have the inclination to address the man by his proper title.] Republicans will take the House of Representatives, but not the Senate though they'll get close. Our politicians are just that, not leaders. Governor Barbour said that Republicans will cut $100 billion in spending from the budget. Great, but they never say how they are going to do it. Lowering taxes is not the answer. No one likes to pay higher taxes, but the reality is that something has to give. Do we get rid of Social Security like the Tea Party candidates want, or do we raise taxes to pay for it? Do we repeal the Healthcare Reform Bill and eliminate Medicare for future generations? Governor Barbour said that if Healthcare isn't fully repealed that it will be changed so much that it won't look anything like it does now. But how can we keep the current system, one the Republicans want to bring back, afloat? Republicans don't talk about sacrifices because their prism is through a corporate one, and the Democrats are politically scared to outline the reality.
Serious people stick by their convictions and the Democrats haven't done that. Republicans are exceptional at stoking fear and blame and winning elections, but they can not seriously govern for all the people.
"Americans are angry," NPR's Michelle Norris said, to which Mark Halperin concurred during today's round table. However, on the right at least, it is a manipulated anger - citizens advocating against their own interest - it's sad to watch. We keep thinking that this is no where more illustrated than in the race for Senate in Nevada. Sure, Senator Harry Reid is terrible majority leader, but who will benefit from the election of Sharon Angle? Remember Nevada, this is for 6 years, and if you think some of her views are radical (We'd describe it more accurately as Draconian), imagine her in the Senate actually pushing her anti-American agenda. Yes, 'anti-American' is completely accurate. When ever you invoke that God and religion should play a role in the policies of the United States, that is in direct contrast to our Constitution.
Tom Brokaw cited some useful history for the discussion. He recalled that at Reagan's first midterm election, unemployment was higher than it is now and his approval rating was lower than President Obama's at this time. What he didn't have time to include in his answer is what Reagan then did. He lowered corporate taxes significantly and increase our national debt by trillions so as corporate America boomed in the 80's, most still struggled to keep it all together. Mr. Brokaw also said that some are nervous about how the Republicans will get it together and lead this country. This column's concern is deep and real.... think Sharon Angle as one of our leaders. Just thinking of her winning feels like a punch in the gut and is singularly emblematic of how America's reputation as a country of innovative thinkers is tarnished.... crumbled.
With that said, here's how we'll officially weigh in on some of the races - the bad, the ugly, and the fun:
Nevada
Harry Reid (D) and Sharon Angle (R)
Winner: Sharon Angle. She has the benefit of the anonymous corporate dollar throwing millions toward the race to defeat Mr. Reid. In these last days, Mr. Reid is out of the stump and Mrs. Angle is staying out of sight to avoid any late gaffs with the press, who she has literally run away from for the entire campaign... This is a real leader? All of America losses on this one.
Delaware
Chris Coons (D) and Christine O'Donnell (R)
Winner: Chis Coons. Please... even Americans can draw this line. Let's face it, Republicans have given up on the Delaware race because they know that Mr. Coons, even though he's a Democrat, he's better for the Senate than Ms. O'Donnell.
California
Barbara Boxer (D) and Carli Fiorina
Winner: Barbara Boxer. The only good thing that Ms. Fiorina has brought to this race is that hopefully she woke Senator Boxer who seems to have been resting on the privilege of her position for too long. With that said, she still represents the best interests of her state, whereas Ms. Fiorina would simply be a 'yes' for Republican corporatists at ever turn. Laying off 30,000 at HP in the United States will never ever get our vote.
Pennsylvania
Pat Toomey (R) and Joe Sestak (D)
Winner: Pat Toomey. And this one is devastating on a number of levels - many you may not realize. One, Mr. Toomey is one of the 'fathers' of the Tea Party philosophy... doing away with Social Security and privatizing the VA... real conservative backward stuff. On another level, the administration played this one as badly as you can play it. They backed Arlen Spector, an individual who should have been voted out of office years ago , and go with a great Democratic candidate in Joe Sestak, a retired Navy Admiral. Because of this, he's had to do it all on his own with no support of substance from the Administration. And Mr. Sestak supports the President's policies, and he's still in the race but it looks bleak.
Alaska
Joe Miller (R) and Scott McAdams (D) and Lisa Murkowski (I)
Winner: Lisa Murkowski... as a write-in. Ms. Murkowski will make history and even though she's a Republican it's something that we can all take some kind of pride in. Mr. McAdams is the best representative that Alaska could have. With an Alaska Democrat in the Senate, the utterly stupid 'Mama Grizzly' will have to go into hibernation, the state will be the better for it - more money will roll into the state. However, the two conservative candidates have the cash with the distinct difference being the Joe Miller through any political capital he had down the toilet while his security was handcuffing a journalist. Hence, Murkowski squeezes in.
One last thing: Go and Vote on Tuesday!
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