Still I’m a little disappointed in some of my peers
OK so there we were for the past few years screaming and bitching about the team of Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld. We hated this war and the lies that got us there. We were sick of the ‘Stay the Course’ attitude that permeated thru the Bush administration about this failed war. We were tired of the many pointless attempts by the administration to make a connection between Iraq and 9/11. We were convinced that taking power from the Republicans in the House and Senate would pave the way for change.
Then we did it. Election Day 2006 proved that if we tried hard enough in this country, we could make a difference. The proof of that came not only when the balance of power on the hill had shifted, but when Donald Rumsfeld stepped down from his post the very next day. This was major. Just a week earlier, Bush stated emphatically that Rumsfeld was not going anywhere. That the plans they had set out to keep the world safe and free were working and that was that.
November 8th would prove to be just as historic of a day as Election Day when we as a country caught our President revealing yet another deception. Did Rumsfeld resign? Or would he have been asked to stay if the Republicans had remained in power? I don’t really know but I did expect to hear more triumphant gloating from my peers who helped to bring about this much needed change. Instead I heard things like, “Oh this new guy is the same old story.” Come on! Are we that jaded that we can’t even appreciate such an historic moment?
It’s not often that we can actually say the system works. And no matter what the public spin from the White House may be on this, the removal of the longest standing Secretary of Defense in US history by a President who never admits to making mistakes is big. Very, very big! Especially when you consider that Bush went against Cheney on this one. Could there be trouble in paradise? Or could the trouble we’ve all suspected be finally boiling over the top?
Yes, sure the new guy Bob Gates may be a carbon copy of Rumsfeld. And yes this may simply be a case of only changing the man who’ll be executing the same old plans. But remember, Bush’s party no longer controls the House or the Senate. His recommendation of Gates or anyone else is no longer a slam dunk. In the meantime, rejoice at the fact that we brought about a significant change in our government. Keep that thought fresh when it comes time to do it again.
And that time may come unexpectedly. It doesn’t have to be connected to any specific election or a campaign season. Just as a record number of voters got involved in this past election, so should we all stay involved every single day. Just as several mayors across the land are being recalled by their towns, so should everyone continue to question local, state and federal leadership. This is our country and no matter what side of the political fence any of us are on, we can agree that one thing is a common enemy to all. Apathy!!
