It is crucial that Republicans be stopped from telling voters that only they are for a balanced budget, only they can protect us from terrorists, only they can discipline themselves. They had the chance and blew it. Now Democrats have to show the nation they can govern, they can discipline themselves, they can make government work.

And they are in position to succeed. Republicans don’t really believe in government and it shows. Going all the way back to Calvin Coolidge, we have seen Republican administrations put people in position of power who see government cynically as a way to make money for themselves or for their friends. Democrats can and must do better.

“Charlie Bass doesn’t present any original ideas or advice to his constituents; he just recycles the tired rhetoric of the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld machine.”

He goes on to point out that Bass has not taken the time to investigate the war either.

Since the start of the war, many congressmen have felt responsible enough to spend thousands of hours in Iraq. They do this to see for themselves what the troops are faced with and what the possible solutions may be. These congressmen meet with soldiers from their home states and provide on-the-spot support and assessment of conditions on the ground.
When they return they then meet with constitutes and the families of the deployed and answer questions face to face.
Charlie Bass has yet to make a single trip; he has not spent one minute in Iraq. His military affairs liaison explained to me that the congressman has not had the “opportunity” to go.

As Bresland says, “It is time for a change.”